They also generally have zero chromatic aberration.    Read more about different telescope designs in our buying guide The FirstScope 76 is a fine instrument for the beginning observer. It offers many of the advantages of the Newtonian design at a 3" aperture. The superb optics of this telescope offer dazzling images of the moon; Saturn and its rings; Jupiter, with its belts and moons; and hundreds of deep-sky objects, including galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. The optical tube is glossy black. This model uses the German equatorial mount with setting circles and slow motion controls on both the right ascension (R. A. ) and declination (DEC. ) axes. These features make it easier to locate and track objects. While observing, you'll notice that as the earth rotates on its axis, stationary stars appear to move across the sky. Thus, due to the earth's rotation, the object you're viewing will drift out of view in both axes, over time. A telescope on an equatorial mount can be aimed at a celestial object and guided with the slow motion controls to follow the object across the sky and keep it in the field of view of your telescope. FirstScope 76 EQ Specifications: 76mm (3") Reflector 700mm Focal Length, f/9 Equatorial Mount with Setting Circles and Slow Motion Adjustment Cables Sturdy Adjustable Aluminum Tripod with Accessory Tray Telescope Weight: 15 lb. FirstScope 76 EQ Standard Accessories: 1-1/4" 20mm (35x), 10mm (70x) Eyepieces 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 76. 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.

The low power 20mm eyepiece (35x) is best for viewing open star clusters and finding objects; I use the 10mm (70X) and 4mm (175X) eyepieces to zoom in on stars and planets. The planets show up quite nicely at 70x, and they're even better with a 6mm plossl eyepiece at 117x. Venus looks like a tiny crescent moon, Jupiter shows off its two major cloud bands, and Saturn's rings are sharply separated from the planet. Bright double stars also show up well. Castor, one of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini, turns out to be a double star only four arc-seconds wide. You'll need that 6mm eyepiece (117x) or the included 4mm (175x) to separate Castor into two beads of light. Students from middle school on up will find the Nexstar 60GT just the right size. It's affordable, it's light and portable, and it's an easy introduction to the world of computerized telescopes. My first telescope, made of telescoping cardboard tubes, came from an ad in Popular Mechanics magazine. I would have been thrilled to have a telescope as good as the Nexstar 60GT. An adult with a serious interest in astronomy, however, is likely to outgrow a 60mm telescope rather quickly. It takes a larger scope to see the divisions in Saturn's rings or resolve globular clusters into individual stars; if you want that kind of detail, take a look at the telescope buyers guide for some larger ideas. -Jeff Phillips Pros: Complete package is light, portable, and affordable Classic refractor design for good planet views up to 120x Nexstar computer finds planets, star clusters, and galaxies for you Cons: It's small-the only way to see more detail is with a bigger telescope Batteries only last a few hours The NexStar 60 GT is one of Celestron's most affordable telescopes, helping you turn starry nights into space odysseys at the touch of a button. It has a 2. 4-inch diameter refractor, focal length of 700mm, focal ratio of f/12, and includes three 1. 25-inch (35x, 70x, and 175x) eyepieces. Finding objects couldn't be easier with the Star Pointer finderscope, which is designed so you can point the telescope while scanning the sky with both eyes. NexStars represent a sophisticated combination of precision engineering, advanced electronics and exceptional optics. The only simple thing about NexStar is its operation. 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 thing that makes the NexStar 60 a "GT" version is the best feature of all: a "go-to" hand control that can be mounted on the fork arm for hands-free operation. The hand control-with an illuminated numeric key pad and dual 16 character LCD display-is fully computerized, allowing it to take you on a guided tour of the most spectacular objects visible. It has red back-illuminated buttons that help retain your night vision. At the touch of a button the NexStar 60 GT will go to the stars of your choice, change motion rate, get information on an object, or simply tell if an object is visible. The NextStar catalog contains over 4,000 celestial objects and categorizes them in an organized fashion. Here is an example of the actual text from the telescope's database as it describes M87: "Elliptical galaxy equal in size to 790 billion solar masses. More than 1,000 globular clusters are known to surround this galaxy and it is believed to have a giant black hole at its center. Distance: 50 million light years. " The NexStar 60 GT also comes with a sturdy, preassembled, adjustable aluminum tripod, as well as The Sky, Level 1 CD-ROM software. If the 4,000 object computerized database and automatic alignment capabilities aren’t inspiring enough, add to that the easily assembled, quick-release fork arm and you have the smartest, most user-friendly telescope available today. And NexStar telescopes love to travel. Sturdy and solid, they provide rigid low-vibration performance, with quiet, high precision servo motors. Powered by 8 AA user supplied batteries or an optional AC adapter (#18770), NexStar telescopes aren’t tethered to civilization – they carry it with them. Best of all, those sophisticated electronics are designed by the highly skilled engineers of Celestron, right down to the circuit boards, for tested superior performance. 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 NexStar 60. 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 fascinating targets include the five naked-eye planets. 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 will be able to see the cloud belts of Jupiter and the great Red Spot (if it is visible at the time you are observing). In addition, you will also 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. Remember that atmospheric conditions are usually the limiting factor on how much planetary detail will be visible. So avoid observing the planets when they are low on the horizon or when they are directly over a source of radiating heat, such as a rooftop or chimney. The Nuts and Bolts of the NexStar 60 GT Objective Lens Fork Arm Accessory Tray w/ hand control holder Hand Control Tripod 10 Tube Ring Focuser Knob Star Diagonal Eyepiece Star Pointer Finderscope Tube Ring.