SkyWatcher Explorer 130M Telescope

Further details

With 130mm quality main mirror there is plenty of light grasp to see a wide variety of objects from the Moon and Planets to distant galaxies and nebulae. Supplied with four carefully selected magnifications as standard, a red dot finder for easy object location and a tracking motor. The tracking capability means this telescope will not only keep objects in the eyepiece but it can be used for astro imaging, simply add a T ring and connect your DSLR or one of our smartphone adapters to use a phone camera. Some cameras may require an optional T Adapter barlow to reach prime focus.

With 900mm focal length it is easier to get higher magnifications which are needed to view the planets well, this version is better for planetary observation than the shorter P model but has a physically longer tube.

Astro Imaging with your camera
The ideal entry level telescope if you want to start taking pictures of the night sky. In order to use a camera on a telescope it needs to be equatorially mounted, have a suitable T thread and be able to track the night sky - The Explorer 130M has all these features as standard. Simply add the correct T ring for your DSLR camera and you can start imaging with this telescope. Sometimes cameras on newtonians will not quite reach prime focus, if this happens you can add product 20364 (Barlow with T thread) and this will resolve it.

Direct SLR Camera Connection - A T thread on the focuser allows you to attach your DSLR Camera with a T-Ring, we stock a range of Canon, Nikon & Sony T-Rings

An exceptional instrument that combines sharp 130mm f6.92 optics with an equatorial mount and motor drive

SkyWatcher Deluxe Mirror Coatings
Silicon dioxide produces a much more durable coat than silicon monoxide but requires specialized equipment to apply it and is therefore more expensive. Protection is needed, because in most reflectors, the mirror is open to the elements and deterioration of the reflective layer reduces the resolution of the telescope. ALL Sky-Watcher reflectors are Multi-Coated with Silicon Dioxide as standard for Optimum Durability and Long Term Performance.

"Our first test on the Sky-Watcher Explorer-130 was to check the collimation of the mirrors, which we found were well aligned. This scope has one of the largest mirrors in its price range, which is a great asset because it means it can gather more light...Optically, the quality of the field of view while studying the star Altair was very good using the supplied 25mm eyepiece. The star remained sharp across 80 per cent of the view, with only slight distortion close to the field edges….Taking everything into account, this telescope made observing the night sky enjoyable and relatively hassle free.great views coupled with ease of use."
BBC Sky At Night Magazine

Specifications:
Magnifications (with optics supplied): x36, x72, x90, x180
Highest Practical Power (Potential): x260
Diameter of Primary Mirror: 130mm
Telescope Focal Length: 900mm (f/6.92)
Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
x2 Barlow Lens
Red Dot Finder
EQ2 Equatorial Mount
R.A. Motor Drive with Multi-Speed Handset (DC)
Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
30% more Light Gathering than 114mm

Delivery charge £5.95

Reviews

  Total newbie but this is a fantastic scope  Bigger than I expected it to be, and putting it together took a little while. Had a few clear nights to get to grips with it. So far had a few lovely views of the moon and Saturn’s rings. The EQ mount will take a while to master for sure. All in all it seems a very well put together product.  (10/09/2023) Lawrence - Southampton

  Service like this is hard to beat!  Excellent service from Harrison Telescopes! A couple of hurried emails after realising I'd ordered the incorrect telescope and it was all sorted and arrived the very next day. Service like that is hard to beat. The telescope is very good, well made and sturdy I've had some fine views of the sky.  (06/01/2023) J.Rees - East Staffs

  Excellent scope and excellent service  An excellent telescope which will do me for a while to come. Setup was mostly straightforward, and I have had several "wow" views of the night sky already, including the Orion nebula. Harrison offered an excellent service, with extremely fast delivery. Very pleased with both scope and service.  (09/01/2022) Stuart - Essex

    Fantastic service from Harrisons it was with us within three days of ordering. Its set up ready to use irst time user and my husband found it easy. Hoping for clearer skies soon. Definitely reccomend Harrisons.  (27/12/2021) Geraldine Greenwood - Lancashire

  Great scope  Bought for husbands Birthday as a first telescope. We haven't used the motor drive yet, but the basic set up was easy to assemble. We have already had great views of Jupiter and Saturn! Fast delivery and great service, thank you!  (15/09/2021) Kaz - Kent

  Great Experience  Fast Delivery, set up was not difficult at all. Was really impressed with the magnification of the moon on the first attempt.  (24/03/2021) Max - Cardiff

  Great Telescope   This is my first scope as an adult, and I must say I am impressed, very easy to put together great viewing of the Moon and Plants, yet to look at any star clusters, Motor Drive works a treat as long as your polar alignment is accurate and correct, would recommend this for anyone.  (14/03/2021) Lewis - Hampshire

  Fantastic Service !!  Ordered Monday arrived Tuesday FedEx. Not set up yet but I'm sure it's fine. Very well packaged-Excellent shipping. Delivery service unfaultable during difficult times of lockdown. Great stuff Harrison !  (02/03/2021) Gary C - Watford Herts

  Skywatcher explorer 130m  Have waited several months for this telescope to come into stock. It was a present for my wife, must say well worth the wait,with easy assembly and set up. Great service from harrison telescopes quick delivery and well packaged and a good price.  (28/02/2021) Stuart - Rugeley

  Very Happy Husband!   I cannot fault the customer service I received. This was a gift for my husband and so with very little knowledge I was given lots of advice by a very quick email response; even on a Sunday! The telescope came very well package and delivered quickly! Only problem was the first night it was cloudy!  (28/02/2021) Hilary - Wiltshire

  Great build quality  Recently purchased this scope which my first one.Lots of learning to do so not really has time to fully appreciate it but very excited to get into astrophotography soon. This scope seems ideal for beginners and I was especially impressed with the build quality.Feels like I’ve got a lot for my money!  (02/08/2020) Adrian - Leicester

  Happy cutomer 2.  Now had this my first scope for 2 weeks and have to say I'm well impressed, the build quality of the tripod/ mount is surprisingly good and it comes with a nice motor drive which would seem to be a sensible essential views of the moon were excellent Venus Jupiter and moons Saturn and Mars all good  (15/05/2020) Dave Brown - Norfolk

  Really good shop and customer service   I would like to say very happy with my recent purchase , best price I could find on internet for Sky-Watcher explorer eq2 motorised , I would not hesitate to recommend HARRISON TELESCOPES 100% thanks again  (06/05/2020) Timmy - Wolsingham

  Happy Customer  I bought this telescope during the lockdown. in spite of this Harrisons were able to advise me via email and deliver within 2 working days. It was good to deal with people who know their business, and I would have no problems recommending them to others.  (05/05/2020) Dave Brown - Norfolk

  Excellent service  I was hopeful it would arrive within a week but very surprised it arrived only 24 hours after I ordered especially with all the covid-19 restrictions in place. As to the telescipe itself, i'm a beginner and delighted with it, simple as that. Very easy to setup and views of the moon are amazing. T  (04/05/2020) Dean Hale - Sunderland

  A good beginners telescope   We decided on this telescope for its ease of use, lens size and positive reviews. It came very well packaged and our 14-year-son was able to set it up by himself. Since then he has been spending his evenings staring up at the moon and capturing shooting stars on his mobile phone. A great buy.  (03/05/2020) Sue - Colchester

  Excellent service from my inquiry to delivery  Excellent service from my inquiry to delivery. After narrowing my choices I had a couple of questions that were answered quickly and confidently and as a result I have my 1st telescope which I am extremely happy with.  (02/05/2020) Ian McMillan - Christchurch

    Fantastic service, very fast delivery especially for such a large item & well packaged, fairly easy to set up & everything you need in the box. I've already enjoyed a few nights & early mornings out in the garden with it. Highly recommended. Cheers A++++++  (25/04/2020) - Essex

  Excellent service very quick delivery   The telescope arrived very well packaged and Harrisons provided a quick easy hassle free experience. I have set the telescope up and am very suprised by the excellent build quality definitely worth the money. I will definitely use Harrison telescope again   (21/03/2020) Faith - Hampshire

  Skywatcher Explorer 130M   Well packaged and with all the necessary accessories to get started. Instructions are good and understandable. First telescope and well pleased with it. Just waiting for some clear sky at night. Impressed.   (13/10/2019) Mick L - Shropshire

  Excellent Service and Delivery  Product as described,packaged very well and dispatched promptly. The telescope was easy to assemble, and after a little bit of reading easy to operate. Over all good product and service.   (19/08/2018) Morton - Leicester

  Excellent service and fast delivery  This was purchased as a gift for my 15 year old nephew. I did a bit of research and learned that this would be a great entry level telescope for him. It arrived quickly and wasn’t too difficult to put together. None of us have the first clue how to use it but we’ll have fun trying!   (16/02/2018) Dawn Caple - Midlands

  GOOD QUALITY PRODUCT - FANTASTIC CUSTOMER SERVICE  Item was purchased on behalf of my Dad for my Mum, as a Christmas present. There was an issue with delivery of the product, which was purely down to the delivery company, NOT Harrisons. I called Harrisons and spoke with Ed, to find out where the product was. Ed worked very quickly to resolve this   (31/12/2017) Lucy - North West, UK

  Skywatcher Telescope  Excellent service. Received the telescope the day after ordering. The price for the telescope and also delivery price was very good. I have assembled the telescope but not tried it out yet as it is a present for someone. Would certainly recommend!   (17/11/2017) Sandra Klee - Sheffield

  Excellent service  I read lots of reviews from owners and articles about best telescope for beginners etc. Harrisons had the best price I could find and packing and delivery were excellent. So far it seems great but I have a lot to learn (which is great!).   (10/11/2017) Bob - Notts