This item is no longer available.
The Sky-Watcher GreatStart SW 130N-EQ2 130mm Manual Reflector Telescope provides light gathering sufficient to resolve rudimentary structural detail in prominent deep-space objects to a greater extent than a 114mm mirror instrument. M13 the spectacular globular star cluster in Hercules can be incrementally resolved into thousands of additional stars surrounding the object's central core compared to a 114mm scope.
Glowing, cloud-like nebulosity is more impressive, brighter and seen in wider in extension in emission nebulae like M42 (The Great Orion Nebula) and M8 (Laguna Nebula) compared to a 114mm diameter instrument. The SW 130N-EQ2 resolves lunar and planetary detail admirably. The SW 130N can be relied upon to provide satisfying images of solar system objects that are superior to that of a 114mm telescope. Nonetheless, the incredible sharpness of the SW 90AR-EQ2 objective lens for planetary viewing may be a better choice for those primarily relegated to observing the solar system because deep space viewing is severely compromised by city sky glow. The primary mirror is fabricated from Grade-A glass to exacting demands of smoothness and optical figure. The mirror is aluminized and over coated with a hard protective quartz layer for lasting quality.
This telescope offers a traditional focal length of 900mm yielding higher powers with each eyepiece used compared to the wide field SW 130NS-EQ2 model. The focuser assembly is solid and stable with a mechanically smooth rack & pinion focuser. SW 130N-EQ2 includes a solid equatorial (polar) mount, stable tripod and slow-motion controls for precision manual tracking of sky objects. The telescope's mount is aligned to the Earth's axis which is approximated by pointing the telescope's polar axis to the North Star. The mount's mechanical orientation compensates for the observer's latitude anywhere on Earth.
The mount's cantilevered orientation is off set by counterweights to maintain dynamic balance. When set up in this way, the telescope only needs to follow objects in one axis. The telescope physically emulates the natural motion of the sky as objects move from East to West. Slow-motion controls allow very fine incremental tracking adjustments that facilitate keeping fast moving sky objects centered in the eyepiece. Just a fraction of a turn of the cable control knob is all that is required to keep an object easily captured in the telescopic field of view.