Meade Polaris 130 EQ Reflector Telescope Review

  • By: admin
  • Date: January 29, 2024
  • Time to read: 4 min.
Meade Polaris 130 EQ


Do you want to know more about the Meade Polaris 130 EQ Reflector Telescope?

This is a great all-around telescope. Firstly you get the quality and precision that comes with any Meade instruments telescope. There is always the concern of making a mistake when you buy your first scope. A beginners’  telescope should not be too expensive as you may not stay dedicated to your new exciting hobby.

However, having said that, even a telescope for beginners should perform well. . The Meade Polaris 130 EQ Reflector Telescope not only sports a famous well-respected name but also gives you a great price. We will take a deeper look at the incredible features and the performance of this great telescope.

Meade Instruments 216008 Polaris 130EQ MD Reflector Telescope with Motor Drive
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Box Contains

1 x Meade Polaris Optical Tube
German Equatorial Mount
Stainless-steel tripod with accessory tray
MA6.3mm Eyepiece
MA9mm Eyepiece
MA25mm Eyepiece;1x Red-dot Viewfinder with Bracket
Slow Motion Control Cables

Meade Polaris 130EQ

The Equatorial Mount

The Meade Polaris 130EQ Reflector Telescope is an excellent starting point for beginner astronomers. It combines outstanding optics with an excellent equatorial mount, which guarantees crisp clear images.

The large German Equatorial mount features a slow-motion control which will help with smooth tracking and focusing on objects while they in motion. The mount with this scope is larger than the ones supplied with similar products and is very stable.

 Meade Polaris 130EQ

The Tripod

It comes with a stainless steel three-legged tripod. Not only is this tripod steady and sturdy, but is also lightweight.

There is also an accessory tray that makes the whole thing easy to set up and use. It’s easy to transport, whether it’s a camping trip or a high-altitude viewing point.

To get the full potential from this piece of equipment, any non-light polluted area is ideal.


Free Software Suite

This Meade Polaris telescope series model also comes together with an ‘Autostar’ Suite Astronomy planetarium DVD, which contains over 10,000 celestial objects. If you’re taking an Astronomy class or you’re just having fun with the kids, the DVD will open up a new world of celestial wonders, and lessons.


The Aperture

Meade Polaris 130 EQ

Let’s take a closer look at the Polaris 130EQ Reflector Telescope, first and foremost we will look into its aperture. At 130 mm (5.1 in), you can be sure this starter telescope is perfect for night viewings of celestial objects. The Moon, planets, and stars are just the start.


The Eyepieces

The three 1.25 inch eyepieces (26 mm, 9 mm, 6.3 mm) offer you the opportunity to do a bit of deep-sky gazing. Nebulas, star clusters, and galaxies may be within your reach.


Red Dot View Finder

The extra benefit of having a red dot viewfinder makes it straightforward for you to spot celestial objects, and see them in bright light and crystal clear images.


Lenses

The 2x Barlow lenses and the three magnification options (low, medium, and high) are of amazing quality for such a cheap product.


Focal Lengths

In terms of optics, the best Meade telescopes come with fantastic focal lengths and focal ratios. This telescope is no exception. It has a 650 mm focal length and an f/5 focal ratio which add to the qualities of the images it can produce.

More on the optics side of things, let’s not forget that the Polaris 130 EQ Reflector Telescope also boasts anti reflections multi-coated lenses for the best possible viewings.

The 130 mm silicon dioxide-coated mirror prevents all light reflectivity, which all adds to getting quality high detailed images.


Maintenance

The accessory tray of the Meade Instruments 216006 Polaris 130 EQ Reflector Telescope allows you to keep organized while using the scope.

Keep in mind to get many years of trouble-free service from this telescope you will need to keep it safe from dust, humidity, direct sunlight, and, mechanical accidents. Clean the lenses with microfiber cloths, and transport it with care.


Accessories

There are plenty of accessories that are available for this telescope, including special eyepieces and filters for different stars and planets viewings.


MEADE POLARIS HAVE BEEN TELESCOPES FOR OVER-FOUR DECADES AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR SCOPES IS APPARENT WITH THE 130EQ. A GREAT ALL ROUND TELESCOPE THAT WILL GIVE YOU YEARS AND YEARS OF GREAT VIEWING


The Features

  • Aperture: 130mm(5. 1″). Focal Length: 650mm. Focal Ratio: f/5. 0. Rack-and-Pinion Focuser, Setting Circles, Latitude Control w/ Scale
  • A large, stable German equatorial mount with slow-motion controls makes tracking celestial objects smooth and simple
  • Low (26mm), medium (9mm), and high (6. 3mm) magnification eyepieces give you variety for any viewing situation & 2x Barlow lens doubles the magnifying power of each eyepiece
  • Red dot viewfinder helps you point your scope at objects you want to observe & accessory tray stores accessories while observing
  • Includes astronomical software and instructional DVD
  • Viewfinder Type: Optical

Pros
  • Designed with the beginner in mind
  • Amazing optics for the price
  • Great selection of eyepieces
  • Handy software package
Cons
  • A bit heavier than most telescopes so not exactly a grab & go type
  • Instructions are a little underwhelming.

Meade Instruments | How To Setup & Align Your Polaris Telescope

Take a look at some similar products

Still not sure? Then take a look at these similar products before you click that buy button:

Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ Review
Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ Review
Celestron Powerseeker 80azs Telescope Review

Verdict

It is rare to find a telescope that comes together with a steady, sturdy tripod, a large manual German Equatorial mount, an almost perfect collimation, three eyepieces, and a proficient finderscope, all in the same package.

This is perhaps one of the best and most affordable beginner telescopes on the market. All in all, this telescope is impressive in both quality and price.

It is even great to look at, not only through it. The sturdiness, the high quality of all components, the crisp, crystal clear images, and the portability of the telescope makes us recommend it to all new Astronomy fans.

We couldn’t be happier with the Meade Polaris 130 EQ Reflector Telescope for a beginner and intermediate level astronomer. For all these reasons, we wholeheartedly recommend it.

Meade Instruments 216008 Polaris 130EQ MD Reflector Telescope with Motor Drive
  • Everything you need to start seeing the wonders of the night sky the first time.
  • Features a stable equatorial mount with idle controls for regular tracking of objects through the night sky.
  • Comes with 3 eyepieces (ma6.3mm, ma9mm, ma25mm) for a wide range of objects viewing (moon, planets, or earth).
  • Bonus Astronomy Planetarium Autostar Suite DVD with over 10,000 celestial objects (Windows PC only).