Orion SpaceProbe 130ST EQ Reflector - Refurbished
This Orion SpaceProbe 130ST Short Tube EQ Reflector Telescope is in Refurbished Condition. Please note the following information about refurbished Orion products:
- During the refurbishing process, some product components, hardware, and accessories may have been replaced by Orion. These substitutions were necessary to restore the product to full functionality, and, therefore, do not diminish the quality, performance, or completeness the of the product.
- The product description may provide information about accessory items, cosmetic features, and specifications that differ from the product you receive. Due to the variability between each unit, we cannot provide exact details on what has been replaced with differing accessories or parts. Furthermore, we cannot exchange the version you receive for a unit that has specific desired replacements.
- The product displayed in the image(s) above is a new version of the product. As outlined above, the product you receive may vary from the product displayed in the above image.
Orion SpaceProbe 130ST Short Tube EQ Reflector Telescope - Refurbished
The Orion SpaceProbe 130ST EQ Reflector Telescope is a quality telescope with a fast parabolic mirror for more serious beginning or intermediate stargazers who want additional performance, particularly for targeting deep-sky objects. This "ST", or "Short Tube", version of the SpaceProbe 130 reflector is indeed more compact than a standard model 130mm. The focal length of the ST's 130mm (5.1") primary mirror is 650mm (f/5), yielding a wider field of view and brighter images for a given telescope eyepiece focal length.
The 130mm aperture primary is a diffraction-limited parabolic mirror. While many similar reflector telescopes on the market utilize spherically figured mirrors, for the SpaceProbe we insisted on using a parabolic primary mirror like those found in larger, observatory quality reflectors because it produces better sharpness across the field with less distortion at the edges. On a short-focal-length design like this one, a parabolic mirror is a must for delivering sharp, detailed images. Parabolic mirrors are more expensive to manufacture, but the payoff is in higher quality celestial images in the eyepiece. This feature combined with the included equatorial mount with dovetail cradle mounting and included accessories described below make this one sweet optical system for astronomy! The relatively compact SpaceProbe 130ST EQ weighs just 28 lbs. once assembled. It's an easy telescope to take out to your favorite stargazing spot, whether just outside the back door or in a more distant location away from streetlights and light pollution. If you're looking for a better-quality first telescope or a nicely portable telescope to complement your big Dobsonian, you'll love the Orion SpaceProbe 130ST EQ Reflector Telescope.
This package comes loaded with accessories to get you observing in no time. Take a look below for an in-depth look at what's included:
1.25" 25mm Plossl Eyepiece
The included 1.25" 25mm Plossl eyepiece (which uses all-glass multi-coated optics) provides a 26-power view when used with the SpaceProbe 130ST reflector telescope. Using this eyepiece's moderately low magnification is a great way to begin exploring interesting objects in the sparkling night sky. Offering a wide 52° apparent field of view, the 25mm Plossl eyepiece yields extremely sharp images with impressively high contrast. You'll be amazed at the crisp, clear views of sights like the cratered surface of the Moon! And when pointed at larger deep-sky objects such as the Orion Nebula, the 5.1" aperture combined with the low power view really pulls in the faint light, revealing structure in the nebula.
1.25" 10mm Plossl Eyepiece
When you're ready to study objects with more magnification, use the included 10mm Plossl eyepiece (which also features all-glass multi-coated optics). When inserted into the SpaceProbe 130ST reflector telescope, the 10mm Plossl provides a powerful 65x view with a 52° apparent field of view, so you can inspect interesting objects more closely. We recommend starting out with the lower-power 25mm Plossl first, then switching to the 10mm ocular to boost the power of your telescope's view.
Precision Equatorial Mount
The Orion SpaceProbe 130ST telescope comes on a sturdy and precise equatorial mount with a newly upgraded aluminum Vixen-style dovetail, dual setting circles and slow-motion hand controls. After a simple polar-alignment procedure, the EQ mount allows you to easily track celestial objects as they appear to migrate across the night sky, so you can observe them in detail. The adjustable-height tubular steel tripod is strong yet lightweight and includes an accessory tray so you can keep eyepieces, flashlights, and other accessories close by while using the reflector telescope.