The most aperture per dollar, and an alignment to keep · review
Celestron's AstroMaster 130EQ: a 130 mm Newtonian with aluminum and SiO2 coatings on a manual German equatorial mount with slow motion on both axes, a 20 mm erect-image eyepiece, a 10 mm eyepiece and a StarPointer.
The AstroMaster 130EQ is a 130 mm (5.1 in) Newtonian with aluminum and SiO2 coatings, on a manual German equatorial mount with slow-motion knobs for both right ascension and declination. It sets up without tools.
Celestron names Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, lunar craters and the Andromeda Galaxy. A 5-inch mirror also takes in the Orion Nebula in detail and many globular clusters.
A 20 mm eyepiece with a built-in erect-image corrector, a 10 mm eyepiece and a StarPointer red-dot finder. No Barlow. The focal length is not in the listing.
The 130EQ-MD adds an RA motor drive for $100 more. This version asks the observer to turn a knob now and then.
On November 7, 2026, Amazon.com sold it directly at $289.97. 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 | Manual German equatorial · slow-motion knobs on both axes · adjustable tripod, no tools |
| Supplied accessories | 20 mm erect-image eyepiece · 10 mm eyepiece · StarPointer red-dot finder · software download |
| Amazon reference | B000MLL6RS |
| EAN | 0050234310451 |
If you will mostly watch planets at high power or share views, the [130EQ-MD](/reviews/reflector-telescopes-celestron-130eq-md/) saves constant knob-turning for $100 more. For deep-sky sweeping at low power, this version is enough.
Saturn's rings and Cassini Division on a good night, Jupiter's belts, the Orion Nebula, the brighter galaxies such as Andromeda and M81, and many globular clusters.
Like every Newtonian, occasionally. See [when the image is soft](/guides/when-the-image-is-soft/).
This model is listed on Amazon.com, at ≈ $290 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.
Five inches of mirror on a geared equatorial, for an observer content to turn the knobs
Listed because the eyepiece or part names this scope.
Amazon reports what buyers took in the month before this page was last checked: at least 200.
The figure is a floor, rounded by Amazon, and read through Keepa — it says what buyers picked, not what a maker claims.
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
