Celestron has been a leading brand as long as consumer-grade telescopes are concerned. And the SLT series had been one of their groundbreaking series with a handful of improvisation within it.
In today’s post, we’re going to talk about Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT vs 130 SLT – the two most talked about telescopes from the series. In case you’re interested in any of these, this article is a must-read for you.
Celestron Nexstar 130 SLT Overview
Nexstar 130 SLT is a computerized telescope from Nextar that comes with a pre-loaded database (of 40,000+ stars, galaxies, nebulae, etc) within it.
Among the SLT series from the brand, the 130 happens to be the largest one in terms of aperture. To be exact about it, the aperture of 130 SLT is 130mm. This can obviously gather all the light you need to observe everything within the solar system and many things beyond that as well.
To set this telescope up, you don’t have to face almost any hard times. All you need to do is center the three bright pieces in the eyepiece. They call it the SkyAlign technology, which makes quite some sense.
Observing your favorite part of the sky would be that much easier with the given features of 130 SLT. With the computerized database, it’ll be even more comfortable and satisfying as well.
On top of the regular specs and features, there is a free gift from the brand with this telescope. And that’s the Starry Night software. What this astronomy software does is- helps with an interactive sky simulation for the users. Skywatchers who’re new in the game can be really assisted by this on their way to be even more experts in astronomy.
Compared to many other similar telescopes, the price seems to be a bit higher. But given that the features are really groundbreaking, we think you won’t mind investing the extra money after it.
Pros
- 130mm aperture, the largest in the SLT series.
- Computerized assistance with a large database.
- Very compact and easy to set up.
- It comes with Sky Align technology for quick observation.
- It comes with sky simulation software.
Cons
- A bit pricier than other models on the list.
Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT Overview
The 127 SLT is the earlier release from Nexstar SLT series before 130SLT. Making sure that there are a number of similarities between these two, but there are a few points of similarities as well. For now, we’ll go through the basic overview of this compact telescope.
127 SLT is a computerized telescope that comes with a database rich with 40,000 units of stars, planets, etc. It can locate anything within its database for you, and track it for observers.
The 127 SLT is one of the most compact telescopes that Nexstar has ever come with. That makes it more likely for being a traveler’s companion on the go. Also, it takes very less space to be stored.
Moving on, the optical design is called the MakSutov optical design that you’d get in this one. From the model, you can already see that the aperture is 127mm, which is decently enough for sky-watching.
The signature Sky Align technology is still there with the SLT 127. As you said in the earlier product review, this tech helps to set up the telescope within seconds. All you need to do is alright three bright objects within the sky. Done so, it will be ready to locate thousands of other objects in the sky.
Just like the 130 SLT, you will get a couple of eyepieces with the 127 SLT as well. The eyepieces will be of 25mm and 9mm in length. And that would be suitable for observing stars and planets within our solar system and even beyond that as well.
Comparing the price, we have good news here for budget buyers. The price is cheaper for this model. In fact, it’s one of the best telescopes you can buy within 400 dollars.
Pros
- 127mm aperture with Maksutov technology.
- Computerized database of 40,000 objects of the sky.
- Quick setup with the SkyAlign technology.
- Compact and easy to carry around.
- It comes with two eyepieces of 25mm and 9mm.
- Good for travelers and astrology beginners.
- An affordable price.
Cons
- As it’s got a smaller aperture, there can be light shortage sometimes.
Which One to Choose from Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT Vs 130 SLT?
Now, as we’ve gone through the hands-on reviews of both of these telescopes, it’s time to discuss the differences. Apart from the similarities, we will talk about the points of difference at this section only.
The Aperture
Clearly, the 130 SLT comes with a higher aperture than the 127 SLT. In fact, comparing the 127mm aperture and the 130mm aperture, you can’t find any solid difference externally. But once you think about the amount of light your telescope will manage to gather, the 130 SLT will be the clear winner. The other can be best called a beginner’s suit.
The Magnification
Although it’s sometimes not that much of a concern. But when you would like to check out distant objects the magnification scale does matter.
On that note, the 127 SLT has got a magnification scale of 18X. On the other hand, the larger 130 SLT has got it as 19X. So, later on, you will be able to see further.
Price
It’s no wonder that the 130 SLT is the improved version of the 127 SLT. So, the price is, of course, higher than the first one. But the good news is, the difference is not something that will harshly bother you. Both of them are quite affordable if we see them from a broad point of view.
Bottom Line
Alright, so this is the end of this conversation today. As we’ve talked about Nexstar 127 SLT and 130 SLT, we hope that you’ve made up your mind about any of these two.
