Skywatcher 130 (not parabolic mirror version)

[Pigz]

Hi ive looked for this but could only find the parabolic mirror version and mine inst and this is also my experance using it for the first time and what happened that night. also massive respect to harrisons telescopes who i got it from second to none service

It was the 1st clear skys since monday so out i went at 8:30pm to set up my telescope. setup was easy and pain free i had set it up inside just so i knew what i was doing!! and ballancing it was fine also. so with it all setup and ready to go i looked at the moon and was blown away with the detail especially as i moved up the eyepeices, and then i used the 2x barlow lens and oh dear!!!

where do i start its rubbish and sooo hard to focus it really is a nightmare and it doesnt magnify it that much more to be honest but that i can upgrade in time so im not that fussed.

after looking at the moon i moved onto the orion nebular and with the 2x barlow and the 10mm and when it focused it was a really nice sight altho the lack of colour was suprising but after reading that it would be like that it was still an experance.

the slow motion controls have to be mentioned at this point and i would advise ANYONE with this eq2 mount or if you are going to buy a telescope with a eq2 mount to read the manual from ORION telescopes for this reason:

now in my stupidy i adjusted the angle of the telescope (dont ask why im new to this!!!) and after that the mount wasnt polar alinged so i had to use more dec slow motion to keep the stars in veiw. now what the skywatcher manual doesnt tell you is that the dec slow motion control only has about 10 degrees of movement in either direction so i kept tighting the slow motion and it got stuck JOY!!!! and then when i looended it the whole dec movement was loosened even with the knob locked!!!! and the slow motion just tightned the whole dec or loosened it so it just spun round the dec.

after that i tried looking at Saturn and got a really great veiw using the 10mm and barlow with the rings horizontal and it was geat only i couldnt track it very well because of my earlier faults and at this time i got a paranoid teanager thinking i was spying at his flat so i ended my session just as i saw a shooting star!!!

so all in all what do i think of it? its a very good telescope, the barlow is rubbish and the mount wobbles with the slightest of touch or wind blowing, also the finderscope moves the dot if you knock it of flick it (cause the glass the red-dot is supper imposed onto moves in its holding) BUT all in all its a good telescope that im sure will last me well when i learn how to use it properly!!!

SO how did i fix my dec slow motion problem? well the bolt that is at the other end of the slow motion control cable needed to be taken out and the smaller bolt put back inside the bigbolt with the spring between both of the bolts. when i got that sorted it was fine!!!

[jabberwocky]

ive just unpacked my 130M and assembled it, balanced without too much hassle(the instructions are rubbish) and thank god the collimation is spot on out of the box, alligning the red dot thingy was very easy.

the mount isnt the most stable in the world is it? but then what can you expect for the price? even just alligning the red dot finder on a distant tree top ive noticed you have to focus then take your hands off the scope to let it settle before viewing.

ive been seduced by the 200P in the shop so i may upgrade quite soon, funds allowing. or maybe a big Dob:rolleyes:

[Strugz]

I bought one of these second hand and I'm really pleased with it. I think it's stable enough, but I think imaging could be a problem.

Personally I spend a long time polar aligning to avoid the dec axis problem. Although the left/right adjust at the base of the mount is very crude....I can usually get there in the end. One tip don't use the RA or Dec axis to polar align!

The instructions aren't the best..I found the Orion Optics ones far better, especially when talking. about RA setting circles.

The barlow just seems to make a blur except on planetary and lunar observing.

Am currently saving for new eyepieces

[Wardd2]

i have a sw130 and i agree that the mount does wobble a little bit. having spent what i did on the mount and scope i didnt expect a super stable platform for the scope. i think it is a very good scope and i am glad i purchased it