Question 1

What size optics do I need to see Mars in detail? I'd appreciate a product link on amazon

Accepted Answer

2017 so answering for mostly others. To see any detail on Mars or Saturn and Jupiter you are going to need at least 6 to 8 inch dia and around 1000 to 2000 focal length so C 8 sct or better is your best bet. That's going to run you about $1000 but you will be using a barlow lens eyepiece holder to double or even triple the magnification  ($100). At those magnifications you are going to need a decent rocksolid tripod and mount. ($800-$1500) The mount will track the planet. Otherwise the planet will be out of your field of view in 15 seconds.  The mount IS more important than the telescope. After you have done all this, when you look down the telescope you are going  to be disappointed because you are going to see a blurry fuzzy dot but the good news is that  in the last 20 years we now have cheap ($150) cameras that we can attach to the telescope and by capturing video and using a standard PC to process the video you can get that picture of Mars that you want. Oh btw don't try to use a DSLR. So anyway that all adds up to close to $3000 and it's very easy to spend another $1000 on accessories and extra eyepieces and adaptors so you will also be able to see nebula and other cool things. I recommend you spend an hour a day for at least a week on the internet before you buy anything so that you will have realistic expectations. Oh and looking at stars is boring in my opinion. Telescopes make dim stars visible but you are still looking at a bright dot. Oh and the $299 telescope in this listing is good value if you just want to look at  the moon.

Question 2

is this sturdy enough for a canon rebel xs to sit on or any dslr for that matter?

Accepted Answer

I mount my Canon EOS 77D just fine. You do have to adjust the offset weights to re-balance it, but I've not had any problems so far.

Question 3

motor vs non motor

Accepted Answer

Motor definitely, makes life a lot easier ... no more fumbling with the control knobs trying to keep your objects centered. Whoever claims the motor does not work has not tried hard enough. For what it costs that motor works very well.

Question 4

Can this be left undercover outside?

Accepted Answer

No. The tripod collapses pretty easily, though, and the scope comes off without any issues.

ASIN	B000MLL6RS
Additional Features	Fully-coated optics, lightweight frame, manual German Equatorial mount, included accessories, and free astronomy software
Best Sellers Rank	#15,715 in Electronics ( See Top 100 in Electronics ) #25 in Telescope Refractors
Brand	Celestron
Built-In Media	1 x Celestron 130EQ Newtonian Astromaster Telescope
Coating	Aluminum;Silicon Dioxide
Compatible Devices	iPhone, iPad, Android devices
Customer Reviews	4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (3,338)
Dawes Limit	0.89 Arc Sec
Exit Pupil Diameter	1.44 Millimeters
Eye Piece Lens Description	Barlow
Field Of View	0.67 Degrees
Finderscope	Red dot
Focal Length Description	610 millimeters
Focus Type	Manual Focus
Global Trade Identification Number	00050234310451
Item Dimensions D x W x H	88.9D x 48.3W x 30.5H centimeters
Item Type Name	Telescope
Item Weight	7.71 kg
Manufacturer	Celestron, LLC.
Manufacturer Part Number	31045
Model Name	AstroMaster 130EQ
Model Number	31045
Mount	Equatorial Mount
Number of Batteries	1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included)
Objective Lens Diameter	130 Millimeters
Optical-Tube Length	610 Millimeters
Power Source	Manual
UPC	050234310451
Unit Count	1.0 Count
Warranty Description	Limited Lifetime Warranty
Zoom Ratio	33x a 65x

Celestron 130EQ Newtonian Astromaster Telescope, Black

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