Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ MD, 5.1″ Equatorial Reflector with Motor Drive

Description

There are two slow motion control knobs conveniently positioned on the mount so they are easy to reach while observing. One controls the scope’s motion in right ascension (the east/west direction in the sky). Turning this knob enables you to follow the motion of celestial objects as they travel from east to west across the sky if you are not using the supplied battery-operated motor drive. The second controls the scope’s motion in declination (the north/south direction in the sky). Turning this knob enables you to correct for any north/south drift a celestial object may take as it moves across the sky, due to an improper alignment of the scope on the north celestial pole when you first set it up. The two controls combine to give you complete access to any part of the sky. They give you the ability to star hop from a known object to any other object by using a star chart. They let you center objects in the field of view, then track them effortlessly with only an occasional quick turn of the r. a. knob. As mentioned above, a motor drive is also provided for hands-free tracking of celestial objects.

Tripod: The lightweight pre-assembled tripod has 1.25″ diameter stainless steel legs to provide a rigid and stable observing platform. It easily adjusts in height with no tools needed. The no-tool lock knobs that adjust the leg height of the tripod are on the inside of the legs so they won’t snag on clothing in the dark, a thoughtful touch that’s sure to be appreciated. Spreader bars lock the legs firmly open when the tripod is set up. The tripod includes a convenient accessory tray that attaches to the spreader bars to hold your eyepieces and accessories close at hand and up out of the dew-soaked grass.

Two year warranty: As an expression of Celestron’s confidence in the quality of their products, the AstroMaster is protected by Celestron’s two-year limited warranty against flaws in materials and workmanship.

Tech Details:

Supplied Accessories:

• 130mm aperture Newtonian reflector optical tube with 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser
• CG3 equatorial mount with split ring/dovetail quick release tube mount system, altitude and azimuth adjustment micrometer controls, setting circles, battery-operated right ascension motor drive, manual slow-motion controls, and locks on both axes
• 10mm (65X) and erect image 20mm (32.5X) eyepieces
• Non-magnifying straight-through red dot finder
• Adjustable height stainless steel tripod with accessory tray
• Operating instructions
• TheSky Level 1 CD-ROM star-charting software.