SkyWatcher Explorer 130m

Product Description

The SkyWatcher Explorer 130m telescope is a versatile and affordable reflector telescope suitable for beginners and experienced astronomers. SkyWatcher Explorer 130m features a 130mm aperture and 650mm focal length, providing impressive views of planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies. Newtonian design with a parabolical mirror ensures good optical quality, while the helical focuser allows for precise and easy focusing. Equatorial mount with motor drive tracks celestial objects automatically, incorporating a polar alignment system for accurate long-term observations. Lightweight metal tripod with extending legs accommodates various observing heights, making the SkyWatcher Explorer 130m a highly capable and user-friendly option for exploring the night sky.

The SkyWatcher Explorer 130m excels at observing planets, nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. Its parabolic mirror ensures sharp and clear images of celestial objects. The telescope comes equipped with a red dot finder, making it easy to locate objects in the night sky. This feature is useful for beginners unfamiliar with star layouts.

The SkyWatcher Explorer 130m offers an affordable entry point for astronomy enthusiasts. It combines good optical performance, sturdy construction, and ease of use in a single package. The telescope delivers impressive views of the night sky while remaining accessible to those new to astronomy.

Should you buy SkyWatcher Explorer 130m as your first telescope?

The SkyWatcher Explorer 130m is a good first telescope for beginners focused on low-power viewing. Its 130mm aperture and f/5 focal ratio provide fast, sharp optics suitable for observing celestial objects. The spherical mirror is easier to collimate than parabolic mirrors. The telescope offers a balance of price and performance for those on a budget. The equatorial mount lacks precision and is prone to vibrations, taking time to settle. The included eyepiece pushes the telescope’s capabilities to its limits. Light gathering capacity is underappreciated in this model. We recommend tabletop Dobsonians or 8-inch Dobsonians as alternatives with better optics and more stable mounts.

Is Explorer 130mm Telescope easy to use?

Explorer 130mm Telescope offers exceptional ease of use for beginners. User-friendly features include an altazimuth mount with smooth controls. Quick assembly takes under 30 minutes. Intuitive design allows smooth navigation and adjustment. Sturdy mount minimizes vibrations. Good-quality optics provide clear images. Included manual and online resources aid new users. Affordable price makes it an excellent entry-point for astronomy enthusiasts.

Should you buy 130m SkyWatcher Telescope for kids?

The 130mm SkyWatcher Telescope is an excellent choice for kids interested in astronomy. It offers a good balance of features for beginners, combining ease of use with affordability. The telescope’s 130mm aperture and 650mm focal length provide sufficient light-gathering capacity to view celestial objects. Children can observe the Moon, planets, and some deep-sky objects with this entry-level Newtonian telescope. Its lightweight and compact design allows for easy transport, making it suitable for family vacations. The telescope’s rack-and-pinion focuser and equatorial mount facilitate navigation of the night sky. Serious beginners can use this telescope as a foundation for learning astronomy without breaking the bank. The SkyWatcher 130mm introduces kids to the wonders of the universe while providing both entertainment and education.

What can you see with SkyWatcher 130m Telescope Reflector?

What you can see with the SkyWatcher 130m Telescope Reflector is outlined below.

• Moon’s surface
• Mercury
• Venus
• Mars
• Jupiter
• Jupiter’s Great Red Spot
• Jupiter’s four largest moons
• Saturn
• Saturn’s rings
• Saturn’s moon Titan
• Saturn’s moon Rhea
• Pleiades (open cluster)
• Hyades (open cluster)
• M13 (globular cluster)
• M22 (globular cluster)
• Albireo (double star)
• Mizar (double star)
• Messier objects (various galaxies and nebulae)
• Sirius
• Arcturus
• Orion Nebula (star-forming region)
• Asteroids
• Comets

Should you buy SkyWatcher 130m Reflector Telescope to observe planets?

SkyWatcher 130m Reflector Telescope offers decent planetary views for beginners. 130mm aperture and 260x magnification provide good observations of moon, Jupiter, and Saturn. Telescope lacks high-resolution capabilities for smaller planets. Quality does not justify $300-$400 price range. Larger apertures (150mm+) offer better options for dedicated planetary observation.

Should you buy SkyWatcher 130m Telescope Reflector to observe galaxies?

The SkyWatcher 130m Telescope Reflector is a good buy for observing galaxies with some limitations. The telescope’s 130mm aperture is sufficient to reveal brighter galaxies like Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33). Dark skies are required for optimal galaxy observation. The included 10mm and 20mm eyepieces provide 65x and 32.5x magnification respectively. Additional high-quality eyepieces enhance galaxy views and improve contrast. The telescope offers versatility for observing various deep sky objects beyond galaxies. Its 650mm focal length and f/5 focal ratio suit different astronomical targets. The SkyWatcher 130m provides optically impressive views at an affordable price, with a 13.4 limiting stellar magnitude and 0.89 arcsecond resolution limit. Higher magnification eyepieces improve galaxy observations, but the 260x maximum useful magnification limits distant galaxy details.

Should you buy SkyWatcher 130m Reflector Telescope for astrophotography?

The SkyWatcher 130m Reflector Telescope is not the ideal choice for dedicated astrophotography. The mount is wobbly, causing vibrations that settle over time but pose issues for long-exposure imaging. Serious astrophotographers should opt for the 130pds model with a more stable mount. The 130m’s shorter f/5 focal ratio allows for shorter exposures, making it suitable for basic astrophotography. The telescope includes a T-thread on the focuser for attaching astrophotography accessories. The 130m is not suited for advanced techniques like autoguiding due to mount and tripod limitations. Beginners can use this versatile and affordable telescope as a starting point, but should be prepared to upgrade for more advanced astrophotography in the future.

Is Explorer 130mm Telescope portable?

The Explorer 130mm Telescope offers moderate portability. The telescope weighs 12.5kg (27.5 pounds) and measures 137cm x 25cm x 25cm (53.9″ x 9.8″ x 9.8″). Its compact steel tripod base provides stability without excessive bulk, facilitating easy transport and setup in various locations. The smaller dimensions of the telescope aid in storage and transportation. The weight and size make it suitable for occasional transport to nearby observing sites. Moving the telescope requires some effort, reducing its suitability for frequent or long-distance travel. The Explorer 130mm Telescope is manageable for transport over shorter distances and can be stored in homes or garages.