Celestron's Firstscope 70 EQ combines the solid optical performance of a classic achromatic refractor with a German-style equatorial mount. This telescope has half the light gathering power and half the weight of Celestron's well regarded C102HD telescope, but for much less than half the cost. The optics in my Firstscope 70 EQ are quite good by any standard. Achromatic refractors have two objective lenses, the second lens acts to compensate for "chromatic aberration", the false color or blue fringes seen in low cost telescopes. In daylight tests, I see very little blue fringing with the standard equipment 10mm eyepiece (90X), and none at all with the 20mm eyepiece (45X). The views of stars and planets are also quite good. Bright double stars like Castor (one of the "twins" in the constellation Gemini) and Algieba in the constellation Leo are cleanly split at 90x with the 10mm eyepiece. I can begin to see detail in Saturn's rings and I've even watched the shadow of Jupiter's smallest moon Europa glide across the planet's cloud belts. This performance is close to the theoretical limit of any 70mm telescope. The Firstscope 70 EQ features a classic achromatic refractor design. The performance of the Firstscope 70 EQ is limited somewhat by the included accessories. The equatorial mount needs to be assembled when it comes out of the box, the instruction booklet has sketches rather than photos to guide the assembly. This telescope "kit" is easier to assemble than the typical model airplane, which is good because model airplanes usually come with better instructions. The included "star pointer" finder scope is easy to use when looking for bright stars and planets, but it's hard to use for spotting faint objects like galaxies. The best accessory you could get for this telescope would be an introductory guide book like Nightwatch by Terrence Dickinson, or NightSky magazine. The best additional eyepiece would be a 7. 5mm plossl eyepiece (120X) to bring out more detail on the moon and planets. I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality and value of Celestron's imported telescopes. Reviewers often recommend avoiding any telescope under $300, but I have to tell you, if all beginner telescopes had optics as good the Firstscope 70 EQ, beginner telescopes would have a much better reputation. - Jeff Phillips Pros: Classic refractor design delivers great views of the moon and planets. Package includes everything you need to get started. Cons: Equatorial mount could be more solid. Instruction booklet could be more user friendly. FirstScope 70 models are powerful optical instruments that have 100 times the light gathering ability of the naked eye. This ability allows the FirstScope 70 to deliver images 37% brighter than those produced by a 60mm refractor telescope. The objective lens is designed to yield the finest images available in this class of optical instrument. The accessories are all made of glass with metal construction, to ensure good image quality. These telescopes have all glass components, coated optics and smooth functioning mounts, with the added benefit of slow motion controls on the mount for easy adjustments. The FirstScope 70 telescope tubes are glossy black aluminum. Refractors     This is a refractor telescope. Refractors (also known as a dioptrics) capture light with a lens at the front of a long tube and send it to an eyepiece at the other end. They look, in other words, just like what most people think of when they hear the word "telescope. "     Refractors offer-potentially, at least-the cleanest images of any telescope design. They are simple and reliable (the sealed tube is maintenance-free), and are good for both celestial and terrestrial viewing.    Read more about different telescope designs in our buying guide The German equatorial mount features setting circles and slow motion controls on the R. A. and DEC axes. These controls will enhance your viewing experience by simplifying both locating and tracking objects. When you're looking for a telescope offering a bit more versatility and control than the altazimuth models, these are the telescopes to consider. These telescopes yield breathtaking views of the moon, Saturn with its ring structure, Jupiter and its belts, and hundreds of deep-sky objects including: galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. Add an optional solar filter and you can observe activity on the sun. The FirstScope 70EQ Specifications: 70mm (2. 8") Aperture 900mm Focal Length, f/13 Equatorial Mount with Setting Circles and Slow Motion Adjustment Cables Sturdy Adjustable Aluminum Tripod with Accessory Tray Telescope Weight: 17 lb. The FirstScope 70EQ Standard Accessories: 1-1/4" 20mm (45x), 10mm (90x) Eyepieces 90° Star Diagonal – 1-1/4" Star Pointer Finderscope Equatorial Mount The Sky L1 CD ROM Moon Viewing 101 The moon is often one of the first celestial objects a beginner will look at through his or her telescope. Here are a couple hints for you once you get your hands on your new FirstScope 70. Often, it is tempting to look at the Moon when it is full. At this time, the face we see is fully illuminated and its light can be overpowering. In addition, little or no contrast can be seen during this phase. One of the best times to observe the Moon is during its partial phases (around the time of first or third quarter). Long shadows reveal a great amount of detail on the lunar surface. At low power you will be able to see most of the lunar disk at one time. The optional Reducer/Corrector lens allows for breath-taking views of the entire lunar disk when used with a low power eyepiece. Change to higher power (magnification) to focus in on a smaller area. Choose the lunar tracking rate from the NexStar's MENU tracking rate options to keep the moon centered in the eyepiece even at high magnifications. Observing the Planets Other easy targets include the five "naked eye" planets of our solar system, so called because they can be spotted in the night sky by the unaided eye. You can see Venus go through its lunar-like phases. Mars can reveal a host of surface detail and one, if not both, of its polar caps. You’ll be able to see the cloud belts of Jupiter, perhaps even the great Red Spot. In addition, you’ll be able to see the moons of Jupiter as they orbit the giant planet. Saturn, with its beautiful rings, is easily visible at moderate power, as is Mercury. All you need to know is where to look. Most astronomy publications indicate where the planets are in the sky each month.

A 20mm Plossl eyepiece (about 100x magnification) is a good choice for viewing galaxies and star clusters. When I look at globular cluster M13 in the constellation Hercules the high contrast XLT optics show me a glowing snowflake made of hundreds of tiny pin-point stars! And a low power 32mm Plossl eyepiece is a good choice for views of larger deep space highlights like the Andromeda Galaxy and the Orion Nebula. The moon seen through the Celestron NexStar 8SE telescope. (See larger image. ) Celestron's patented "SkyAlign" system makes the Nexstar 8 SE very easy to use. I just pick the nearest town from the built-in list, enter the date and time, and point the telescope at three bright stars. I don't need a star chart because "SkyAlign" identifies the stars for me. When I just want a quick look at the moon or a planet, I like to use the "Solar System Align" option. After entering the date and time, I just point the telescope at the moon and press the "Align" key. That's all it takes, the computer takes over and the telescope begins tracking quietly and accurately. At star parties I often have my Nexstar up and running while older computerized telescopes are still waiting for their alignment stars to appear in the twilight. The Nexstar 8 SE comes with a simple red-dot finder scope and a basic 25mm eyepiece. You'll want to add a few good eyepieces to take full advantage of the Nexstar 8 SE's excellent optics. At the very least get Celestron's bargain priced Accessory Kit which includes high and low power plossl eyepieces, or treat yourself to some top rated Tele Vue eyepieces. At twenty-four pounds total weight, the Nexstar 8 SE is unusually light and portable for an eight-inch telescope. The drawback of course is that some people will find it too light. Like other Schmidt Cassegrain (SCT) telescopes there are plenty of optional accessories to upgrade this telescope with, such as heavy duty tripods and an optical finder scope. If you want to try astro-photography, however, check out Celestron's CPC 800 Telescope which features a heavy duty mount and tripod and an 8x50 optical finder scope right out of the box. -Jeff Phillips Pros: Excellent optics Easy computerized GoTo tracking Light, portable and affordable Cons: Plastic accessories Short battery life Too light for astro-photography.