Galileo FS-135DX 1100 x 135mm Reflector Telescope

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Brand: Galileo
Category: Photography

Buy New: See price in cart

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

2 reviews
Sales Rank: 5031

Color: Hammer Tone
Media: Electronics
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: Yes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 41
Dimensions (in): 42 x 36 x 66

MPN: FS-135DX
Model: FS-135DX
UPC: 798932001355
EAN: 0798932001355
ASIN: B0006DPW4K

Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 5 weeks

Features:

•	1,100mm focal length
•	135mm primary mirror
•	Heavy duty 2-inch helical R&P focuser
•	Fully pre-assembled tripod
•	Fast-setup super-glide mount with adjusting counter weights; slow motion controls in altitude and azimuth

Accessories:

•	3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $201-$500 - Repair

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Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars

beginner June 8, 2007
Jenny L. Lord (bowman,ga. u,s.a.)
3 out of 8 found this review helpful

i have only had this telescope a few weeks .but have enjoyed it ,as i learn more the more fun i have

4 out of 5 stars

a great step-up beginner telescope June 2, 2007
A. delorme (NC)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful

I am a true novice in the astronomy field, having owned only a meade telestar 70mm which allowed a fair image of the moon, a very small glimpse of Venus and little else. I searched for a new scope for my children who were frustrated by the limitations of our current one. After researching many, it became obvious that the caliber of scope I wanted would be in the price range of several hundred. Then I happened upon a very positive review of the Galileo FS-135DX and found that it sold for half the price of other scopes of this caliber. Does it measure up to other scopes? I really don't know, not having owned similar scopes. What I can say is that the very first night, I found Saturn with its rings clearly visible. The image is VERY small, but sharp and bright. The scope comes with eye pieces of various magnification. Using the highest magnification (6mm with 3x barlow) produced a very dim image that was difficult to focus, so that power is likely too strong for this sized scope but it may be useful for brighter objects such as the moon. The technical stuff: the box is VERY heavy and big. Installation was pretty easy - took 20 minutes. I had one problem with the tube casing screw knobs being too tight to turn. This meant that the tube just slid within the casing, making it impossible to place the scope on a diagonal. I sprayed some WD-40 on the screws, lubricating the threads enough for me to tighten them all the way. I would recommend installing the scope near the place you plan to keep it, as it is very bulky to carry and with the counter weights in place, it is also very heavy. The only problem I have had with the scope is learning how to use the counter weights to balance the scope. The research I had done indicated that counter weights were one of the best mounts for scopes because they offered the most stability. But they do take getting used to and I'm still figuring them out.
The nitty-gritty: this is a well constructed scope with good power. It offers clear, stable images. It has a simple repositioner that allows you to tweak the scope as the object moves across the sky - this comes in handy for horizontal tweaking. I wish it had one for vertical tweaking as well. The scope comes with two covers to protect both ends (where the primary and secondary mirrors are). The negatives: the size and weight of the scope - though I assume most other scopes of this caliber would be of equal size. The counter weights would have to be a negative for me as well. I am sure I will become more proficient with adjusting them. However, I think the instructions should have provided more guidance for them. A dvd was provided with the scope, demonstrating in detail how to adjust another mount balance but only briefly described the mount for this scope and an email to the company did not offer much more in terms of suggestions - though they were very friendly and assisted me with solving the screw casing problems. All in all - I think my family will enjoy this telescope for several years. I am sure we will eventually want to step up to a higher power scope in the future but that will also mean a very large step up in price.