Help to choose telescope in India

[crab_nebula]

Hi! Thanks for your time I need help in choosing a telescope, I have owned a local 90mm ALT reflector in the past and was member of an Observatory with all local made f8 Reflectors (upto 8inch), I am familiar with Astronomy and Observations and interested in deep space astronomy.

In India there are only a limited number of International telescope models available with dealers, the rest are locally made similarly priced scopes. Aperture, optics, and equatorial mount are my priorities, but I can fabricate a stand and I plan to do observations from my terrace, Also can buy a View finder later.

After some online research  and considering my budget I came down to the Astromaster 130EQ, I want to know if keeping the tripod and the red dot finder issues aside, The Astromaster is a good scope for Deep Space observations and Astrophotography.

Any help is welcome.

Thanks and TC. 

[xtreemchaos]

hi mate the Astromaster 130EQ will be good for vis but as for taking pics i dont know if it would have the right back focus someone here will know ,clear skys, all the best.charl.

[crab_nebula]

hi mate the Astromaster 130EQ will be good for vis but as for taking pics i dont know if it would have the right back focus someone here will know ,clear skys, all the best.charl.

Thanks a lot for your reply I have some faith in celestron though i have never used one, but am hoping that the optics are as good as they say. Take care.

[crab_nebula]

Hi, Thanks for responding Keeping all other issues aside, How good is the quality of optics on the Astromaster130EQ? and the Skywatcher 130P?

[IckleImp]

Hi

I have an AM130eq. For visual I find it very good, although I have nothing to compare it with. The mount and finder are poor. The finder I replaced with a Rigel. The mount I stripped down and removed all the Synta glube and recoated with copper grease, this has removed most of the vibration when using the slow motion controls.

For AP I think you would be limited to webcam and maybe digiscoping. You can get a motor drive for it to help with longer exposures.

Overall I find the scope to be very good, better still with the small mods I have done.

I know some people don't like it and I would probably be the same if I had used an 8" DOB, but I haven't and so I enjoy what I have.

[crab_nebula]

Hi

I have an AM130eq. For visual I find it very good, although I have nothing to compare it with. The mount and finder are poor. The finder I replaced with a Rigel. The mount I stripped down and removed all the Synta glube and recoated with copper grease, this has removed most of the vibration when using the slow motion controls.

For AP I think you would be limited to webcam and maybe digiscoping. You can get a motor drive for it to help with longer exposures.

Overall I find the scope to be very good, better still with the small mods I have done.

I know some people don't like it and I would probably be the same if I had used an 8" DOB, but I haven't and so I enjoy what I have.

hi, thanks for your reply,   Since you have actually used it you would know best, I think I should go for the Astromaster130EQ, Also the tips for modification are great, I will definitely follow them. Tc.

[Cornelius Varley]

Hi, Thanks for responding Keeping all other issues aside, How good is the quality of optics on the Astromaster130EQ? and the Skywatcher 130P?

Optically there should be no difference, the differences are as mentioned previously. The Celestron has a lot of plastic components and a poor red dot finder.

[Alfian]

If you can get it I would go for the Skywatcher 130p which in several smaller ways that all add up, make it a better scope than the 130EQ. I cut my teeth on the 130EQ and though I am grateful to it for getting me back into astronomy I came to "appreciate" its short comings. Its worth reading Astrobaby's comments here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/142804-celestron-astromaster-130eq-vs-skywatcher-explorer-130/

"Optically there should be no difference, the differences are as mentioned previously. The Celestron has a lot of plastic components and a poor red dot finder."

There should be no difference, but in my experience there is.