I've been looking for an excuse to buy myself a reasonable telescope since I was a boy, and now my eldest daughter is doing an astronomy GCSE at school it seemed like I finally had one. I didn't want to spend too much, obviously, as I didn't really know how much either one of us would get the bug but equally I didn't want something low quality and disappointing that would put us both off for the future, either. This seemed like the perfect balance of cost and performance, and the reviews were generally favourable, so I bit the bullet and bought it.
Firstly, FLO's service is nothing short of top-notch. Delivery was very quick, and while I didn't ask for the free clouds they've certainly made their presence known. Extra bonus points for the various helpful emails along the way and recommendations for accessories for the future, too. Definitely earned a repeat customer as far as I'm concerned.
The scope itself is more compact that I'd hoped and looks really neat in the flesh. Easy to assemble, too, although as others have pointed out while the mount seems a bit light it is stable in use and I'm not worried about it tipping over. Overall it's well thought out and very easy to use in terms of layout. The dual-mode alt-az/equatorial setup is simple to figure out and use in either mode, too, and the controls are very smooth in use. Niggles are really only down to the cost of the gear - no collimation screws for the primary mirror (although as it's fixed it's unlikely to be a problem), and the focuser could be better. Would be nice to have a higher magnification lens included as well, but given how much that would increase the price for one worth including I'd probably just suggest buying a decent 4mm eyepiece yourself separately instead.
Our first use easily had us aligning the red dot and easily viewing Jupiter and Saturn within half an hour of taking it outside into the garden for the first time. Everything we looked at was stable and crisp, and I think with a bit more practice we'll be able to have a lot of fun with this scope. Overall, I'm really happy with it and looking forward to getting some use out of it once the skies clear up a bit.

My telescope & mount arrived quickly and in good condition. Thank you FLO for the free clouds that came with it, please don't worry about them next time. About a week later, I was finally able to take it out. Mount was easy to set up, the slow motion controls were nice and smooth. The mount is quite lightweight so there was a bit of wobble. Lenses were fine to my newbie eyes, addition of a Barlow lens would've been nice but I can't really complain because the setup is such good value. I was able to capture a fairly decent photo of Saturn with my mobile phone + cheap mount from papa Bezos. Very excited to see what will be possible with a barlow and a better camera in due course.
Ideal for a learner, a good investment and basis for a evolving piece of kit. Looking forward to upgrading my setup over time.

The usual first rate service from FLO saw the new scope delivered promptly and in good shape. I won't dwell on the 130mm Newtonian reflector, it's been around a long time and many other reviewers have attested to its excellent optics. The new Star Quest mount is well designed and ergonomically good: I especially liked the convenient RA and declination clutches and it is the first equatorial mount I've had where the slow motion controls never get entangled. For such a lightweight mount it's pretty stable, though my Skymax 102 Maksutov is steadier on it (and is of course also available with this mount). My biggest problem is, there is no bubble level so it is a pain getting the mount level. The other hiccup is the lack of anti-rotation device where the head attaches to the tripod, so you have to do the mounting screw up really tight if it's not to slip when you move the scope in RA. Less serious but irritating are the fiddly 4mm screws on the accessory tray, 5mm would be easier in the dark. Finally, the thread on the counterweight bar was badly cut and also too long, fixed by running a M8 tap over it and inserting a washer. But all in all, an excellent outfit at a bargain price.

This is my first telescope purchase and so as a beginner I didn't want to blow too much money. This was a good price point and gave scope for future improvement. I appreciate the flexibility. The mount can be used in two different modes, one bolt releases the scope from the mount and two bolts loosen the barrel to easily move the eyepiece to a different position. All in all I'm really pleased with it.

What a great telescope The Sky-Watcher 130P is and what a great seller FLO is. It feels so solid but goes toether very smoothly indeed. I have not used the telescope yet but I have no doubt it will perform with outstanding clarity. Big thanks to FLO for getting it to me during these troubled times. Happy New Year from Chris.

The Telescope arrived quickly and without any issues, which is excellent considering these difficult time with lockdown! I purchased this one on the recommendation of FLO and used the Telescope for the first time last night . We are both very impressed with it, so much better than we had hoped. Now to find a few more planets and stars!!!