• SKY WATCHER

Explorer 130 optics are highly regarded for their quality and for being larger than the beginners' scopes that we have grown accustomed to. Now they are available on the Supatrak mount to make an ideal package for the beginner. Supatrak is easy to set up and uses two precision servo motors to follow your object, leaving you free to enjoy the view without having to make constant adjustments.

We recommend this telescope package to any beginner.

• SKY Watcher

• Magnifications (with eyepieces supplied): x30, x60, x75, x150
• Highest Practical Power (Potential): x300
• Diameter of Primary Mirror: 150mm
• Telescope Focal Length: 750mm (f/5)
• Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
• X2 Deluxe Barlow Lens 1.25" (with Camera Adaptor)
• Parabolic Primary Mirror
• 0.5mm Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports
• 6x30 Finderscope
• Direct SLR Camera Connection
• EQ3-2 Deluxe Equatorial Mount
• Built-in Polar Alignment Scope Holder
• Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
• 33% more Light Gathering than 130mm

• CELESTRON

• Aperture 90mm
• Focal Length 1250mm
• F-ratio f/13.89
• Altazimuth Mount
• Eyepieces Supplied 25mm & 9mm
• StarPointer

The Nexstar 90 SLT uses Maksutov-Cassegrain optics to provide excellent views of the Moon and planets. Its high-contrast images are optimised to show subtle surface detail on planets, but are good for deep-sky objects as well.

Its built-in controller will find and track thousands of objects for you, showing you the wonders of the night sky and helping you learn your way around.

• Sky Watcher

A massive 8-inch aperture on a sturdy equatorial mount makes this an excellent choice for the enthusiastic beginner or advanced intermediate astronomer. The advantage of an equatorial mount is that it makes it easy to track an object and keep it in the field of view. Slow-motion controls allow the object to be centred, then as it drifts out of the field due to the Earth's rotation you just tweak the RA slow motion control to follow it.

Aligning the mount is quite straightforward. A scale on the side allows you to set it for your latitude then just point the main axis north and it's ready for use. Accurate alignment isn't necessary for visual use as minor corrections can be applied with the slow-motion controls.

This is a serious size of aperture that will show a wide range of objects in great detail. The equatorial mount makes it easy to keep an object in view and motors can be added to do this automatically if you wish.

The EQ5 mount and tripod is quite stable so high magnifications are possible when atmospheric conditions allow.