General Info

Class: GoTo Reflector
Best Uses: General (Planets, moon, stars, nebulae & Astrophotography)
Recommended Experience: Casual/recreational

Overall Rating: 8.28/10
Official Review: The Celestron NexStar 130 SLT is a perfect telescope for anyone wanting something to use with their family or on camping trips: it’s lightweight & durable, it’s comfortable, easy to align, has wonderful contrast, and has plenty of pre-programmed objects to find with the built-in computer.

If you want the joys of seeing stunning cosmic objects, without the hassle and cost of a “professional-grade” telescope, the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT is a great choice!

Pros: Accurate alignment, comfortable, well-built, great price for beginners & casual/recreational astronomers
Cons: Sticky focus knobs, fairly unstable tripod, low-quality lenses for professionals use

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Important Details

Usability: 8.4/10 – This scope is made for the beginner, but it has some advanced features that make it a bit more difficult to get used to. However, this is nice once you break the learning curve, because you won’t need to upgrade!
Comfortability: 9.1/10 – Very comfortable eyepiece; Tripod is a bit unstable (Use a small weight or sandbag to stabilize)
Durability: 8.2/10 – Stainless steel construction and durable tube design
Battery Life: 7.6/10 – Uses 8-AA batteries. 12V Power Supply recommended
Backlash: 7.9/10 – Very little to speak of for this price range
Warranty: 8.0/10 – 2-year limited
Storage: 8.7/10 – Light, easy to store & portable
Accuracy: 8.6/10 – Very accurate and easy to align
Setup: 8.1/10 – Pretty easy to use; Instruction manual makes it easier

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Tech Specs

Aperture: 130mm
Magnification (Highest Useful): 300x
Focal Length: 650mm
Focal Ratio: f/5
Resolution: 1.06 Arc seconds
Angular field of view: 1.7º
Slew: Automatic, but computer can slew to objects if “Enter” is pushed unintentionally
Slew Speeds: Nine slew speeds: 4°/sec, 2°/sec, 1°/sec, .5°/sec, 32x, 16x, 8x, 4x, 2x
Tracking: GoTo & SkyAlign (Awesome!)

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Telescope Construction

Optical Design: Reflector
Viewfinder: StarPointer (Highly recommended)
Eyepiece: 25mm (26x) & 9mm (72x) – Both very comfortable to use
Tube: Well-designed, standard Celestron tube
Mount Design: Motorized Altazimuth (GoTo)
Weight: 18lbs
Tripod: Stainless steel; sturdy; comes with an accessory tray to conveniently store filters & lenses
Power Supply: 8-AA batteries; internal to avoid cord; No complaints on battery life
Lens: Decent quality overall; Great for the price considering all the added features
Recommended Accessories: 12V Power Supply or AC Adapter; 1.25 inch format Celestron eyepiece & filter kit helps

Extra Features

GoTo: Yes. Fantastic technology
GPS: No (Can purchase GPS accessory to use in extra auxiliary port)
Computerized: Yes. Excellent motorized capability.
Alignment: Very simple SkyAlign technology (Pick 3 bright objects & it aligns itself!)
Remote: Yes
Object Database: Yes (4,000 pre-programmed objects to find automatically)
Programming Options: Cannot add much to the pre-programmed list, but works well with computer
CD-ROM: The Sky Level 1 & NexStar Observers List (v2.6.4c) – great software program!

Summary: For its price, the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT is VERY tough to beat! It’s jam-packed with features so you won’t have to upgrade any time soon, it’s easy to align, it’s durable, and it’s perfect for backyard stargazing or taking on camping trips. If you’re looking for something that will give you “more bang for your buck”, then the NexStar 130 SLT might be just what you’ve been looking for…

Click here to order the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT from Telescopes.com!