If you think you’ve seen the optical tube before, you have - it’s the same Chinese-sourced tube sold by other retailers. The optics are decent at low powers, but as you climb in magnification, the fast f/5 focal ratio optics start showing some aberrations - there’s false color (purple halos) around brighter objects, and as you get near 100X, image quality starts to break down. The moral: Take it easy on the magnification, and you’ll be OK. Even without pushing it, you can still easily see the rings of Saturn, four moons of Jupiter, and a lot of lunar detail. And aberrrations aside, the little NexStar 80 is a fun low-power rich field telescope. You’re going to have a lot of fun looking at the Pleiades, the Double Cluster in Perseus, the Andromeda galaxy, the Orion Nebula, and dozens of other objects. The telescope’s Goto system will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s initialized a NexStar (or Meade’s similar Autostar system. ) If you haven’t done this before, the scope needs to be told some basic information: the current time, date, location on the planet, etc. Then you center two known stars to the best of your ability. The scope takes over from there, automatically slewing to the desired object, and keeping it in the field of view as the earth rotates. Mostly it works well, but there are a few minor glitches here and there. The battery pack has a loose connector, which is prone to falling off, forcing you to reinitialize (hint: try attaching the pack to the fork arm itself using velcro. ) The computer sometimes takes the "long" way around, strangling itself with its own cord. And the unit’s light weight - only 11 pounds - won’t break your back, but it’s so light that any accidental bump (easy to do in the dark) will knock the scope out of alignment, forcing another reinitialization. The hand held controller contains a wealth of information. The 4,000 object database is probably optimistic for such a small scope (you won't be able to actually see all those objects), but it’s a nice touch, and besides, silicon’s cheap, right? In fact, one of the fun things you can do with a scope like this on a rainy day is to do a "fake" initialization indoors (yes, even in the daytime. ) Then, just start pushing buttons on the controller and read all about the objects in the sky. So, in the end, what we have here is a nice telescope that offers good value for the price. No scope in this price range is perfect, of course, but there are few other options in this price range. Meade’s ETX70AT is similar to the NexStar 80GT. If you‘re looking for more light gathering ability, go with an Orion XT6 or XT8. If you like the NexStar system but want a more serious telescope, consider saving up for Celestron’s NexStar 5i. -Ed Ting Pros: Light, compact, versatile, and inexpensive On-board computer makes finding objects a snap Good at low power Cons: Optics only so-so at higher powers Cords tend to tangle Relatively small aperture (80 mm).

These filters easily thread onto 1. 25-inch eyepieces. The colors include orange, green, blue, and neutral density for moon-viewing. Three fully multicoated oculars, including a 2x Barlow lens, and 32mm and 12. 5mm eyepiece lenses, designed for use with any telescope. A self-charging Celestron Enduro Light-a red LED flashlight that features electro-magnetic induction technology so it needs no batteries. You just shake it to recharge it, and it's ready to go. All this comes packed in a sturdy, aluminum case with a die-cut foam interior designed to conveniently store and protect your accessories. What's in the Box Two Plossl eyepieces, Barlow lens, three color filters, moon filter, and LED flashlight.