Skywatcher Explorer 130P reflector v 150PL EQ3-2

[Kidbriar]

I recently joined this form and got loads of help from you guys about polar alleging and moving my scope etc. so my first thought was to turn you all again!

Until recently, I owned a Celestron Astromaster 130eq and after 2 hours use one of the slow motion axles, not the cable itself, came out of the mount and I couldn't get it back in, so back it went to Amazon and a replacement was sent the next day.

Great ….

However, I used the replacement for one hour max and the latitude adjustment screw snapped and stuck in the mount!  So, enough being enough that replacement has gone back and I've had a refund. - can't fault Amazon for their customer service by the way.

I am a complete novice to astronomy having only just discovered its wonders, but having decided that the Celestron build quality isn't perhaps quite what it should be, I've looked at the above 2 scopes and am now deciding whether to opt for the 130P at £175 (£45 more than the Celestron) or the 150PL at £265.  Of course there is quite a difference in price and I just wonder whether the 150PL model would be the better buy or too advanced for me?

Whichever one I go for will have to be after Christmas and you never know, Santa might drop a few quid my way! 

Thanks in advance for your help and advice and I apologise if this question has been asked previously, but I did look before posting!

[nightfisher]

How about the 150 skyliner dob from FLO, a very simple scope with great optics and very easy to use

[Kidbriar]

I looked at that model, but to be honest, I'm not sure how it works!  Forgive my novice knowledge!  Does it have a tripod?

[KeironKK]

Dobs are by far the simplest telescopes to operate. No worrying about polar alignment, balancing, just plonk it down and observe. It is basically and large alt-az mount. If you are going to spend that sort of money, may I suggest the following http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

[AlexB67]

I looked at that model, but to be honest, I'm not sure how it works!  Forgive my novice knowledge!  Does it have a tripod?

A telescope does not need a tripod but a mount that is functional to point the scope where you want it, a DOb is arguably easier to use and better in that regard, especially in that price range. Perhaps it is worth reading up  what and how the various mounts work and decide what you want.  Especially if into visual observing and not imaging/photography, I would recommend the Dobsonian mount system, easy to use, point and shoot observing, very stable and solid at that price.

[Kidbriar]

Thank you all for your help and advice

[rufie160]

I recently joined this form and got loads of help from you guys about polar alleging and moving my scope etc. so my first thought was to turn you all again!

Until recently, I owned a Celestron Astromaster 130eq and after 2 hours use one of the slow motion axles, not the cable itself, came out of the mount and I couldn't get it back in, so back it went to Amazon and a replacement was sent the next day.

Great ….

However, I used the replacement for one hour max and the latitude adjustment screw snapped and stuck in the mount!  So, enough being enough that replacement has gone back and I've had a refund. - can't fault Amazon for their customer service by the way.

I am a complete novice to astronomy having only just discovered its wonders, but having decided that the Celestron build quality isn't perhaps quite what it should be, I've looked at the above 2 scopes and am now deciding whether to opt for the 130P at £175 (£45 more than the Celestron) or the 150PL at £265.  Of course there is quite a difference in price and I just wonder whether the 150PL model would be the better buy or too advanced for me?

Whichever one I go for will have to be after Christmas and you never know, Santa might drop a few quid my way! 

Thanks in advance for your help and advice and I apologise if this question has been asked previously, but I did look before posting!

Hi Kidbriar,

Your post could have written by me lol,

I also bought the celestron 130eq and exactly the same happened to the slow motion mount, the build quality of the celestron scopes is very poor indeed ! it felt like a toy and i was quite angry at having bothered spending my hard earned cash on rubbish ! I  did some research and decided upon a Skywatcher 150PL on the eq3-2 mount,  

I havent unboxed it yet but i am expecting great things if the reviews are as accurate as described...