Using the Skywatcher Explorer 130P SupaTrak AUTO?

[Puffafish]

I'm looking at buying my first telescope, and I have looked at the Skywatcher Explorer 130P SupaTrak AUTO (http://www.firstligh...atrak-auto.html) and I was wondering how this motorised mount compares to a GOTO system and to the system which is fitted to the Skywatcher Explorer 130M?

I've read reviews of both the SupaTrak and the 130M system, and they seem to both be very well resepected. But I want to know what they're like to live with and use and abuse for a while.

I've seen a few vidoes of the Explorer 103M, and it seems straight forward to move the scope to view a different object; losen a single screw and spin it round. However I can't see the equivalent for the SupaTrak system, so what is required to swing the telescope around then?

Also, I am considering getting a filter to go with it, specifically the "light pollution filter". I assume that these are the same as the filters designed for viewing nebulae? (as I've seen many discussions that "light pollutions filters" should really be called "nebulae filters).

One final question; the Skywatcher Explorer 130M will effectivly last for ever, as the scope can be easily used with a fully manual mount, but what about the SupaTrak Auto system? How rugged is this system? Do the motors wear out or get noticeably noisier?

[northwalesparry]

I have this scope , im a newbie and to be honest im very happy with it , easy to set up , no problems finding galaxys and clusters , My only advice would be is to upgrade the stock EP you get with the scope, ive just bought the revelation EP kit and its a big improvement .

[ronin]

I would thought that the 2 were very similar, the M is for Motors and they are to Track the object across the sky. The AutoTrak could most likely only have an RA motor the M may have RA and Dec.

From what is in the original post the scope OTA's may be different, get the one with the nice big "P" at the end. This is simply for a parabolic mirror and should be the better. I will say that a 130P is f/5 and being relatively short you are not going to get 200x out of it.

Expect 100x up to 130x with an occasional 150x but 150x not that often.

Since it is f/5 then a 5mm eyepiece will give 130x so to an extent using single eyepieces make "limiting" magnification easy as 5mm is often as short as eyepieces sensibly go. A few better eyepieces will make a difference, the supplied items are getting more basic.

it seems straight forward to move the scope to view a different object; losen a single screw and spin it round.

That is not going to get a different object in view. It will just make the scope point to more or less the right area of the sky. Geting the next thing in view takes a fair bit more. So find out how you perform the finer movement required. If the idea is you bend over, peer down an eyepiece while outstretched and trying to find and twiddle 2 knobs to move the scope around it is not going to be that easy.

Get along to a local astro club if possible, seeing a scope is a lot better then talking about one. Also seeing what people actually use can be useful. They are chosen because they do what is required most easily.

[Puffafish]

After a bit of other research it seems to me that the AutoTrak is very good for causal observing; nice simple set up and motorised enough that you don't have to worry about moving the scope manually. However as it isn't an EQ mount it can't really be used for photography (can't track the rotation of the Earth well enough due to the alt-az set up).

The general consensus seems to be that going for a non-EQ mount makes life easier on set up, but removes any chance of photography. So my plan is currently to go for the 130P on the EQ mount and possibly buy a motor later on.

[Mattscar]

I too have the 130P with the Supatrak mount. Its very nice to live with, the mount responds very well to the direction speeds on the keypad and aslong as you point it north when you turn it on (and make sure its flat) you don't get much trouble tracking things. I trained it on Jupiter and left it for 10mins once and it was still in FOV when I looked again.

As for photography, imaging with a webcam through the 130p is fine, however if you want to use a DSLR you will need to modify the scope as the main mirror sits slightly too far down the tube to reach focus with a camera. If however you've no designs on photography but may want to do abit it a webcam its a brilliant setup. If you want to do serious AP then it may not be the way to go.

Im using it for observing and just to see if it can whet the appetite for AP and so far its doing a really good job.