Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector


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Brand and Model:Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector
Price ($USD):229
Type:Newtonian
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:130mm (5.1")
f Ratio:f/6.9
Focal Length:900mm
Finder:6x30
Electric Power:
Mount:Equatorial
Tripod:Wood
Weight (lbs):32 lbs
Dimensions (w/h/d):
Description:

Vote Highlights Vote
Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector
[Webmaster note: vote moved from description]

Great choice for beginners who want a little extra in their first telescope. The mount is sturdy and smooth. The fine-adjust controls work great. The focuser is good, although getting that last bit of clarity takes time.

As a beginner, I can't compare the image quality to much. However, the images look clear and free of distortion anwhere within the field of view. I've tried to look for distortion in Jupiter and Saturn as they drift to the edge of view, and they look great.

The wooden tripod is a little bulky. You'll definitely want to move the tripod outside first then the tube. But the mount makes this very easy.

The finder scope can get knoced out of alignment easily, but it is also easy to re-align on a bright star with a low-power eyepiece, so I can't complain too much.

I would recommend this telescope to anyone.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:7 Mount:8 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=65384


Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector
I have just bought this scope and it is junk do not buy this scope save your money and buy a good scope from Meade or Celestron but what ever you do not buy from www.telescope.com there customer service is bad they will not take care of problems they do not care I repet they do not care. I would not recommend this scope or any other telescope that telescope.com sales.

Overall Rating: 0
Optics:0 Mount:0 Ease of Use:0 Value:0
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=272196

>I have just bought this scope and it is junk do not buy this scope save your money and buy a good scope from Meade or Celestron but what ever you do not buy from www.telescope.com there customer service is bad they will  not take care of problems they do not care I repet they do not care. I would not recommend this scope or any other telescope that telescope.com sales.
>I have just bought this scope and it is junk do not buy this scope save your money and buy a good scope from Meade or Celestron but what ever you do not buy from www.telescope.com there customer service is bad they will  not take care of problems they do not care I repet they do not care. I would not recommend this scope or any other telescope that telescope.com sales.

First I will say that I am not affiliated with Orion or connected to it in any financial way except as a customer.  I am guessing this person knows little about telescopes and became frustrated with his purchase when he could not get it to function properly.  Too bad, just about everyone I know who has dealt with telescope.com has enjoyed their purchase and received excellent customer service.
>I have just bought this scope and it is junk do not buy this scope save your money and buy a good scope from Meade or Celestron but what ever you do not buy from www.telescope.com there customer service is bad they will  not take care of problems they do not care I repet they do not care. I would not recommend this scope or any other telescope that telescope.com sales.

Wow!  Yours is absolutely the first bad experience I've ever heard of with Orion (www.telescope.com).  I didn't buy the 130, but rather the 130ST a couple of years ago.  For the price - and that was much more then than it is now - it is a very good scope.  Even though I've since built a 12.5" Dob, I still use the 130ST when I don't feel like carting out the big one.  The optical tube assembly works fine.  At star parties, others have said they got better images from this one than bigger scopes (of course I try to be meticulous about collimation - and like any Newtonian, you must check collimation occasionally).  
When I first got my 130ST, I had a question about it and found Orion's customer service to be very good.  This mirrors the experience of everyone else I've ever talked to in my astronomy club that also owns an Orion. 
 I've bought other stuff from them over time and have always been satisfied.  The 130 and 130ST are *not* high end scopes.  But for the newbie to intermediate, I think they're great little scopes.  

Steve in MN.  
Not connected to Orion other than having bought stuff from them.

Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector
I have just bought this scope and I'm quite pleased with it. The optics are good and even on a moderate night I could resolve Cassini's division in Saturn quite easily. Jupiter looked great and even on low power it is possible to pick out several bands. The telescope is well made and well packaged and I was pleased with the quality of manufacture when constructing it. I have to note that I found the mount a little light weight for the telescope and this model could benefit from a meatier version maybe the Eq3-2 would be a better bet. Having said that it was easy to use and no problem for a beginner. The instructions are a bit on the basic side and consist of a couple of A4 sheets of paper. Not really good enough for a scope like this. This telescope looks like it is sold under various guises and in the UK it is a Skywatcher / Synta / Helios. It looks exactly the same though and the only difference is that we get ripped off in the UK and here it retails for 199 UK Pounds. I think it represents excellent value and would recommend it to a novice or beginner. A more experienced obsever might want a sturdier mount and a wider aperture. I'm happy with it though.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:8 Mount:6 Ease of Use:9 Value:10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=68711


Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector
i have recently purchased the orion space probe 130ST EQ. I have to tell you this is one sweet little scope for the money. I first bought a meade DS2130AT. What a piece of junk. Needless to say I took it back. Typical department store junk. For the same money I was able to get the Orion, have it shipped and was able to get a 2x shorty barlow. The clarity and crispness of the images is great. I have taken this scope to its limits and it performs wonderfully. The heck with the go to computer stuff. For the money the Orion 130ST EQ is one sweet scope.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:9 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=346515


Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector
This is a great scope for someone looking for a little more than a 'starter'. Good light gathering capability, a decent mount, and decent eyepieces included.

Some companies include a 2x barlow and RA drive in a package like this - which isn't a bad idea (at least the barlow).

Great scope for $250-275...

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:7 Mount:6 Ease of Use:7 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=181013


Orion SpaceProbe 5.1" (130mm) EQ Reflector
First off I am a base novice at astronomy, but with much research on the internet I decided to purchase the SpaceProbe 130. I am now hooked for life. The stars focus to fine points of light all the way to the edge of the eyepiece and my kids remarked that the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter look just like they look in magazines. Mine came with the EQ-2 aluminum tripod, it seems very sturdy and at 180 power the shakes from a bump go away in a about a second. I'm sure if I knew how to use the RA and DEC functions along with polar aligning I'd be happier with the mount. Even with that I get a thrill looking at Orion's nebula, even in the light polluted suburbs of Phoenix. As for the value, I got lucky and bought it on line when it was on sale for $225 including shipping, who said you can't get a good telescope for under $300.

I highly recommend this telescope to anyone, especially someone just starting out in astonomy.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Mount:8 Ease of Use:9 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=160066

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