Heritage 130P or Explorer 130 (EQ2)?

[Beagle38]

Hi all,

Am new to all this and have been hoping to get someone a telescope for a while now but keep failing to get around to it!

After reading loads of advice I see the Sky Watcher Heritage 130P is a popular first scope. Whilst looking at these on the FLO website, I looked at the other scopes and see that there is also an Sky Watcher Explorer 130 (EQ2) that is £10 more. Both are highly recommended on various reviews i've seen, but not sure which is best to go for. The main use for the scope would be moon and planets. 

Any thoughts, tips, advice on which would be best to go for?

 

Many thanks,

Mark.     

 

[Littleguy80]

Hi Mark, my first scope was the SkyWatcher 130M on EQ2. I really loved it but it has quite a steep learning curve with the EQ2 mount. The Heritage 130 is more intuitive on the dobsonian mount.

One other difference to point out is they have differing focal lengths. The shorter focal length of the Heritage will give wider views but requires much shorter focal length eyepieces to get to the high magnifications. My inclination would be towards the Heritage but the Explorer certainly won’t disappoint once you get to grips with the Mount. 

[Beagle38]

1 hour ago, Littleguy80 said:

Hi Mark, my first scope was the SkyWatcher 130M on EQ2.

 Thanks for the reply.

Interesting you mention the 130M - as that was the next thing I was going to ask: standard Explorer 130 or Explorer 130M? (which is £50 more).

Is that a really good extra function to have for the extra money?

And then if it is - is the 130M also a better option than the Heritage 130?

 

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by Beagle38
mistakes

[Littleguy80]

30 minutes ago, Beagle38 said:

 Thanks for the reply.

Interesting you mention the 130M - as that was the next thing I was going to ask: standard Explorer 130 or Explorer 130M? (which is £50 more).

Is that a really good extra function to have for the extra money?

And then if it is - is the 130M also a better option than the Heritage 130?

 

 

It really depends on whether you’re interested in doing some basic astrophotography. The motorised version is most useful for that. For pure ease of use, I would still be inclined towards the Heritage. There are quite a few very experienced astronomers using the Heritage 130 as a grab and go scope. It’s reputation is well earned. 

If your budget stretches to the £250 for the 130M then I’d get the Heritage 150. Bigger aperture and longer focal length. A great all rounder. It’s not been around as long as the 130 but also has a great reputation. I’m sure @Stu or @Mark at Beaufort could share their experiences with the 150. 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Hello Mark and welcome to SGL. Choosing a first scope is never easy because you need to consider budget, size, location, visual or astro imaging and finally interests (Moon, Planets or DSOs).

I have a Heritage 130P which I have made many modifications and its a brilliant scope for quick, grab and go or for travel. I have seen a very large number of DSOs with this scope. Its not too bad on the Moon and double stars.

If I was starting out I think I would choose the Heritage 150P for extra light grasp. However, you mention your main interest is the Moon and Planets so a Mak/Cass might be a better option - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-starquest/sky-watcher-starquest-102mc-f127-maksutov-cassegrain-telescope.html

Here is my Heritage on a Skywatcher Pronto mount.

[Ricochet]

Providing that you have some sort of raised platform on which you could place the Heritage 130p, that is the one that I would choose. The Explorer 130 has no "p" designation, which suggests it has a spherical mirror and I would think that a parabolic f5 mirror would outperform a spherical f7 mirror. Additionally, the mini dob base supplied with the heritage is a good stable mount whilst the EQ2 is on the wobbly side. Given that the two most important things to look for in a telescope are probably a) optical quality and b) mount stability, the option that wins on both seems to be the sensible choice.

[Beagle38]

On 23/04/2021 at 22:32, Littleguy80 said:

It really depends on whether you’re interested in doing some basic astrophotography. The motorised version is most useful for that. For pure ease of use, I would still be inclined towards the Heritage. There are quite a few very experienced astronomers using the Heritage 130 as a grab and go scope. It’s reputation is well earned. 

If your budget stretches to the £250 for the 130M then I’d get the Heritage 150. Bigger aperture and longer focal length. A great all rounder. It’s not been around as long as the 130 but also has a great reputation. I’m sure @Stu or @Mark at Beaufort could share their experiences with the 150. 

 

Hi Neil - 

Thanks for the info. Yes I would hope to do some photography in due course, but to start with was just wanting a good scope for viewing. I've gone through loads of reviews on youtube, etc, and seem set now to go for a Heritage 130 when they are back in stock.

My only concern with it is the small stand - as I read/heard that you have to kneel down to use it. That is certainly out for the person I am getting the scope for (though I will be using it as well). But thought that I can place a fold-out writing table out; presumably as long as it is stable and not moving.

[Beagle38]

15 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Hello Mark and welcome to SGL. Choosing a first scope is never easy because you need to consider budget, size, location, visual or astro imaging and finally interests (Moon, Planets or DSOs).

I have a Heritage 130P which I have made many modifications and its a brilliant scope for quick, grab and go or for travel. I have seen a very large number of DSOs with this scope. Its not too bad on the Moon and double stars.

If I was starting out I think I would choose the Heritage 150P for extra light grasp. However, you mention your main interest is the Moon and Planets so a Mak/Cass might be a better option - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-starquest/sky-watcher-starquest-102mc-f127-maksutov-cassegrain-telescope.html

 

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the welcome.

Yes it would be mainly visual to start with - but certainly in time I would like to try photography (of a basic nature).

Yes the main interests are Moon and Planets. (with both myself and the person I am getting it for)

I was all set for a Heritage 130....... but now after the scope you have linked I have something else to ponder!! I'll have to read up now on everything I can find about that scope and do some thinking.

Nice scope set up by the way.

 

[Beagle38]

1 hour ago, Ricochet said:

Providing that you have some sort of raised platform on which you could place the Heritage 130p, that is the one that I would choose.

Yes that is my only concern now - how to raise it.  I've got a fold-out table I can use - but am not sure it will be sturdy enough: it's solid enough to hold the weight, but any slight touch to the sides (so if there is a breeze, etc) will sway it - as it's for indoor use. Though i may be able to attach a couple bags of sand or something to weigh it down.

I was all set on getting a Heritage 130P (when back in stock) over the Explorer, but Mark at Beaufort has suggested another scope  - a Skywatcher StarQuest - so I now have that one to consider as well. He thought it may be the better option for Moon and Planets.

So it's probably now a matter of Heritage 130P or Sky-Watcher StarQuest-102MC????

But with everywhere out of stock for scopes, I have lots of time to read all the reviews!

[Cosmic Geoff]

I used to own an EQ-2 clone, and I thought it was rather wobbly for visual use, let alone astrophotography.