Explore FirstLight 130mm f/4.6 Newtonian Telescope with iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System

Dive into celestial exploration with the Explore FirstLight 130mm f/4.6 Newtonian Telescope, brilliantly coupled with the iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System. This advanced setup is engineered for both novice stargazers and seasoned astronomers, offering unparalleled access to the night sky's wonders. With its robust features and precision tracking, the journey to discover galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters becomes not just a possibility but a promise.

Features at a Glance:

• 130mm Aperture Newtonian Telescope: Revel in detailed views of the cosmos thanks to the telescope's substantial light-gathering capability. The large aperture illuminates deep sky wonders, making galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters appear within reach.
• Fast f/4.6 Focal Ratio: Designed for astrophotography, this focal ratio reduces exposure times, allowing you to capture the fleeting beauty of the universe with ease.
• Quality Viewing Accessories: Equipped with a 25mm Plössl eyepiece and a red-dot viewfinder, this telescope simplifies the task of locating celestial objects. The included adapter also enables you to connect a smart device for capturing and sharing your astronomical discoveries.
• iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System:
  • Eight-Processor Control System: The integrated PMC-Eight™ system uses eight CPUs for dedicated functions, ensuring superior responsiveness, efficiency, and reliability, alongside rapid timing intervals for flawless tracking and smooth image capture.
  • Dual-Axis Worm Gears with Stepper Motor Drives: Experience quiet, precise tracking with clutched dual-axis worm gears. The system's design facilitates smooth, precise movements for following celestial objects across the sky.
  • ExploreStars App Compatibility: The intuitive app, available for Apple, Android, and Windows tablets, simplifies telescope alignment, navigation, and education on thousands of celestial objects.
  • Streamlined GOTO Functionality: With its German equatorial design, the iEXOS-100 offers precise tracking and easy object repositioning. Features like a polar alignment sight hole, altitude adjustment knob, and glow-in-the-dark mount markings enhance usability and setup efficiency.

Complete Observing Package:

This system isn't just about powerful specifications; it's a gateway to the universe, designed to fit seamlessly into your astronomical pursuits. The package includes all essentials: the FirstLight N130mm Newtonian telescope with a 600mm focal length and f/4.6 aperture, a 40mm draw tube focuser, Plossl 25mm eyepiece, red-dot finder, and a smartphone camera adapter. The iEXOS-100 mount comes ready with a battery pack bracket (8 C batteries not included), two 1kg counterweights, and innovative glow-in-the-dark features for night-time orientation.

Whether your interest lies in capturing stunning deep-sky photography or simply marveling at the detailed surface of celestial bodies, the Explore FirstLight 130mm Newtonian Telescope with the iEXOS-100 Tracker stands as your dedicated partner in discovery. Its combination of advanced technological features and user-friendly design promises a fulfilling and hassle-free astronomical experience.

More About The iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight™ Equatorial Tracker System

The iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight™ Equatorial Tracker System is a complete astronomical computerized Wifi or Wired GOTO Equatorial Tracker with integrated PMC-Eight™ electronics suitable for attaching Small Telescopes or DSLR Cameras attached to the Explore Scientific DSLR Camera Dovetail Assembly.

Use with the free ExploreStars App for Tablets (Windows, Android, Amazon and Apple), or with the free ASCOM Standards Compliant PMC-Eight™ ASCOM driver and the ASCOM POTH Client from Explore Scientific (either wired or wireless) to work with virtually any sky software that supports ASCOM. Tablet or computer must be purchased separately.

The iEXOS-100 utilizes a proven German equatorial mount design and Explore Scientific’s revolutionary PMC-Eight™ Precision Motion Control system to flawlessly navigate the night sky and track objects as they journey across it. This combination provides superior observing and imaging performance without a prohibitive price tag.

GOTO systems play an important role in the world of amateur astronomy because they ensure users spend less time searching for particular objects and more time observing and imaging. The PMC-Eight™ with its versatile connections supported with free to download apps for Windows computers or Android and iOS tablets only (tablets must have a screen of at least 7 inches), or through the free to download ASCOM PMC-Eight™ driver and POTH Client to connect to your favorite ASCOM Compliant Astronomical Software, can allow you to control the telescope from a few feet away or by communicating computer-to-computer with an Internet connection from virtually anywhere in the world. 

One of the standout features of the iEXOS-100 system is its German equatorial design. When it comes to tracking the stars with a telescope, there is nothing that compares to a German Equatorial Mount (GEM) because it will precisely follow objects as they rise in the east and set in the west. For observers, a GEM makes it easy to keep your celestial target in your eyepiece. For imagers, it helps you avoid common astrophotography pitfalls like field rotation.

Before you can track an object, you need to find it, and that objective can be daunting when you’re faced with a vast expanse of inky black sky or a bright city sky. The iEXOS-100 puts a powerful GOTO system in your arsenal of astronomical tools that takes the frustration out of navigating the night sky. This integrated version of Explore Scientific’s PMC-Eight™ system transcends the industry standard single processor by utilizing an 8-core microcontroller with eight CPUs that operate independently of one another to focus on defined functions. This delegation of tasks among the processors results in a system that offers superior responsiveness, efficiency, reliability and astoundingly fast timing intervals for smooth image acquisition and accurate tracking.

Although it is internally complex, the GOTO system can be easily operated from your own Apple, Android or Windows tablet using the ExploreStars app, which has an intuitive nature that makes it simple and quick to align your telescope, navigate the stars and learn specifics about tens of thousands of celestial objects. This dynamic app is fueled by a database that is routinely updated to ensure it remains a relevant resource.

Our commitment to creating a streamlined GOTO mount is obvious in other design choices. The iEXOS-100 has smooth locking clutches that will let you quickly reposition your telescope from one side to the other and an altitude knob for smooth height adjustments. The mount base includes a small polar alignment tunnel that allows users to roughly align their observing setup with Polaris. It also has a simple bubble level that comes in handy when stabilizing your tripod. Other features include a bracket for holding the battery pack, which powers the PMC-Eight™ system through 8 C batteries (not included); two 1 kg counterweights for balancing; and glow-in-the-dark markers on certain points of the mount and tripod so you can stay oriented with your setup at night. The mount is designed to hold up to 19 lbs (scope, accessories, and counterweights added together).

The mount weighs 9.45 pounds (4.29 kg), while the lightweight Travel Tripod and accessory tray weighs 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg). The Travel Tripod, when collapsed is 27.25 inches (69.21 cm) tall.