Introduction: Explore the Cosmos with Smart Precision
Product Dimensions : 34inch D x 30inch W x 50inch H Objective Lens Diameter : 102 Millimeters Power Source : Adapter Optical Tube Length : 381 Millimeters
Control your telescope via integrated WiFi using the free Celestron Sky Portal app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devicesSee On Amazon
For beginners and intermediate stargazers alike, choosing the right telescope can make or break your astronomical journey. The Celestron Astro Fi 102 and Astro Fi 130mm are two popular smart telescopes that offer excellent portability, user-friendly app control, and clear views of celestial objects. Whether you’re hoping to observe Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, or craters on the Moon, these models open a gateway to the cosmos with Wi-Fi-enabled convenience.
But which one suits your needs better — the Maksutov-Cassegrain 102mm or the Newtonian Reflector 130mm? In this guide, we’ll compare features, explain key specs, and help you decide based on your stargazing goals, budget, and experience level.
✨ James Webb Nebula Gallery
Cat's Eye Nebula
The Cat's Eye Nebula, one of the first planetary nebulae discovered, also has one of the most complex forms known to this kind of nebula. Eleven rings, or shells, of gas make up the Cat's Eye. The full beauty of the Cat's Eye Nebula is revealed in this detailed view from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The image from Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) shows a bull's eye pattern of eleven or even more concentric rings, or shells, around the Cat's Eye. Each 'ring' is actually the edge of a spherical bubble seen projected onto the sky -- that's why it appears bright along its outer edge. Observations suggest the star ejected its mass in a series of pulses at 1,500-year intervals. These convulsions created dust shells, each of which contain as much mass as all of the planets in our solar system combined (still only one percent of the Sun's mass). These concentric shells make a layered, onion-skin structure around the dying star. The view from Hubble is like seeing an onion cut in half, where each skin layer is discernible. The bull's-eye patterns seen around planetary nebulae come as a surprise to astronomers because they had no expectation that episodes of mass loss at the end of stellar lives would repeat every 1,500 years. Several explanations have been proposed, including cycles of magnetic activity somewhat similar to our own Sun's sunspot cycle, the action of companion stars orbiting around the dying star, and stellar pulsations. Another school of thought is that the material is ejected smoothly from the star, and the rings are created later on due to formation of waves in the outflowing material. Credit: NASA, ESA, HEIC, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Acknowledgment: R. Corradi (Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, Spain) and Z. Tsvetanov (NASA) The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute conducts Hubble science operations. Goddard is responsible for HST project management, including mission and science operations, servicing missions, and all associated development activities. To learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope go here: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.htmlNASA image use policy.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookFind us on Instagram
CTIO Image of Carina Nebula
NASA image release April 22, 2010 Object Names: Carina Nebula, NGC 3372 Image Type: Astronomical Credit: NASA/N. Smith (University of California, Berkeley) and NOAO/AURA/NSF To read learn more about this image go to: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/hubble20th-img....NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe.
Horsehead Nebula
Image released April 19, 2013. Astronomers have used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to photograph the iconic Horsehead Nebula in a new, infrared light to mark the 23rd anniversary of the famous observatory's launch aboard the space shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990. Looking like an apparition rising from whitecaps of interstellar foam, the iconic Horsehead Nebula has graced astronomy books ever since its discovery more than a century ago. The nebula is a favorite target for amateur and professional astronomers. It is shadowy in optical light. It appears transparent and ethereal when seen at infrared wavelengths. The rich tapestry of the Horsehead Nebula pops out against the backdrop of Milky Way stars and distant galaxies that easily are visible in infrared light. Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) More on this image.NASA image use policy.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookFind us on Instagram
Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant, all that remains of a tremendous stellar explosion. Observers in China and Japan recorded the supernova nearly 1,000 years ago, in 1054. Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University) The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute conducts Hubble science operations. Goddard is responsible for HST project management, including mission and science operations, servicing missions, and all associated development activities. To learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope go here: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.htmlNASA Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe. Follow us on TwitterJoin us on Facebook
Most Detailed Image of the Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula is one of the most intricately structured and highly dynamical objects ever observed. The new Hubble image of the Crab was assembled from 24 individual exposures taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble reveals heart of Lagoon Nebula
Image release date September 22, 2010 To view a video of this image go here: www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/5014452203 Caption: A spectacular new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals the heart of the Lagoon Nebula. Seen as a massive cloud of glowing dust and gas, bombarded by the energetic radiation of new stars, this placid name hides a dramatic reality. The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a dramatic view of gas and dust sculpted by intense radiation from hot young stars deep in the heart of the Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8). This spectacular object is named after the wide, lagoon-shaped dust lane that crosses the glowing gas of the nebula. This structure is prominent in wide-field images, but cannot be seen in this close-up. However the strange billowing shapes and sandy texture visible in this image make the Lagoon Nebula’s watery name eerily appropriate from this viewpoint too. Located four to five thousand light-years away, in the constellation of Sagittarius (the Archer), Messier 8 is a huge region of star birth that stretches across one hundred light-years. Clouds of hydrogen gas are slowly collapsing to form new stars, whose bright ultraviolet rays then light up the surrounding gas in a distinctive shade of red. The wispy tendrils and beach-like features of the nebula are not caused by the ebb and flow of tides, but rather by ultraviolet radiation’s ability to erode and disperse the gas and dust into the distinctive shapes that we see. In recent years astronomers probing the secrets of the Lagoon Nebula have found the first unambiguous proof that star formation by accretion of matter from the gas cloud is ongoing in this region. Young stars that are still surrounded by an accretion disc occasionally shoot out long tendrils of matter from their poles. Several examples of these jets, known as Herbig-Haro objects, have been found in this nebula in the last five years, providing strong support for astronomers’ theories about star formation in such hydrogen-rich regions. The Lagoon Nebula is faintly visible to the naked eye on dark nights as a small patch of grey in the heart of the Milky Way. Without a telescope, the nebula looks underwhelming because human eyes are unable to distinguish clearly between colours at low light levels. Charles Messier, the 18th century French astronomer, observed the nebula and included it in his famous astronomical catalogue, from which the nebula’s alternative name comes. But his relatively small refracting telescope would only have hinted at the dramatic structures and colours now visible thanks to Hubble. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Image credit: NASA, ESA NASA image use policy.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookFind us on Instagram To learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope go here: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.html
Product Features & Comparison
🔹 Optics & Aperture
Astro Fi 102: 102mm aperture, Maksutov-Cassegrain design. Delivers high-contrast views with longer focal length — ideal for lunar and planetary detail.
Astro Fi 130mm: 130mm aperture, Newtonian reflector. Gathers more light, giving brighter, wider views — perfect for deep-sky viewing like nebulae and galaxies.
🔹 Mount & Tracking
Both models come with a motorized single-fork mount and SkyAlign technology, allowing easy alignment and automatic object tracking using the Celestron SkyPortal app. No hand controller needed — just Wi-Fi and a smartphone.
🔹 Portability
The 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain is more compact and lightweight, ideal for travel or limited storage space.
The 130mm Newtonian is larger and slightly bulkier but provides a wider field of view for group observations or backyard setups.
🔹 Budget Considerations
Astro Fi 102: Generally priced lower, offering great value for detailed planetary views.
Astro Fi 130mm: Slightly more expensive, but worth it for those focused on deep-sky objects.
Which is better for beginners: Astro Fi 102 or 130mm?The Astro Fi 102 is often recommended for beginners due to its compact size and easy setup, while the 130mm offers better deep-sky performance.
Can I see planets with the Astro Fi 130mm?Yes, the Astro Fi 130mm shows clear images of planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, with good brightness thanks to its wider aperture.
Does the telescope come with a tripod?Yes, both models come with a sturdy steel tripod included in the package.
Can I control the telescope with my smartphone?Absolutely. Both models support wireless control via the Celestron SkyPortal app, available for iOS and Android.
Is there a big weight difference between 102mm and 130mm?Yes, the 130mm is heavier and bulkier than the 102mm, which is more travel-friendly.