Celestron Astromaster 130. What can it see?

[johncbradley1]

Is the astromaster 130 capable of seeing deep sky objects?

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

yep, even my 10x50 binos can see DSOs. Detail goes up as aperture increases, 130mm is at the lower end of the scale, but certainly a very capable scope. Check out the sketch section and try to find sketches done from a 130mm scope for a realistic idea of what you'l see.

[spaceboy]

Is the astromaster 130 capable of seeing deep sky objects?

NO ................ because you will have given up a long time before you find the DSO due to the stupid finder they put on the Astromaster scopes. I'd recommend you buy a good red dot finder and shoe before you drive your self nuts trying to line up objects in circles and dots.

[assasincz]

There is simply plenty to see with a 5" scope.

My current scope is 4.5" and there is plenty to see in terms of DSOs. For instance, on nebular front: M42 Orion Nebula, M43, M27 Dumbell Nebula, M57 Ring Nebula, on galaxy front: M31 Andromeda Galaxy, M32, M110, M81, M82, plenty of globular clusters and countless of open clusters, double stars, few comets etc.

After acquiring a bit of skill, there is even more to be seen with such an aperture, even beyond Messier list of objects (planetaries NGC 6826, NGC 7662, NGC 7027, NGC 6543, NGC 6572, globulars like NGC 6229 and NGC 6934, galaxies M33, M101, M63, more nebulae, M1 Crab Nebula, M97 Owl Nebula to name a few; again, list of globular and open clusters might be quite lengthy).

The list goes on and on, howerver it is all down to your skill, patience and how dark the skies you have available are.

If you have a cheap plastic 30mm finder, these can, indeed, be a pain in the arsenic - acquiring a decent finder (I recommend an optical 8x50 RA one) will increase your odds of finding DSOs considerably.

[spaceboy]

If you have a cheap plastic 30mm finder, these can, indeed, be a pain in the arsenic - acquiring a decent finder (I recommend an optical 8x50 RA one) will increase your odds of finding DSOs considerably.

Even worse than those 30mm plastic optical finders I want to be an Astronomer: Celestron Astromaster 130 | Star Pointer, illuminated Red Dot Finder It's a shame as the Astromaster scopes aren't that bad.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

A 130mm should be fine, as others have said. A good finder scope is a must. You can make your own out of a defunct pair of binoculars quite easily. Get a 1.25" 90 deg Amici prism (for right angle correct images (RACI)), and put some cross-hairs in the eps (my best results were with my own hair)

[AstroTux]

I use the same scope and can get a number of DSO's despite battling with the light pollution where I live.

I completely agree with those who criticise the 'red-dot finder' on this scope in favour of a decent finder scope, but there is another solution. I have mounted a green laser pointer using a cheap mount on the OTA between the focuser and the red-dot finder, and once collimated can find objects very quickly indeed. The pointer can be purchased for around £5 from a well known auction site ( you know where I mean ), but I would recommend using lithium batteries in it so that cold temperatures do not affect its performance. A number of online astronomy suppliers can provide the mount.

One word of warning though, I can get away with using this as I am a backyard astronomer but if you attend a star party you may well be asked not to use it as it can affect others ( and quite rightly so ).

[johncbradley1]

I use the same scope and can get a number of DSO's despite battling with the light pollution where I live.

I completely agree with those who criticise the 'red-dot finder' on this scope in favour of a decent finder scope, but there is another solution. I have mounted a green laser pointer using a cheap mount on the OTA between the focuser and the red-dot finder, and once collimated can find objects very quickly indeed. The pointer can be purchased for around £5 from a well known auction site ( you know where I mean ), but I would recommend using lithium batteries in it so that cold temperatures do not affect its performance. A number of online astronomy suppliers can provide the mount.

One word of warning though, I can get away with using this as I am a backyard astronomer but if you attend a star party you may well be asked not to use it as it can affect others ( and quite rightly so ).

Is their any chance you could post a photo of your lazer/finder scope? sounds like a good idea

[AstroTux]

Certainly, here it is........

[dag123]

I also have this scope and have to agree that the supplied red-dot-finder is not ideal, in fact I find it better to keep the red-dot switched off. I've never really managed to get round to the idea of just pointing directly at an object (GOTO-like). I did experiment with using the RA/DEC setting circles, aiming at a known star and setting the circles to the numbers from a chart/book/web. Then fixing the circles and swinging the scope to new co-ordinates. This did work quite well for large objects like the Beehive and Pleidies, but for smaller things I could never convince myself I was at the right place.

My standard technique for finding things is to work out where they are in Stellarium and then I print or draw out a star hopping plan from some very obvious starting point. For example Vega when I wish to view the Ring Nebula. With my trusty 32mm EP and the wide field-of-view it is quite easy to locate this base star even with standard finder. From there I star hop to where I want to go. Once I am at where I think I am, and if I cannot already see it, I increase the magnification and slowly pan the view looking for my target.

I should point out that that I suffer from light-pollution and so when looking for small fuzzies the patern of background stars I can see is really the best hope I have of making sure I am on target.

Hope this helps

dag123

[johncbradley1]

Certainly, here it is........

Thanks a lot

[ismangil]

I got the book Turn Left at Orion for my bins, it's actually for small scopes even smaller than yours. And there are loads of DSO to see. The star hopping directions are quite clear and well illustrated.

You still need some kind of star chart to oriented yourself in the field of course.

-- Perry Ismangil

[johncbradley1]

Certainly, here it is........

Hello, this maybe a bit late but I have just bought a 1MW green laser pointer like yours on that photo and I'd just like to know where abouts you got that mount for it from?

[Starlight 1]

I see a post on here today and was useing SW130 with a webcam and it was a nice Image of Orion Nebula, So yes a 130 can do lots.

[DazC]

I have the same scope and i'm more than happy with it as my first scope (red dot finder aside).

Loads to see, just takes time.

D.C

[dag123]

Light pollution will most likely be your greatest problem, saying that I managed to get the Supernova in M101 last year down to mag +10.5 or thereabouts (11 at a push!).

dag123

[DazC]

Light pollution will most likely be your greatest problem, saying that I managed to get the Supernova in M101 last year down to mag +10.5 or thereabouts (11 at a push!).

dag123

dag123, were you at a dark site or a site with lp? I've never looked for a supernova before (didn't think my scope was capable). That will defo be on my list to look for.

D.C

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

dag123, were you at a dark site or a site with lp? I've never looked for a supernova before (didn't think my scope was capable). That will defo be on my list to look for.

D.C

SN2011fe was exceptionally bright. I picked it up at mag 9.9 with 15x70 bins. Some SN reach 12.5, but that is already bright. You can keep track of supernovae here:

http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/supernova.html

Happy hunting

[dag123]

DazC,

I was lucky to be able to view that supernova from the patio behind the house which shielded me from the bright streetlights that limit my viewing of the southern skies.

It was certainly my greatest challenge so far with my scope. There were a lot of helpful posts with diagrams and a few photos that meant I knew exactly where to look. That said, it was still tricky in the first instance to star hop to where I wanted to be. Luckily this was still when the SN was quite bright and so what I did was then to plot dots on a bit of paper to mark the stars, then go inside and compare that with Stellarium. The extra dot I had seemed to match where everyone else was saying the Supernova should be, so I accepted that it was. This was proved over the following weeks as the object dimmed until washed out in my light pollution.

dag123

[acey]

Is the astromaster 130 capable of seeing deep sky objects?

No. The thing that sees is your eye. Sorry if that sounds too flippant, but really the most important thing in DSO viewing is having a dark enough sky, looking in the right place, and utilising your own visual system to the full. If those boxes are all ticked, then a 130mm scope will allow you to see hundreds of DSOs. If not, you might not see any.

[JamesM]

Hello, this maybe a bit late but I have just bought a 1MW green laser pointer like yours on that photo and I'd just like to know where abouts you got that mount for it from?

Hi John, just noticed your question regarding the finder that you had seen earlier on AstroTux's scope, here is a link t a number of holding brackets.

James

[johncbradley1]

Hi John, just noticed your question regarding the finder that you had seen earlier on AstroTux's scope, here is a link t a number of holding brackets.

James

Brilliant, thank's a million, James!