The most aperture per dollar, and an alignment to keep · review
Celestron's AstroMaster 130EQ-MD: a 130 mm Newtonian with aluminum and SiO2 coatings on a German equatorial mount with slow motion on both axes and an RA motor drive for automatic tracking.
The AstroMaster 130EQ-MD is the 130EQ with one addition: an RA motor drive. Once the mount is polar-aligned and a target centered, the motor follows it across the sky. At 150x Jupiter crosses the field in under a minute; with the motor it stays put.
A 130 mm (5.1 in) Newtonian with aluminum and SiO2 coatings, named. Celestron lists Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, lunar craters and the Andromeda Galaxy.
Slow-motion knobs on both axes, an adjustable tripod, a 20 mm erect-image eyepiece, a 10 mm eyepiece and a StarPointer red-dot finder. The focal length is not in the listing.
On November 7, 2026 the MD cost $389.95 and the manual 130EQ $289.97.
On November 7, 2026, Amazon.com sold it directly at $389.95. Celestron states a 2-year US warranty.
Figures as Keepa reported them on the day this page was last updated. Stock and pricing shift without warning.
Prices quoted in this text were read on November 7, 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.
Same aisle, closest price — what the same spend else shows.
| Aperture | 130 mm (5.1 in), stated |
|---|---|
| Focal length and ratio | Not published in the Amazon.com listing. |
| Optical design | Newtonian reflector |
| Mirror coating | Aluminum and SiO2, stated |
| Secondary obstruction | Not published by the maker. |
| Focuser type | Not published by the maker. |
| Collimation access | Not published by the maker. |
| Tube length | Not published by the maker. |
| Mount supplied | German equatorial · slow-motion knobs on both axes · RA motor drive for automatic tracking · adjustable tripod |
| Supplied accessories | 20 mm erect-image eyepiece · 10 mm eyepiece · motor drive · StarPointer red-dot finder · software download |
| Amazon reference | B0013Z42AK |
| EAN | 0050234310512 |
Once the mount is polar-aligned and the object centered, the RA motor turns the mount at the sky's rate so the object stays in view. At high power, that is the difference between watching Jupiter and chasing it.
No. It tracks, it does not find. Objects are found by hand with the red-dot finder and slow-motion knobs.
For planetary viewing and sharing views with others, often yes. For sweeping star fields at low power, the manual [130EQ](/reviews/reflector-telescopes-celestron-130eq/) does the same job.
This model is listed on Amazon.com, at ≈ $390 at the last reading. Listed is not the same as in stock: availability changes daily, and the buy box shows the live price.
Details checked on November 7, 2026.
Long sessions at high power on the Moon and planets, without nudging
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for telescopes and observing optics and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
114 mm (4.49 in) mirror · 900 mm (35.4 in) focal length · f/7.9 · alt-azimuth mount
A 114/900 Newtonian reflector on a simple alt-azimuth mount and aluminum tripod, supplied with 25, 9 and 4 mm eyepieces, a 6x30 finder, a 1.5x erecting lens and a 3x Barlow.
Best for: A family telescope for planets and bright deep-sky objects, where nobody wants to learn polar alignment
114 mm (4.5 in) Newtonian · German equatorial with slow-motion altitude rod · 20 mm and 4 mm eyepieces · 3x Barlow
Celestron's PowerSeeker 114EQ: a 114 mm Newtonian on a manual German equatorial mount with a slow-motion altitude rod, supplied with 20 mm and 4 mm eyepieces and a 3x Barlow.
Best for: A first equatorial reflector bought on price
≈ $180
127 mm (5 in) Newtonian · German equatorial with slow-motion altitude rod · 20 mm and 4 mm eyepieces · 3x Barlow
Celestron's PowerSeeker 127EQ: a 127 mm Newtonian on a manual German equatorial mount with a slow-motion altitude rod, supplied with 20 mm and 4 mm eyepieces and a 3x Barlow.
Best for: The most aperture on this shelf for about $200
≈ $200
