Use the declination circle, hour circle and latitude scale in conjunction to quickly locate any celestial body. Thanks to precision worm gears and a substantial counter weight, the telescope can be balanced so that the slightest finger touch turn of the flexi cables will move the telescope in any direction with a smooth, steady motion.

1 degree true field of view, better than the Huygens or H-type eyepieces still found in many beginner scopes. Adding an optional Celestron 25mm E-Lux eyepiece is better still. With nearly 2 degrees true field of view, the 25mm E-lux makes it much easier to find objects, either on land or in deep space. The SR4 eyepiece is less impressive; it's like peeking through a pin-hole. Adding the 3x barlow to the SR4 to get that 525x proclaimed on the box is peeking through a dim, fuzzy pin-hole. I'm surprised that a telescope this inexpensive can be this good. It's good enough to show me Saturn's rings at night or a Steller's Jay at 100 yards during the day. In my opinion, the Powerseeker 60 would be an even better bargain if it came with a K10 eyepiece in place of the 3x barlow and the SR4 eyepiece. Also take a look at Celestron's Firstscope 60AZ; it's only a little more expensive, but it includes two useable eyepieces, a red-dot finder, and planetarium software for your computer. –Jeff Phillips Pros: Low cost Decent optics Accepts 1. 25" eyepieces Cons: Too small for serious astronomy Only one good eyepiece.

Each AstroMaster model is capable of giving correct views of land and sky. The AstroMaster Series produce bright, clear images of the Moon and planets. It is easy to see the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn with every one of these fine instruments. For views of the brighter deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae, we recommend the larger aperture and light gathering ability of the Newtonian reflectors. If your interest is strictly watching whales, spotting birds, viewing nature, or checking out your favorite star or planet the altazimuth-mount.

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.

Handles smoothlyThe pan-handle altazimuth mount with built-in clutch makes it easy to maneuver the scope and find exactly what you're looking for. Works as a spotting scope, tooBecause it has erect image optics, it can be used for viewing landscapes during the day, as well as the sky at night.