Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Computerized Telescope
by Celestron
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: CelestronModel: 31145
Product features:
- Computerized hand control with 4,000-object database
- SkyAlign allows you to align on any 3 bright celestial objects
- Motorized Altazimuth mount
- Focal ratio: f5
- Focal length: 650mm
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Computerized Telescope
Customer Review: Great starter scope
Summary: 5 Stars
I've just started using this scope a couple of months ago after it sitting in my closet for 2 years. But in the past 2 months I've used this practically every clear night available. Here are my thoughts and advice after extensive use:
For the price and the aperture this scope is great. The first thing I did was buy a Ultima barlow and 3 X-Cel eyepieces - 25mm, 10mm, and a 2.3mm. With the 10mm barlowed you get magnification of 130X which will give you great views of the rings of Saturn and the bands of Jupiter. On nights of exceptional seeing you can use the 2.3mm for a magnification of 280X -which is close to the max useful magnification of 300X- and can see the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. The moon is awesome at high magnification, but if it is more than a quarter full you need a filter because it is too bright to view. From my very light polluted yard (limiting magnitude at zenith about 4 - 4.5) I can still see most of the Messier catalog, although I haven't been able to resolve any globulars, and some of the fainter nebula aren't viewable, and the few brighter galaxies are just smudges. However, open clusters are great to look at and some of the brighter nebula are great (Orion, Swan, Lagoon). I'm sure that if you get this scope to a dark site it would be way better.
As far as the GoTo feature - it works great if you align it properly. The most important things you need to do are to enter an accurate time(don't estimate - I was off by 20 minutes one night and couldn't find anything) and date, gps coordinates (I used Google Earth to get the exact coordinates of my house and anywhere else I may take my scope), and have the scope level. As far as the Star align, I found that the One Star align works best. If you don't know any named stars use the Sky software that came with the scope and learn to identify the brightest stars in the sky for that night. Using this method I've consistently been able to slew to dozens of Messier objects each night with no problem. Last night I spent 2 hours slewing between about 14 different objects in the southern part of the sky, and at the end of the session the scope was still bringing objects to near the center of my 25mm eyepiece - it definitely does what it is supposed to.
Also learn how to collimate it. The manual shows how to do this just by looking through the focuser and centering the reflection of you eye - this will give you a rough collimation - but to align more accurately you need to buy a collimation tool.
Overall this is a great beginners scope - it will show you enough of the wonders of the night sky to make you want a bigger scope and see even deeper!
Description of Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Computerized Telescope
The CelestronŽ NexStarŽ SLT Series 130 SLT reflector telescope showcases a computerized hand control and a 4000+ object database. With a touch of a button you can select the object catalog, change the slew speed, view fascinating information about an oject, or simply know if a desired object is visible in the sky. It comes equipped with a sturdy steel tripod, a StarPointerŽ finderscope, software, and more.Amazon.com Celestron?s computerized NexStar 130 SLT adds affordable "Go-To" technology to a compact Newtonian reflector telescope. By using mirrors instead of lenses, the Newtonian optics of the NexStar 130 SLT produce an image nearly five times brighter than the NexStar 60 SLT refractor telescope. The package includes everything except the batteries, and features easy no-tool setup, two good eyepieces, and even includes a student version of "The Sky" planetarium software.
The Newtonian design of the NexStar 130 SLT is optimized to produce bright images over a wide field of view. When I use an optional 32mm Plossl eyepiece, the famous Double Cluster in Perseus looks like a display of celestial fireworks with streamers of stars trailing across the 2 degree field of view. The standard equipment 25mm eyepiece magnifies the image about 26 times, with a wide field of view just right for viewing deep space objects like star clusters or the Orion Nebula.
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The NexStar 130 SLT also features Celestron?s patented SkyAlign technology. With SkyAlign I don't need a star chart or a compass to align the telescope, I just enter the date and time then point the telescope at three bright stars. SkyAlign tells me the star names, and allows the telescope to find over 4,000 stars, planets, and galaxies by just pushing a button. The accurate tracking makes it easy to get high power views of the planets, and allowed me to take some great pictures using a Celestron NexImage webcam. I also like the "Two-Star align" and "Solar System align" modes because I can often get the NexStar system up and running while older scopes are still waiting for their alignment stars to appear in he twilight.
Reflector telescopes offer more light gathering power per dollar than any other design, but that value is balanced by the fact that the mirrors may need to be aligned or "collimated" occasionally. Using Celestron?s Collimation Eyepiece
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Pros:
- Wide field views
- Computerized go-to tracking
- Light and portable
- Short battery life
- Sensitive to vibration
Suggested Options:
- Celestron Accessory Kit
- Celestron PowerTank battery
- Celestron Collimation Eyepiece
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