Celestron Astromaster 130EQ-MD (motor drive) Telescope

Product Description:

Discover our Solar System with the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ! You’ll be ready to observe in minutes thanks to the quick and easy no-tool setup. The 130EQ provides bright, clear images of the Moon, planets, star clusters, and more for great nighttime viewing.

Manual German Equatorial Telescope

The AstroMaster mount comes with two slow motion control knobs that allow you to make fine pointing adjustments to the telescope in both Right Ascension and Declination axes, also referred to as RA and DEC.

Accessories Included

Accessories include a 20mm and 10mm eyepiece, a finderscope, and a motor drive. The two eyepieces offer different magnifications for low and high powered views. The 20mm has a built-in erect image corrector.

Motor Drive 

Turn your manual German equatorial mount into a tracking mount by adding the included RA motor drive to your telescope. This easy-to-install RA motor drive compensates for the Earth’s rotation, so the telescope tracks a star’s movement through the night sky from east to west. When the telescope mount is properly polar aligned and the RA drive is attached and running, the user need only make occasional adjustments in declination (Dec) to keep an object in the eyepiece for long periods of time. The Celestron single-axis motor drive runs on a 9V battery, so there are no cords to get in the way. The drive can be used in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. To change hemispheres (reverse the motor’s direction), simply by flip the N/S switch on the face of the motor drive. It is also simple to change the speed of the motor. A “Speed Rate Regulator” knob is located just under the power indicator and can be turned in either direction to slow down or speed up the motor. Since solar system objects like the Moon and planets move through the sky at different rates than deep-sky objects do, this gives you the ability to match the motor’s speed to the particular type of object you are observing.

Discover our Solar System with the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ! You’ll be ready to observe in minutes thanks to the quick and easy no-tool setup. The 130EQ provides bright, clear images of the Moon, planets, star clusters, and more for great nighttime viewing.

Starry Night Software

Download Celestron’s Starry Night Software and learn about the night sky, celestial objects, and how to plan your next observing session. Celestron Starry Night Software is the premier astronomy software package on the market, providing resources and knowledge to view our solar system and beyond.

Key Features:

• Manual German equatorial mount with setting circles - to accurately locate and track sky objects
• Adjustable, full height steel tripod with deluxe accessory tray
• Quick and easy no-tool setup
• Accessories include a 20mm and 10mm eyepiece, a finderscope, and a motor drive
• Motor drive automatically tracks celestial objects as they appear to move across the night sky
• Download Starry Night Basic Software with a 36,000 object database, printable sky maps and enhanced images including 3D renderings of stars, exoplanets, and galaxies

OPTICAL TUBE INFO:

Optical Design:                                       Newtonian Reflector
Aperture:                                                130mm (5.11")
Focal Length:                                          650mm (25.6")
Focal Ratio:                                             f/5
Focal Length of Eyepiece 1:                    20mm (.78") with built-in erect image corrector
Magnification of Eyepiece 1:                   33x
Focal Length of Eyepiece 2:                    10mm (.4") standard
Magnification of Eyepiece 2:                   65x
Barlow Lens:                                             Not Included
Finderscope:                                             Built-on StarPointer™ red dot finderscope
Star Diagonal:                                           None
Optical Tube:                                            Aluminium
Highest Useful Magnification:                  307x
Lowest Useful Magnification:                   19x
Limiting Stellar Magnitude:                      13.1
Resolution (Rayleigh):                              1.07 arc seconds
Resolution (Dawes):                                 .89 arc seconds
Light Gathering Power (Compared to human eye): 345x
Secondary Mirror Obstruction:                44mm (1.73")
Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Diameter: 34%
Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Area:   11%
Optical Coatings:                                      TBD
Optical Tube Length:                                610mm (24")
Optical Tube Diameter:                             TBD
Optical Tube Weight:                                TBD
Dovetail:                                                    CG-3 Dovetail bar

MOUNT INFO:

Mount Type:                                               CG-3 Equatorial
Height adjustment range (includes mount and tripod): 32" - 51"
Tripod Leg Diameter:                                  31.75mm (1.25") steel
Accessory Tray:                                            Yes
Tripod Weight:                                            7.6 lbs (3.44 kg)
Slew Speeds:                                               Manual
Dovetail Compatibility:                               CG-3 saddle plate
Software:                                                     SkyPortal App
Total Kit Weight:                                          TBD

Included Items:

• Optical tube
• Tripod and mount (preassembled)
• 20mm eyepiece with built-in erect image corrector
• Standard 10mm eyepiece
• Red-dot finderscope
• Manual

Solar Warning

• Never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye or with an optic (unless you have the proper solar filter). Permanent and irreversible eye damage may result.
• Never use your optic to project an image of the Sun onto any surface. Internal heat build-up can damage the optic and any accessories attached to it.
• Never leave your optic unsupervised. Make sure an adult who is familiar with the correct operating procedures is with your optic at all times, especially when children are present.