--- product_id: 47944021 title: "Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Telescope with Motorised Tracking" brand: "celestron" price: "R27056" currency: ZAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/47944021-celestron-astromaster-130eq-md-telescope-with-motorised-tracking store_origin: ZA region: South Africa --- # 130mm aperture for crisp views 36,000-object Starry Night software included Motorized equatorial mount tracks stars Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Telescope with Motorised Tracking **Brand:** celestron **Price:** R27056 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🌌 Own the night sky with precision and style! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Telescope with Motorised Tracking by celestron - **How much does it cost?** R27056 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/47944021-celestron-astromaster-130eq-md-telescope-with-motorised-tracking) ## Best For - celestron enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted celestron brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Stellar Optics:** 130mm aperture with StarBright XLT coatings delivers bright, sharp celestial images. - • **Ready Out of the Box:** Includes 20mm & 10mm eyepieces plus StarPointer™ finderscope for quick target acquisition. - • **Portable & Tool-Free Setup:** Adjustable steel tripod with no-tool assembly keeps your observatory mobile and hassle-free. - • **Smart Software Integration:** Download Starry Night Basic with 3D star maps and exoplanet visuals to elevate your stargazing. - • **Precision Tracking, Effortlessly:** Motor drive compensates Earth’s rotation for seamless star following. ## Overview The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Motor Drive Newtonian Reflector Telescope features a powerful 130mm aperture with advanced StarBright XLT coatings, a motorized German equatorial mount for automatic celestial tracking, and comes bundled with essential eyepieces and Starry Night software. Designed for easy setup and precise star tracking, it’s perfect for serious amateur astronomers seeking immersive night sky exploration. ## Description Turn your manual German equatorial mount into a tracking mount by adding the included RA motor drive to your telescope. This easy-to-install RA motor drive compensates for the Earth’s rotation, so the telescope tracks a star’s movement through the night sky from east to west. When the telescope mount is properly polar aligned and the RA drive is attached and running, the user need only make occasional adjustments in declination (Dec) to keep an object in the eyepiece for long periods of time. The Celestron single-axis motor drive runs on a 9V battery, so there are no cords to get in the way. The drive can be used in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. To change hemispheres (reverse the motor’s direction), simply by flip the N/S switch on the face of the motor drive. It is also simple to change the speed of the motor. A “Speed Rate RegulatorInches knob is located just under the power indicator and can be turned in either direction to slow down or speed up the motor. Since solar system objects like the Moon and planets move through the sky at different rates than deep-sky objects do, this gives you the ability to match the motor’s speed to the particular type of object you are observing. ## Features - TRACKING: Manual German equatorial mount with setting circles to accurately locate and track sky objects. Motor drive automatically tracks celestial objects as they appear to move across the night sky - SIMPLE TO ASSEMBLE: Adjustable, full height steel tripod with deluxe accessory tray. Quick and easy no-tool setup - INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: a 20mm and 10mm eyepiece, a finderscope and a motor drive, Tripod Weight: 3.4 Kg - AVAILABLE SOFTWARE: Download Starry Night Basic Software with a 36,000 object database, printable sky maps and enhanced images, including 3D renderings of stars, exoplanets, and galaxies - OPTICAL ZOOM: 130.0 multiplier_x ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Age Range Description | Adults | | Asin | B0013Z42AK | | Best Sellers Rank | 8,541 in Electronics & Photo (See Top 100 in Electronics & Photo) 15 in Telescopes | | Box Contents | see descritption | | Brand Name | Celestron | | Coating | StarBright XLT | | Compatible Devices | Smartphone, Camera | | Country Of Origin | China | | Customer Reviews | 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (1,954) 4.2 out of 5 stars | | Dawes Limit | 0.89 Arc Sec | | Exit Pupil Diameter | 4 Millimeters | | Eye Piece Lens Description | 20mm and 10mm eyepiece | | Field Of View | 1.3 Degrees | | Finderscope | Built-on StarPointer™ red dot finderscope | | Focal Length Description | 260 millimeters | | Focus Type | Manual Focus | | Global Trade Identification Number | 00050234310512 | | Item Dimensions D X W X H | 27.9D x 48.3W x 88.9H centimetres | | Item Type Name | Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ MD Telescope | | Item Weight | 7.71 kg | | Manufacturer | Celestron | | Manufacturer Part Number | 31051 | | Model Name | AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Newtonian | | Model Number | 31051 | | Mount | CG-3 Equatorial | | Number Of Batteries | 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included) | | Number Of Items | 1 | | Objective Lens Diameter | 130 Millimetres | | Optical Tube Length | 552 Millimetres | | Power Source | Battery Powered | | Product Features | Automatic Celestial Tracking with Adjustable Motor Drive | | Unit Count | 1.0 count | | Upc | 050234310512 | | Zoom Ratio | 130.0 | ## Product Details - **Brand:** Celestron - **Eye piece lens description:** 20mm and 10mm eyepiece - **Finderscope:** Built-on StarPointer™ red dot finderscope - **Focus type:** Manual Focus - **Model name:** AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Newtonian - **Objective lens diameter:** 130 Millimetres - **Optical tube length:** 552 Millimetres - **Power source:** Battery Powered - **Product dimensions:** 27.9D x 48.3W x 88.9H centimetres - **Telescope mount description:** CG-3 Equatorial ## Images ![Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Telescope with Motorised Tracking - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Wlv-tbcEL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Style** options. ## Questions & Answers **Q: What is the magnification?** A: You can obtain this value dividing the focal length of the telescope (650mm) by the focal length of the lens you use. 650 / 20: 32.5 (with a 20mm eyepiece) or 650 / 10: 65 (with a 10mm one). If you read the product description at the amazon product webpage, you wil find these values calculated as "Magnification 1: 33 x" and "Magnification 2: 65 x" **Q: Hi, what bag would be best for transporting telescope between locations? Thanks** A: Quite a large holdall - similar size to a holiday bag **Q: Does this telescope come with a protective case for storage?** A: No, it just comes well packaged. To be honest, there's not much in that's susceptible to any damage - it's just a tube with a couple of mirrors in! **Q: Can you use this telescope for astrophotgraphy?** A: Hello, yes you can, it's possible to clamp an slr type camera on the built in bracket atop the telescope or for mobile phone use buy a phone adaptor to fix it to the lens on the viewer. I've had a few good photos this way. Dg. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Quality scope *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 27 December 2019* Review after six months of using....Fantastic telescope, really like it.Couple things to keep in mind ( as a respond to some comments and reviews)* Red dot finderI was out of range from the very beginning, I had to place chim to make it able point right ( it was always to high, even adjusted to the lowest position). So it is usable and works with small modification.(Stop working after 5 months, battery replaced but still dead)* Tripod - hmmmWorks well, I mean, once polar alligned you can just turn RA knob to track object - great !Motor Drive - works well as well, I don't understand why people complain about it... Maybe they simply don't know what it does ?Bad things are: when MD attached you can't use RA knob for precise aiming (you need to release a main knob) and there is a dead area / zone - when to motor itself block couple degree of rotation ( Not a big deal really)Tripod is.... Bit wobbly, not the best one in terms of stability, but it's not junk too... Hope you know what I mean. Just avarage one.* OpticsFast telescope (F5), good quality overall, not bad eyepieces included. It's Newtonian so, collimation required. Sound scary ! But is not! Main mirror doesn't have a central mark ( considered as a negative aspect - why celestron ? Why? ) But, I am collimating it without, and i have mastered it ! It's nice and easy . I was thinking about making mark myself, but, what for? YOU CAN COLLIMATE IT WITHOUT! You don't even need laser collimator. Get one if you want, mark mirror if you want - just keep in mind ,it's not must!* AstrophotographyYeah... Newtonian...You get some problems with focus, using DSLR!(Works well with modified webcam) and works well with 2x barlow and DSLR , works well afocal projection with DSLR, and works well with prime focus - if you modify telescope ( move main mirror towards front, about 2 cm) not a big deal, hovewer, once you do it, the observations will required adapter ( all about focus plane)Every method have some advantages and disadvantages - Google them !I am using Seben zoom eyepiece 8-24 attached to my t adapter and canon DSLR or Barlow X2 with t adapter to the same camera (keep in mind, 2 X Barlow actually quadruple exposure time and doubling FR! ) Anyway, this two methods gives me better results then modified webcam.take reference photos if you want good results ( flats, bias, darks) and experiment.Overall, it's a great scope. You need to learn things in order to obtain full potential ( eq mount, polar alligment, focus, collimation, not to mention night sky !)It's great for observing stars and DSO, not so good for planets (obviously you still can do it)For astrophotography - it required some small modifications.No regrets of buying it ! Imho super cheap and well performing scope.+ For observing deep sky objects (nebulas, galaxy's)= For astrophotography DSO, long exposures thanks to motor drive but some mods required (focus)- For planetary observing or photography get Something else - like f12 refractor ;) ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good for the price. Recommended for first telescope. Lots of fun. *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 9 November 2019* This review is based on the cost of this telescope after using it for about a year now. The review is for 130EQ-MD.First, to put things into perspective:* A good eyepiece costs more than half of the price of this telescope* A good mount starts at 4 times the cost of this telescope and exceeds 20 times the priceThe telescope is an excellent starter telescope. Based on forum review, it is probably not the best, but quote close to that. It has all the bits and pieces that you need to learn about while taking the first steps into amateur astronomy:* Equatorial mount: you'll learn about the types of mounts, how to do polar alignment, what is RA/DE and Hour Angle* It's Newtonian: you'll learn about reflector telescopes and collimation. You don't have to bend to look at the stars, which is important when spending an hour or so* Large focal length (you *do not* need more than that): allows you to toy with eyepieces and discover the limits of the telescope. You will realise the effects of the atmosphere and the limits they impose and you will also realise that in high magnifications the stars move too fast and go out of view in seconds.* Decent aperture: You won't be limited by the ability of the telescope to collect light. You will learn what dark adaptation is and how important it is.* Two eyepieces (20mm erect, 10mm): You'll learn what an erect eyepiece is. You'll get used to seeing things upside down. You'll learn to divide the focal lengths to get the magnification. You'll also inevitably learn about apparent field-of-view, eye relief, multicoating, what plossl is and that there is a variety of eyepieces but that you don't need many of them.* A motor: you'll learn the importance of it at higher magnifications.Eventually you'll also try to take pictures, either with a phone or with a camera, in which case you'll start attaching things to it. It's more trouble than you think but the good thing is that the telescope is very sturdy and can take it.Its pieces:* The telescope itself is of good quality* The mount is a *very* good mount for the price. It's sturdy, accurate to adjust and reasonably stable. I can't stress enough the importance of the mount. It's *the* most important part of a telescope. If you're not convinced, take a look at amateur astronomy forums for advice given to others.* The sky pointer is easy to use and very accurate once adjusted (the first time)* The eyepieces are good for the first days. At some point you will probably replace them with something better and possibly add a barlow lens. Look at forums about recommendations. I had very good results with a celestron omni 15mm. I have a celestron omni 5mm which is not useful 99% of the time and can't recommend because of the high magnification and the bad eye relief. An onni celestron barlow works well too. I also recommend getting a 30-40mm plossl eyepiece with good eye relief.* The motor (for the MD model) is painfully basic. Unfortunately it doesn't allow manual micro-corrections when it's attached, even if it's off. It also limits the rotation of the telescope which creates some blind spots (boooo). I had to remove it in some occasions.Overall , it's lots of fun for the price. IMO, you should not try something more expensive as a first telescope because you won't know what to look for. You'll realize that if you're going to invest then it's better to invest on a mount than a telescope.Expect to be able to see Saturn's rings and Jupiter's moons when they are close to Earth. See attachedThe bads:* The motor is basic and limits the movement of the telescope when attached. Fortunately, it's easy to remove and reattach.* The included eyepiece are very basic, although a good starting point and expected for the price of the telescope ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent quality/price ratio *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 19 May 2013* I just received this telescope yesterday. First of all, I would like to say that the delivery service was excelent, very fast, and I wasn't home, when the first passed by, but I was able to give the delivery guy ( who called me because there was nobody home ) an alternative adress and he delivered it there. Awesome job, thank you very much random MRW guy. Everything was very well packed and in very good state.So, about the telescope. First of all I would like to say that there are many reviews in here from people who don't have the slightest ideia of what they are doing. This is no telescope for someone who is giving their first step in astronomy and are completely clueless about what to buy. If you know nothing about equatorial coordinates and telescopes calibration ( and if you are not planning to learn those things), you should go for a computerized telescope.Two things I would like to highlight:1º: The motor works completely fine, you just have to know how to use it and display telescope axis in order to do that2º: The StarPointer also works fine, but obviously it is misaligned when you first take it out of the box. Take your time during the day to align it, and you will see that it performs just fine and that it is very usefull.The mount is very sturdy, but ( and this is why I give it 4 stars ) it does not rotates completely free at some points, because the screws ( in the mount ), hit the mount itself, but it isn't a big problem. You also have this problem with the motor atatched, some things hit it too. Like I said, not a big problem, easily solved.The eye pieces supplied are actually pretty good, I just saw Saturn and could easily see its rings just with the 20mm piece. Don't panic when you notice that with the 10mm piece everything is inverted upside down. This is actually a natural caracteristic of the newtonian reflector, but the 20mm piece is designed to correct this, since it can be used for terrestrial view.Looking forward to buying more lenses, specially a 2x barlow. Overall it's a great scope, excelent quality for this price. But like I said, think before you buy it, try finding the scope that best suites you capabilities ## Frequently Bought Together - Celestron – AstroMaster 130EQ–MD Newtonian Reflector Telescope for Beginners – Aluminized Mirror – Motor Drive to Track Stars – Adjustable Tripod – Includes Eyepieces Plus Astronomy Software Package - Celestron 94307 AstroMaster 8-Piece Eyepiece & Filter Accessory Kit - Includes Two 1.25” Eyepieces, 2X Barlow Lens, Three Filters, Cleaning Cloth and Hard Case Black - Celestron – Smartphone Photography Adapter for Telescope – Digiscoping Smartphone Adapter – Capture Photos and Video Through Your Telescope or Spotting Scope Eyepiece --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/47944021-celestron-astromaster-130eq-md-telescope-with-motorised-tracking](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/47944021-celestron-astromaster-130eq-md-telescope-with-motorised-tracking) --- *Product available on Desertcart South Africa* *Store origin: ZA* *Last updated: 2026-09-23*