This focal ratio is very popular with beginners because it can provide wide viewing angles and mirror gathering enough light to see “almost everything” in space. Overall, the celestron astromaster 130 EQ is an excellent value, extraordinary in that it is a small telescope, and it’s light enough for portability, but does not lack the optical capability to see some DSO well enough to be sure of what you are seeing.
It is outstanding value for money in that it is small and light enough for portability, but does not lack the optical capability to see some DSO well enough to be sure of what you are seeing. This means you can see a wide part of the sky through the eyepiece, which is great for seeing the whole moon at once, or for framing a beautiful view like the Pleiades.
Overall, the Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ is excellent value for money, outstanding in that it’s small and light enough for portability, but doesn’t lack the optical capability to see some DSO well enough to be sure of what you’re seeing. Buy the AstroMaster 70AZ or 70EQ knowing that they will only give you great views of the Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn. Overall, the Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ is excellent value for money, outstanding in that it’s small and light enough for portability, but doesn’t lack the optical capability to see some DSO well enough to be sure of what you’re seeing. It’s a great telescope in terms of light gathering power.
Is the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ a good telescope?
The Moon will be splendid, and its 130mm mirror will show great surface detail (although upgrading the lenses and filters with the Celestron AstroMaster accessory package should make it even better). The Astromaster 130EQ is a decent telescope with decent optics, but it comes with a number of serious limitations; I’ll go into the details of each. Light gathering is the name of the game for telescopes, especially reflectors, and this one offers a lot of power in that regard. The telescope tube is 24 long and, like all the other AstroMasters reviewed here, it’s easy to assemble and disassemble for transport and storage without tools.
For one thing, its high-quality optics, large aperture for deep sky observing, and dual-purpose nature make it a great telescope for the price.
Is the Celestron Astromaster a good telescope?
Be sure to read the instructions and manual, as they will provide you with the correct methods to maximize the performance of the AstroMaster. The Celestron AstroMaster LT 70AZ telescope is an ideal telescope for anyone interested in astronomy, especially children. ALL AstroMasters are advertised as usable for terrestrial observing, because Celestron has managed to convince consumers that a Newtonian reflector on an equatorial mount is designed for that use. Interestingly, Celestron has changed the shape and included a handle because many observers end up holding it like a handle.
When asked, Celestron gives varying answers as to whether or not AstroMaster 130 scopes are sold with spherical mirrors. If you already have one, the AstroMaster 130 will work acceptably with some tweaks and upgrades, but if you’re shopping for a new scope you have much better options than the AstroMaster line.
Does the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ have a parabolic mirror?
On the road, in the workplace, in the classroom, or just sitting at home relaxing – the Celestron Elements ThermoTank 3 will keep your hands warm. Celestron’s own website states that the scope has a spherical mirror, so I thought I’d send an email to the other company telling them this and that they may be misleading people. The AstroMaster 130EQ is a mixed bag with some decent qualities, but overall it is still an average telescope. I recently performed a star test with my own AstroMaster 130EQ, and posted the results in the gallery (the order of the images is reversed).
A spherical figure is a type of curvature that is like a section of the surface of a sphere, while a parabolic figure is another, more complex curve. I hope you can now buy an AstroMaster 130EQ with the confidence of knowing that your telescope will have a good parabolic mirror. So, as you can see, the Celestron 130EQ has a parabolic primary mirror, which means that, for the price, it is a very good quality telescope.
