EXPLORER-130

[Ganymede12]

What does anyone know of the EXPLORER-130 ?

I was thinking of upgrading to it from my Sky-Watcher SK707A72 but I want to check that it's worth it.

Current Telescope

Sky-Watcher SK707AZ2 Refractor, altazimuth mount, 70mm diameter objective lens, 700mm focal length, 25mm eyepiece, 10mm eyepiece, X2 Barlow lens,6X24 straight through finder scope.

Possible Upgrade

EXPLORER-130, equatorial mount, 130mm diameter primary mirror, 900mm focal length, 25mm eyepiece, 10mm eyepiece, X2 Barlow lens, Red dot sight.

[jabberwocky]

I have the 130m and it's a perfectly good scope, but the mount lets it down, personally if I were you I'd get the skyliner 150 dob, give or take the same money but bigger aperture, better focuser and a sturdier more user friendly mount.

[Bat502]

I have just purchased what you see in my signature block. I went for the 'P' Parabolic. Apparently better. Anyway I am well impressed with it. Got it from

Rother Valley Optics

[sheridangj]

I have just upgraded from the Explorer 130P after about 6 months use to the Skyliner 200P Dob. Image-wise I thought it was excellent and the red-dot finder is a doddle to use - I could locate DSOs in fairly remote parts of the sky pretty quickly just by judjing what region of the sky to point it at and using the supplied 25mm EP to find them. As someone else mentions though, the EQ2 mount isn't quite sturdy enough and you spend a lot of time waiting for vibrations to dampen down. The focusser is basic but does the job. The 150P dob isn't much more expensive than the 130P and as has already been said - gives more aperture and a better focusser. Dobs are bulkier but they are very quick and easy to set up. Hope that helps.

Gav

[Ganymede12]

I've looked at the skyliner 150 dob and it seems a bit... big. I was thinking of getting a Newtonian because, like my current scope, I could take it down, carry it in a large bag and re-assemble it at my chosen location. The size of a dobsonian would make it awkward to store. I'm not old enough to have a place of my own so I have to be able to store it in my bedroom!

[sheridangj]

I would definitely recommend one of the 130mm Skywatchers then - I could easily carry mine over to my local park which was a couple of mins walk. Haven't tried it with a motor but that might partially solve the vibration issue as you wouldn't have to keep touching it when tracking. Dobs are as you say, big, and although not terribly heavy for the smaller ones they are cumbersome, especially if you can't store them outside or in a garage etc. There is a 130mm dob - called the 'Heritage' which is very compact and costs about £140. Never tried it but I think it's meant to be ok. You'd need a sturdy table to put it on though. I was thinking of checking it out as a holiday scope as it would take up very little room when travelling.

Cheers

Gav

[Bat502]

Yes I had a dobs 8" and I never took it out the garage as it was too bulky. Fortunately it was given to me. I think it would have been ok if I could have fitted wheels on it though. LOL.