Which first telescope under £150/ $200 Skywatcher Heritage (AWB Onesky) 130 Video 2: First Light
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- Опубліковано 22 лют 2019
- Which telescope should you buy if you are new to astronomy, and you want to make a first purchase on a modest budget? This video describes the first light tests of one option.
- Наука та технологія
This is the type of review everyone should be doing, really great and informative video, keep the good work!
Carlos Pires Thanks Carlos. Clear skies to you.
Excellent video. Easy to understand and very informative. I had this on my shortlist as a first scope and now I'm sold.
Excellent review! It was thorough and super helpful. Thank you so much. Keep up the good work!
really informative and helpful thank you for helping me make a choice on my first scope.
I just bought one today. Cant wait to play with it 😍
Thanks for the review. My 8 year old is really into space and astronomy and has asked for a telescope for the past two years, tomorrow we deliver on it.
Did u get this one?
Thank you for your very informative review. I am considering this telescope and your review helps a lot. Tnx!!!
Really clear and informative for a complete novice like me, so many reviews seem to go into all sorts of technical details that overwhelm someone just looking for their first east to use, good value telescope. This was perfect, thank you.
Thanks, glad it was helpful. Clear skies!
Good product and good quality.Learn and see many sky objects with this scope😊
Great video ! Thank you so much.
A very fair and unbiased review 👍
Excellent review !!!
Bingo!
You've influenced me. Just bought that telescope. Can't wait for the delivery on Monday.
Hope you enjoy it!
Great review. Very helpful
Great video for novices like myself. Many thanks. 👍🏽😘
I just order my first Telescope today, so Can't wait to use the 130 💪
Thank you for this review. Im going to save up for this telescope. :)
Just ordered one, been searching a while for a descent scope to start with. And you confinced me sir! I live near a dark sky park (Lauwersmeer; Netherlands) so i'm eager to give it a try! Anyway thanks for the video!
I hope you have fun with it. I like it's simplicity and lack of cables. Whilst the focuser is a bit unusual it works well enough, and the package will be easily transported to your dark sky site. Clear skies and enjoy the 130P.
Thanks for the review. I just purchased a zhumell 130 tabletop which should provide similar performance. We camp a lot in dark areas and this type of scope should be really portable.
Awesome review! Subscribed.
Looking to purchase my first scope this week.
Thanks!
I’ve just pulled the trigger on this bit of kit. Can’t wait to get started. Great review thanks although it’s certainly not £140 anymore.
Enjoy! Shame about the price rises!
Great information
Thanks
Good review.
Excellent video: informative, clearly and smoothly explained, balanced and fair assessment. Might you at some point have a video how to make a light shroud for the OneSky?
Thanks for taking the time to do this, and for doing an exemplary job.
Hello Doug, thanks for the positive feedback. I plan to do another video on mods to this scope, but i'm not sure quite when yet. I'm working on a new C90 video but the clouds seem to have other ideas! Graham
Great video. I've been able to see 4 moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and a white smudge on Mars' pole. Definitely won't be competing with Hubble or a big Dob etc., but good fun in the backyard.
C. Hamm Excellent! Simple astro.
I have been an amateur astronomer since 1978. Have several scopes, the largest being a 350mm (14in) Dob. I actually purchased a 130, and am very pleased with it and find it very useful.
It is extremely portable. Unlike my yard canon Dob, or my other scopes, I can toss it into my trunk on a weekend getaway with my wife. Also, I have it ready to go in my bedroom for a look at the stars on my balcony with seconds of set up time. When traveling, if it gets lost, damaged, or stolen, you did not lose a lot of money.
The optics are good. As an advanced user, I have plenty of eyepieces for it. For a beginner, this will may be a permanent scope, because if you eventually buy a bigger more sophisticated instrument, the 130 will still be a quick, grab and go addition.
Completely agree. It’s simplicity and ease of setup ticks many boxes for me, even if I’ve got scopes with more light grasp available. Great value even with the recent price rises.
@@JenhamsAstro
How is it for planetary viewing? Im still using an early 90s Meade 4500 on a dob mount I built years ago and find the magnification just adequate.
BTW, the parabolic primary totally shames today's spherical 4.5s.
@@springbloom5940 I like the views but the focal length doesn’t give you a large image. The 130p has a parabolic mirror. I think it’s a good value low power scope even though the focuser isn’t great.
Thanks 🙏🏼
Thanks sir, I just ordered an AWB One Sky.
But they were back-ordered to October so I ordered an AWB Celestron Star Sense explorer 130 instead.
Art Tom Rip
Muy bueno! Gracias por compartir! Saludos
Awesome
Would you say the ‘scope keeps decent collimation after repeated setups and put-always? I have a three-truss SW telescope with 12” aperture, and the collimation stays quite stable, thanks to a precise mechanism that snaps the upper tube into place.
I'd say the extending tube element seems to give a robust/repeatable mechanical alignment, but the primary cell locking screws can become loose if you give it a bit of a bump. If i move it in and out carefully, which is easy given its weight vs a bigger dob then i haven't found a need to much adjustment. The helical focuser has some slack (side to side in the threads), so this can introduce another element of uncertainty. So there are definitely compromises made to achieve the price.
Great video, thank you. I didn't find the answer to one question, though: can I use this telescope for ground visualizations? I have a lot of big birds around my house and I would love to be able to watch them closer. I know that some (all?) telescopes are reverting the image and need additional accessory for ground view. Is it the case with this telescope also? Thank you
Hi, the image in the eyepiece of this telescope will be inverted so it probably isn't an ideal choice.
Excellent review!
But the eye piece at the top of the telescope seems very awkward...
Will the image be upside down on this?
I'm deciding between this and the
Celestron Astromaster 70AZ but this seems to be better.
Hi Vicky, the eyepiece location on reflectors like this does make them less intuitive to initially find a target vs a refractor like the 70AZ, but the payoff can come when you've found an object and it's high in the sky. With the reflector the viewing position is then much more comfortable vs a refractor, where you can get a sniff neck or bad back from lying on the ground! You won't go far wrong with either as first scopes though, but the 130 will gathers more light and has a wider field of view, making it easier to use in my view. The 130's focuser is a weak point, but you can't expect everything at this price. Clear skies, Graham
Hi Graham, i love your videos. You have a nice way of explaning things, like a good teacher. For a beginner, would you recommend the heritage 130 over a 102/660 refractor? These are said to be functional and able to show bright dsos as well as planets. What would you say?
Thanks Martin, I think those are both decent choices. The refractor, as an f/5 achromat, will show false colour on bright objects eg Jupiter, but then refractors are low/no maintenance vs the 130 (or any reflector) which will need an occasional collimation. Another factor is mount - what would you use on the refractor? A sturdy alt az is best as most cheap equatorials are more trouble then they are worth. Most of the Celestron/Skywatcher (same company!) and Meade/Bresser options fit the bill and have a range of prices - always read reviews though. Overall I’d suggest the 102 due to robustness, just do a bit of research to get one with a solid enough altaz and tripod (it won’t be very solid obvs!) & RDF. Expect to upgrade an eyepiece before long but any money spent on EPs can carry over to a future scope if you get the bug.
@@JenhamsAstro thanks Graham for your swift and informative reply. I already have the az3 mount with a 80/400 refractor. It was on sale some time ago so i just grabbed it. I like the az3 but the 80/400 is in my light polluted area not perfect, just one step up from my binoculars. so i thought about upgrading to heritage 130 or 102/660 refractor. I was hoping the az3 would carry the bigger refractor as well. What do you think, is the az3 sturdy enough for the 102/660? Does it even make sense to upgrade from my 80/400 to the bigger refractor or the heritage 130 or are the views similar?
So many questions. Thank you for your time!
Thank you so much, it was very informative especially for first timers. I have a naive question, how did you take the pictures? Did you use any mount?
Hi, no i just used the standard dobsonian mount and held a smartphone over the eyepiece.
Can you use a tripod with this telescope?
@@franciscobeltran4913 it's a dobsonian mount, which is better than a telescope a tripod, which usually would cost as much as the telescope itself but a dob mount is very cheap while being extremely sturdy. Glad to help!
Hi Graham, I’ve had this telescope for a year but haven’t managed to use it as I get confused and overwhelmed when I try. I tried again tonight with a bit of success - I saw a blurry moon. Your videos have helped but I’d like to see more than a blurry white blob for the moon. I tried adjusting the focuser but it was just different shades of blurry. I think I need to align the mirrors but I don’t understand how to do it, even reading the instructions! Please could you do a video of how to collimate? I’d be so appreciative as I find your approach very clear and reassuring. Thank you.
Hi Grace, I’ll try to make one or send a link to someone else’s.
A couple of things to check first are you sure that the tube is 100% fully extended when you first try to focus I’m sure it is but worth a check. Secondly during the day pointing at a distant object like a tree on the horizon if the image is still blurry with the eyepiece engaged in the focuser then you could try just pulling the eyepiece a few millimetres out of the focuser towards your eye and just see if there is a position where the image does become clear. if neither of those things work then it probably is a collimation issue. Ideally some sort of tool is required. Do you have a collimation cap or a Cheshire eyepiece or a laser collimation tool?
The SW Heritage mini Dob's are great, I enjoy using my little 100p f/4 closed tube version. You forgot to include the most important advice, which is to throw the included 10mm eyepiece at a wall. You're better off just Barlowing the 25mm. The 10mm has poor control over lateral chromatic aberration and poor eye relief, so not up to the excellent little mirrors on these scopes.
Astro Vlogger Yes in the next video, First Light, I flagged the 10mm as a weakness. I missed the Barlow though, that’s good feedback for a later vid. Thanks.
Hi there if I purchase this telescope is everything in the box required to set it up and go? Or are there hidden things I may need and can order at the same time I order the telescope? Have to say you seem to have a very good way of explaining things in your videos which helps complete newbies like mysel who have zero idea what I’m doing so thank you 👍🏻
Thanks. The scope comes with almost all you need to start. Mine did not come with any means of collimation- the alignment of the mirrors which ensures the best performance. There are many tools for achieving collimation, with a range of prices - welcome to astro! As a minimum I would pick up a Collimation Cap. They are very cheap and are basically just a cap which sits in the focuser tube, with a hole in the middle to look through and adjust the alignment - the procedure is explained in the scope’s manual. You don’t NEED anything else and I suggest just getting started. Later you can look at some of the tweaks in my other videos on this scope, or additional eyepieces. But you don’t need these on night one. Enjoy!
Hi Graham, can you tell me the dimensions of the mount? I'm considering this model vs the same on an eq2 mount. Just so I know what kind of bag this will fit into if I want to take it out somewhere.
Hi, mine is on loan to a friend, but looking at the box packing the round part of the base is 32cm across, and the height is approx 40cm tall.
Hi Graham,
Could you suggest a make of Barlow and eye pieces that I could get to improve the scope, also filters?
Many Thanks
Steve Wisbey Hi Steve, a good step up from the supplied eyepieces are BST starguiders (there is also a Barlow). The same EPs are sold as Astro Tech in the US. I wouldn’t rush to spend too much on filters initially, maybe just get a moon filter. There are EPs for every budget but BSTs are a sound budget option.
@@JenhamsAstro Thanks a lot Graham. No, I won't rush to by other's as yet, but great to no actually what to go for when ready.
I have been considering the 200 but just a bit big! Also, I would be carrying it upstairs to my Bedroom after use, may be a bit of a pain. I know the 130 is a lot less powerful but just so quick and easy to use.
Thanks again for the information as I don't want to make a wrong choice. Ps What size DST e.ps should I consider?
Steve Wisbey Maybe buy an 8mm or 12mm and see how you like it before you buy another. EPs are a personal thing in some ways and dependent on your own visual perception, need for eye relief if a glasses wearer etc etc. A barlow with an 8mm EP gives the same power as a 4mm, so a second step of buying a barlow will give you a solid set of available magnifications. Sites like SGL are great sources of info once you get further into the hobby.
@@JenhamsAstro Great, Thanks a lot Graham, love this channel!
Do you feel this would make a good star-party / public outreach scope? Looking for something small and portable (and inexpensive) as I'm not bring my imaging set-up.
Graeme Hay - Ember Sky Media Hello Graeme, I think it could be on the small side aperture wise, but would give good moon views. My other reservation might be ease of viewing. The dovetail is a vixen type so lifting it onto a mount would solve that.
@@JenhamsAstro what would you recommend as an alternative for specifically visual us at starparties (needs to be "affordable" - I don't need goto).
Currently Exploring options as my imaging set-up has a nice observatory now where it lives.
Graeme Hay - Ember Sky Media At a push the heritage would be ok if you already have an alt az mount knocking about spare, to lift it up. If not then probably a 8” Conventional dob, like a SW Skyliner. They are very good value. Stick a Telrad on it and off you go.
@@JenhamsAstro I think I still have a NexStar Single Fork Mount lying around (I don't remember selling it ~5 years ago when I took a hiatus but I could of done that as I know I sold the OTA).
@5:48 what is the software you are using to look at and zoom in on the Orion Nebular ? ...Thanks 😊
Hello, I don't have any clever editing software. I use a program called "Debut Professional" by NCH which has an option to record the screen. So i just recorded as i used the zoom button on the picture app. I plan to buy some more sophisticated video editing software, but it remains on the wish list. I hope this helps.
Jenham's Astro Thanks for the reply..... Yeah, that was a great help thanks, to be honest it just looked like a very simple and easy programme with not too many settings and stuff, that would be ideal for me as I don’t get on with over complicated software and such.
Great video! But I was looking for a telescope maybe under $200 or $250 which I could use with a Sony full frame camera. As you commented this telescope will not support the weight of such cameras, could you recommend any other telescope which would be good for that purpose? I’m new to astronomy and would like to make the right decision of purchasing a telescope. Thank you.
Hi, there are too many options to give a single answer for a first scope to suit all needs, but as you mention photography then then points us towards a scope with an equatorial mount. Alt-az mounts are fine for lunar/planetary but nothing else. For that money you will not get a scope that will illuminate the whole field of a full frame camera i.e. one with a large enough image circle. Most all-in $200/250 outfits are newtonians like the Celestron 130eq or Skywatcher StarQuest 130, and while these are great first scopes they will seriously vignette the field with your camera. If you really don't want to crop the edges of the frame - most targets are small and this doesn't matter, then you would look for a setup which has a fast focal ratio, a large diameter focuser and probably a field flattener. We are not in $250 territory! Probably you are talking about a fairly high-end apo refractor. As you have the camera already, I would say forget about the full frame aspect and accept that you will have to crop the frame - it is not a big deal. If $250 is a real limit then either of those newtonian scopes will keep you busy learning for a while and you can still use the camera albeit cropped on your PC. You can also get a cheap webcam or CCD astro cam and try out planetary AP. Otherwise for a MUCH better astrophotography-inclined setup (still not for FF though!), you need to up the budget closer to $700 and get something like a 72 ED/ apo refractor on a lightweight mount like the star adventurer pro. I hope this info is useful even if not quite what you wanted to hear. Clear skies! Graham
Jenham's Astro Jenham's Astro thank you very much for the information, I will try for the two that you mentioned; if not full frame I could try using a cropped apsc sensor camera or could just use a phone to take pictures. Either ways I think it should give me much cleaner pictures with the telescope vs without. Would I need any special attachment to mount my camera? Or should it work just by me pointing the camera at the eye price?
Can you sit down and view through the scope or do you have to be standing ?
Shelton D'Cruz You can either place it on the ground and crouch/lie next to it. It is more comfortable if you are seated and it is raised up, e.g. on a table. You can use it this way standing up, but it is less comfortable.
hey grt video. want to get it for my son. but its not available where i am at the moment. any thoughts on the Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5?
Thanks. That looks like a good alternative that gets good reviews.
Hi, I want to get this telescope for myself but I am also looking for my 5 year old grandson. What do you think of the Sky Watcher 76 for that age group?
Hi, I think the 76mm Dob is too small so I’d stick with either something like the 130p or a refractor of 70/80mm aperture. Realistically you will be helping your grandson to locate objects with any scope (and making sure it isn’t used when the sun is up, for safety reasons).
Nice video. I've been looking for a telescope for my daughter to look at celestial objects, what a mine field. I was wondering how this compares against.
Sky watcher Telescope 90/900 evoStar reFRACtor
Sky watcher 130P/650 reFLEctor
Sky watcher 130/900 reFLEctor (Spherical Mirror, I believe)
Hi Matthew, for a new astronomer a refractor does simplify things, as you have no worries about collimation and they are generally robust to some rough treatment (obviously not being dropped, but more being clunked as you move them outside!), so of those I'd look at the Evostar. You may find that the supplied diagonal prism is the first thing to upgrade, but this can be done with time if your daughter gets the astro bug. 130 reflectors won't show any more than a 90mm refractor (you need a 150 to pull ahead optically); their one advantage is a lack of "false colour" fringing on bright objects ("CA") which you may see a small but acceptable amount of in the Evostar. Just my 2p but i hope it helps, Graham
@@JenhamsAstro Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. The robust nature of the evoStar has pulled me more towards that choice I must admit.
This 130/900 that you think is spherical is better of the 2 , yes it is spherical , all commercial mirrors are , dont get swayed by claims it is parabolic , its not , all are spherical for what counts . The spherical aberration those spherical mirrors produce is smaller the bigger the F number , just like long refactor can be sharper then short APO , longer newt is sharper then shorter one , its visibly better . So again , hence the 130/900 is the one with sharpest views among ones you mention , if i was trying to find best view among those 130/900 would be my choice . 150/1200 is another good one , but beyond that they become problematic to handle unfortunately
Can you tell us how we can attach a camera to this telescope. Or what additional gear do we need to attach?
Normally there are 2 types of cameras used by amateur astronomers: DSLRs and dedicated "astro" cameras that can range from webcam like cameras to sophisticated large sensor cooled units. The Heritage focuser will not take the weight of a DSLR. I used a ZWO ASI-120MC camera which is an affordable astro camera, and which includes a 1.25" fitting that slides into the focuser in the same way that an eyepiece does.
do you have to sight in the red dot or does it come pre-sighted and what's the MOA?
The sight will need to be aligned with the main scope initially using a distant daytime object. There are adjustment knobs to line it up. RDFs do not magnify. At night if you initially point with the red dot the target should be in the field of a low power eyepiece.
Do I understand it correctly that the image captured by the mirrors remain the same, and that the level of magnification comes from the eyepiece?
What do you see if look through the (empty) hole of the eyepiece. Can you see anything?
This sounds like a silly question, but I do not have a telescope, yet.
Does a larger mirror/focal length mean larger objects, even at the same distance?
There are no silly questions. The magnification of a telescope is the focal length of the mirror/lens divided by the focal length of the eyepiece, so for a given telescope mirror, yes, the magnification varies based on the eyepiece e.g. for a telescope mirror of focal length 1000mm, a 25mm EP gives 40x, and a 10mm EP gives 100x. A mirror of the same diameter but with a 2000mm focal length would yield 80x and 200x with these EPs. If you hold an eyepiece up to the window then at a certain distance from your eye you can see an upside down image of what is in front of the eyepiece. A longer/larger focal length mirror results in a larger image, for a given EP of a given object distance, compared to a shorter/lower focal length mirror, as the magnification with be greater (by a ratio of the mirror focal lengths). The diameter of the mirror affects how bright the image will be, for a given EP.
@@JenhamsAstro Thank you. I have no problem understanding focal length of lenses, but I have just started reading up on mirrors. So, I still need some getting used to. I would still be interested in knowing what you see though the empty ep hole, if anything. Without the ep of course. That is why I am interested in truss telescopes. After all, you should be able to see what is reflected by the mirror, right? A closed tube would be too dark.
The aperture (primary mirror diameter) of this scope is 130mm, its focal length is 650mm (distance light travels from the primary mirror, to the secondary mirror, and into the eyepiece). The focal ratio is f5 (focal length divided by aperture).
To get 100x magnification in this scope, a 6.5mm eyepiece is needed.
A closed tube telescope, of the same aperture and focal length would be just as bright and detailed in what could be seen, as the open truss design of this scope. They are both f5 130/650 Newtonian reflectors (Newt for short). The _higher_ the f number, the darker the image, same as camera lenses. So a 130/1300 Newt would be an f10, and have a noticably dimmer/darker image than the SkyWatcher Heritage P130.
@@t4N9410oR thank you
Wow. Thank you for the video. Very useful.
Is this scope usable with light contamination? I mean, can we still see close object like moon and other planets in a light contaminated environment (night)?
Will it be suitable to upgrade the scope with a Barlow and 4mm eyepiece for planets? And 70° eyepiece for stars and galaxies? I mean if the scope supports them?
Thank you very much.
Light pollution does impact planetary viewing but not too much, as the targets are bright. Similarly you can still observe the moon. Everything else in the night sky is affected - forget galaxies! You can upgrade the standard eyepieces - especially if you plan to move on to other scopes in future, but if you are mainly planning to dabble in astro with one scope then I wouldn’t spend too much on upgrades. The scope can use any standard 1.25” accessories, which is good. But the focuser won’t handle heavy eyepieces - to me this is a weak point of the design. High power viewing of planets is much easier when the scope is on a tracking mount, to keep the target centred. So in summary it could be worth buying another EP to replace the 10mm, and a 70 degree EP is always nice as long as it isn’t heavy. The scope is great at what it does - wide field views under a dark sky, but it can’t do it all.
@@JenhamsAstro thank you very much for your precise answers.
Astranomy could get really expensive, and more if this is just a one try. On the other hand, to start with something showing nice things can be really fascinating, especially for the kids. Thank you again, for your videos and answers.
I’m guessing with the design of this scope a dslr would cause flex making astro photography impossible?
Is it possible to mount an adapter for my iphone to make pictures from the objects i‘ll see?
You can fit a simple lightweight (and cheap!) adapter like the one in my review: ua-cam.com/video/T0OlDxUmXO4/v-deo.html. As the 130P scope is a lightweight starter scope I would suggest trying out one of these affordable adapters rather than buying a more expensive version.
HI Graham...great video, thank you. Funnily enough, I bought my first telescope yesterday, a Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P Virtuoso GTi and I found your video today. Somehow, a reinforcement of having make a good choice with this type of scope. That said, I am struggling to set up the red dot finder: somehow, what I received does not fit the small plastic piece attached to the tube. I should theoretically (according to the manual) slide it from the front, but it does not fit and I am afraid to break it if I try to force it. Another youtuber with an astronomy channel suggested that it should clip from the top, but same problem (no fit, risk to break). I am just wondering whether the Chinese manufacturer forgot to add a bracket or whatever else. Anyway, I wrote to Sky-Watcher Europe with photographs of my problem and hopefully they'll reply. I subscribed to your channel. I like the way you explain things is a simple and straightforward manner. Cheers
Thanks Alessandro. I’ve looked at photos of your scope and the finder looks the same as on my scope. If so, if you loosen the 2 screws on the lower part of the finder this should allow the “claws” to slide over the fitting on the tube, before you then tighten them to clamp it on? If so it wouldn’t matter which side you slide it on from? Does this help? If your finder is different it may only confuse! Graham
@@JenhamsAstro Thanks Graham...yes I even took off the screws but it remains too tight to get where it should go...afraid to break it if forcing it... I took a number of pictures which I sent to the Sky-Watcher distributor (don't think I can send them to you via youtube).. it seems to me like the finder and the fitting on the tube are just not made for each other. Let's see what they reply..if they do.... anyway thanks again and I will keep watching your videos :-) cheers
@@JenhamsAstro oh by the way....the finder is slightly different from all those seen in various videos, in that the battery slot is on the top of the finder instead of bottom... don't know if they made other changes...could be that I have a "new" finder but an "old" fitting on the tube..who knows...
Hi thanks for this video, I wanted to ask you something. Where should the piece of collimation included in the "Super 10" box be placed? Thanks if you answer me, I've been watching a lot of videos but I can't find people mounting that piece anywhere in this telescope
Happy Christmas. My 10” didn’t come with any collimation tool, so I’m not sure what you’ve got. Normally a collimation device is inserted into the focuser tube. These can be a simple circular “plug” with a small hole in the middle, a Cheshire collimator tool or a laser collimator.
@@JenhamsAstro yes exactly it's a small circle with a hole in the center, so are they separate pieces? What have nothing to do with it? If you have Instagram I wanted to write to you to send you the photo of the piece
@@scerri_03 Here is an example of a collimation gap available from FLO. www.firstlightoptics.com/other-collimation-tools/rigel-125-aline-collimation-cap.html It can be used to align the secondary and then primary mirrors of a Dob. It’s the most basic tool but certainly better than nothing. It doesn’t use any other part, and can help you get a decent if not perfect collimation.
I have exactly that piece apart. So this piece is just to get a clearer view of what you are observing but it is not necessary? Sorry for asking too many questions, but I just bought it
@@scerri_03 You don’t use a collimation device like a cap when observing- an eyepiece is used instead. The collimation cap is used to make slight corrections to the alignment of the 2 mirrors in the telescope. This is usually done during the day as part of routine “scope maintenance”. When the mirrors are well aligned you will get a better image when observing, especially at higher magnifications.
the image of Orion & the nebula [M42] in the sword...I have a single image from a mirrorless camera taken from a bortel 6 area that is as good as that if not better....at 35mm on a full frame sony A6m3 not astro modified.
Do you need a t ring or a coma corrector to put my camera on it?
You could connect a DSLR using a T adapter and T ring, but really I don’t think the scope’s focuser will take the weight. I use a small ZWO Astro camera or a webcam, which works OK due to the light weight. If you plan on DSLR imaging i advise looking for a Newtonian with a more robust, conventional focuser. Then the coma corrector would make sense. The 130P is more for fun than AP.
Where did you get it from for that price? Thank you
It was some time ago, from First Light Optics.£189 today unfortunately.
Bought a used AWB Onesky as a starter scope for my nephew, but he lives 1100km away, so instead I found a used C5+ 15 minutes from him. Cost about double, but I've missed a few of his birthdays. Think I might hang onto the Onesky for the mount
The Onesky has a usual little mount. I like the C5+, lightweight and just one battery.
@@JenhamsAstro There's a place in my gear for a little tabletop mount. All I have are small scopes at the moment, so it will do, although I agree, the C5+ mount is superior
is it Possible to mount a DSLR camera on this scope?
Luis Cypher Hello Luis, you can connect one using a t adapter but the focuser is not able to take the weight of the camera so I don’t recommend it. The focuser is mounted on a rectangular base which is only attached to the scope on one side. It will flex and bend with the camera weight. Graham
with this telescope would I be able to upgrade this and turn it into an astrophotography telescope?
It isn't an ideal astrophotography scope, so I would not spend money on upgrades. It's a great, simple scope that is designed for visual use. Depending on what you want to photograph you might choose a small apochromatic refractor or a Maksutov telescope, either of which would need to be on a tracked mount.
HI just bought the 130p can you advise on a tripod and clamp that can take the 130p thank you
The 130p tube comes with a standard "vixen style" dovetail mounting rail which fits most astro mounts. I suggest you look at mounts like the Skywatcher AZ5 if you want a lightweight Alt-Az mount. Earlier models and similar mounts from other makers can be found used fairly easily.
Thanks for the great video. Please can you tell me what adaptor you used in order to hook up your smartphone?
It’s a basic one like this www.amazon.co.uk/Gosky-Universal-Smartphone-Telescope-Microscope/dp/B01D5W0WES but I also have a Celestron NeXYZ which is more sophisticated. There are videos of both on my channel.
@@JenhamsAstro Thank you. I must be confused as I thought it was piece that connected to the eyepiece and then a cable hooked up to the phone. Also, I currently have the AWB Onesky. Do you think I would see much difference if I upgraded to say the Orion XT8?
Paul Pendyck Hi Paul, an 8” scope will show more detail and fainter objects than your Onesky. The difference will be quite noticeable.
@@JenhamsAstro Thanks. Watched the videos and subscribed.
Hi! Can I put it in an eq mount?
Yes. The optical tube uses a standard "vixen-style" dovetail bar to attach to the dobsonian mount and therefore will fit on any EQ mount that uses these.
Hi graham, im buyingbthe 102 sky watcher tommorow! Is a x3 barlow lens too powerfull for this telescope! 25 and 10 ml lens for close up of the moon!
Hi Lee, in general I prefer 2x barlows to 3x. I’d suggest trying out the scope with the standard eyepieces before you buy any other accessories. you might find the 10 mm eyepiece uncomfortable to use in which case an alternative first upgrade might be a different eyepiece rather than a Barlow
@@JenhamsAstro thank you! Svnony do a nice steel one for £20+ so will orser that ome, and 102ak should be here tmo! Thanls again for your advice, and help
Hi what would u think about Orion starblast 4.5? In comparison to this one
Quite similar. I prefer the solid tube and more standard focuser of the Starblast, against this the non sliding tube means it takes up more room than the 130 Heritage. Optically they are likely to be basically the same. Expect to upgrade the Orion’s EPs which get a poor rating vs the 130s. Swings and roundabouts really. Look for a deal if you can.
@@JenhamsAstro hi I have another problem now... Orion starblast 4.5 is not available until later in Aug 2022 ( I want the gift to be sooner)
I really want that solid tube zhumell z130 ( but the seller is not responsive. Ufff)
Another choice is z114 ( amazon)
Or... Skywatcher heritage 130 ( in-store)
Or . Skywatcher heritage 150 ( like new on market place)
Which one would do pick?? In order ?? N why.
May I know the skywatcher heritage one is it bad if u put a heavier eye piece . I don't even know if I would have to get eye pieces so if we buy any eye pieces. It would be.. a major concern that it might vibrates? N become shaky ??
@@ericaroundtheworld Don’t buy a reflector smaller than 130mm, so forgo the 114. The 130/150 Skywatcher Heritage are nice simple scopes - the 130 is also sold as a OneSky, depending where you live? If you’re gifting a scope and simplicity is a factor you could also think about some refractors, like a Celestron 80AZ?
Hello - can you recommend a telescope for a similar price and portability, but more suited for planetary viewing?
Maksutov types are well suited to planetary observation and photography. A skywatcher 127 is a good place to start but costs more than the 130P. I bought a StarQuest 102MC - maybe take a look at my videos of this scope.
@@JenhamsAstro thanks for this, that's helpful. This will be my first telescope, and there's three Skywatchers at the same price (£199): Explorer 130 PS AZ Pronto, Heritage 150P and StarQuest 102 MC. My impression is that the Heritage might be best as an "all rounder" for a beginner to see planets and deep sky (with biggest aperture). Is that right, or might one of the others be better? Thank you
Newb question, can Saturn's rings be seen through this? Going to be picking one up for the wife and she wants something that can show the rings. Thanks.
Hello, Saturn will appear small in this scope, but you will be able to make out that it has rings and is distinctly different in shape from other planets like Jupiter. But you won't see any real details with this size of telescope. Planets are very small and require high magnifications to get close-up. A 130P is for lower power, wider field views. If you wife is a beginner the 130P is easy to use but it isn't at it's best on planets.
@@JenhamsAstro thanks for the help!
Everytime Im content with the telescopes I have I see another one LOL
Can you take it off the base and put it on a tripod
Yes, it’s fitted with a standard dovetail rail.
Can the tube be mounted on a tripod with an EQ1 mount?
The scope is fitted with a standard "vixen-style" dovetail bar, whereas i think the EQ1 is designed so that two bolts thread into tube rings. So you would need an adapter to use the EQ1. If you are looking to buy a mount then i recommend one that has accepts tubes with dovetail bars as standard, e.g EQ3-2, EQ3 etc
@@JenhamsAstro no, I already have an EQ1 mount that came with a refractor scope (Skywatcher 60/900), and I was wondering if I could buy this reflector and use it the tripod and mount.
@@mihaitha While you could install the OTA* of this scope on the EQ1 mount, you'd be rotating the OTA 90 degrees clockwise from its normal 180 degrees (flat, horizontal) position, to a 270 degrees (straight down) position, to do so. That would rotate the red dot finder to an unusable position. The eyepiece mount on the OTA would also be rotated from its approx 85 degrees (almost straight up) position to an approx 175 degrees position, which would become awkward to work with.
You either need an OTA that can work with tube rings and a rail, or was designed with the rail being factory fitted at 270 degrees.
*OTA - Optical Tube Assembly - the actual telescope, without mount.
@@t4N9410oR I understand, thank you.
Can we add a tripod on this telescope?
The base does not have a tripod thread - you can place it on a small table to reach a more comfortable viewing height . If you have an Astro mount which accepts a telescope tube which has a standard “dovetail” mounting bar then the 130p has one of these, so you can put the 130p’s tube it.
Do that with a 15" that's 3 times bigger than that 5" for the same price per inch and there would be lots of happy to buy for $600 viewers running around buying it.
I take your point but i guess we've got to look at cost per square inch? Not that i can carry a 10" much more easily than a 15"!
@@JenhamsAstro After it ruins your back you can put the mirror on a combination walker truss Dobsonian :)
if you want to talk price per inch you have to remember the area grows as a square to the radius so where a 5" circle has just under 20 in^2 area and the 15" circle would have just over 170in^2 area so that's actually about 8.5 times more mirror, or $1700 (admittedly I did fudge the numbers to make the math easier) which is about right for the optics of a telescope of that size, theres a reason Dobson would grind his own mirrors meticulously by hand out of old ship porthole windows, they can get very expensive
I gonna buy a héritage 150 /750
I got it!!! Wonderfullll
How long is the tube when not extended?
Just under 40cm.
@@JenhamsAstro wow! Thanks for the quick reply :) I was just checking if it'd fit into a backpack, and it definitely will haha
@@puh8825 Just don’t forget the base.
@@JenhamsAstro Right, it's not foldable in any way, is it? What are the dimensions of that base?
@@puh8825 The round baseplate is about 30cm diameter with three protruding feet taking it to about 35 cm. Height of the vertical arm that holds the OTA is 40cm.
.....although the telescope is way cheaper than the camera set up.
GOSH!
I must be "Spoiled" !
I get better "Views" of these same objects with my Nikon binoculars!!!