Amazon.com Review

The Nexstar 5i is the computerized version of Celestron's legendary five inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Although I own larger telescopes, I find myself getting out the five inch SCT more than the others because it combines good optics with excellent portability and easy operation. The Nexstar 5i's optics are sharp enough to bring out pleasing detail on the Moon, on the planets, and on star clusters and galaxies, yet the optical tube is less than twelve inches long. It's small enough to carry outside (even when it's already set up ready to go), small enough to take on high desert camping trips, and easy to transport to public star parties.

The NextStar handset is your user-friendly guide to more than 40,000 celestial objects.

What can I see with the Nexstar 5i? On a good night I like to use an optionalUltima 7.5mm eyepiece for a magnification of 166X. With the Ultima 7.5mm, I can see the Cassini division extending all the way around Saturn's rings. I've been able to watch the shadow of Jupiter's moons glide across the face of the planet, and sometimes the moons themselves. I can see the famous Great Red Spot on Jupiter (it's actually tan this year), and when Mars is favorably placed, I can see the polar cap and dark surface markings on Mars. From a dark viewing site in the country, I've been able to find all the Messier galaxies. When I look at M86 in the Virgo galaxy cluster with the standard equipment 25mm plossl eyepiece (about 50X), for example, I can see five galaxies at once, including M84 and three fainter NGC galaxies. When I look at brighter globular clusters like M13 and M22 with a 12.5mm plossl (100X) I can resolve many individual stars.

The included Nexstar computer is much easier to use than earlier generations of computerized telescopes. You can choose from four different alignment modes, from the traditional two star alignment to the latest GPS-aided automatic setup using the optional CN-16 GPS module. I especially like the flexibility of the new "quick align" feature. I took two computerized telescopes to a recent public viewing session. Using the "quick align" mode I was able to set up the Nexstar 5i and start letting folks look at Venus a full half-hour before sunset! Meanwhile the older computerized telescopes, including my own, were waiting more than an hour before the first alignment stars appeared in the twilight.

The biggest drawback to the Nexstar 5i is the short life of its AA batteries. Low batteries can cause the Nexstar computer to crash and lose its alignment. I've been able to avoid these computer crashes by using Celestron's car battery adapter with a rechargeable jump-start power pack. Like all Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, dew forms easily on the front corrector lens, but Orion's #4209 Flexishield dew cap works well to prevent problems with fog on the lens. --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Proven optical performance of Celestron's five inch SCT
• Small enough to keep set up ready to go
• Nexstar computer is easy to use

• Short battery life

Features

• Includes a special kit for adding a computerized hand control and a sturdy Celestron tripod
• 127mm (5-inch) diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain refractor
• Focal length of 1,250mm and focal ratio of f10
• Fully enclosed high-speed motors on both axes
• Auxiliary port for adding optional accessories

Reviews (1)

Go one better than a starter scope and you won't regret it
If you're thinking of an entry-level scope but can go a few dollars more, the "kit" form of the NexStar 5i that includes the computerised hand control and the tilt-plate wedge tripod is a great place to start. You won't have the mediocre tracking issues you find in the under $500 scopes, and you have classic, well regarded optics in the Celestron "C5" 5" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube assembly (OTA).

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this scope. It tracks extremely well for a non-worm driven telescope and it is good enough that even in alt-az (non-equatorial mode) you can do short exposure astrophotography. If you utilize its tilt-plate wedge and use the built-in polar alignment routine (on the hand control -- it talks you through polar alignment) you can do even better, taking many good 90 second to 2 minute images. You will have to toss some of them because tracking isn't wholly consistent, but still, we're talking about an under $1000 kit so this is good stuff!

The whole unit can stay put together if you've got the room, which means that a smallish person can carry the whole thing in one hand and be set up in minutes (assuming you've given the scope enough time to reach the outside temperature of course). If you add an external power source -- rechargable 12V DC of at least 7 amp-hours like a "jump start" type battery) and a dew shield straight away, you'll have everything you need for some incredible viewing for a long time. You'll want to add eyepieces so look at the Celestron eyepiece kit as a good starter package.

All you need to do after ordering or before if you're smart, is check out the Yahoo NexStar group to ask for help in learning your new cool toy. And check out the NexStarSite dot com for an "i" series specific alignment guide. You'll need to follow it to get the best GOTOs and tracking.

After that, if you kick yourself because you didn't buy an 8" OTA, don't worry. You can add it later. Ask how on the group and they'll direct you to the hardware you'll need. I regularly swap OTAs on my NexStar 5i.

This isn't a long exposure astrophotography platform (for CCD imaging) but if you are interested in starting somewhere, it isn't half bad. And even if you upgrade later to a more appropriate platform for imaging later, I bet you'll keep this little guy. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Celestron Firstscope 114 EQ is a Newtonian reflector telescope packaged with two eyepieces and a sturdy equatorial mount. Invented by Sir Isaac Newton, reflector telescopes provide more light gathering power per dollar than any other telescope design. The Firstscope 114 EQ, with 114mm (4.5 inches) of aperture, provides images that are twice as bright as 80mm telescopes, and more than three times brighter than 60mm beginner scopes.

The Firstscope 114 EQ features a classic Newtonian reflector design.

What can I see with the Firstscope 114 EQ telescope? On clear, calm nights I've been able to see the Cassini division in Saturn's rings and multiple cloud bands on the surface of Jupiter. The Firstscope 114 EQ even brings out pleasing detail in deep space objects. Many of the best galaxies and star clusters were discovered by comet hunter Charles Messier. The Pleiades cluster (M45) is known as the seven sisters because sharp-eyed people can make out six or seven stars with the naked eye. A telescope turns M45 into a beautiful cluster containing dozens of blue- white stars. In 1764, Messier described another deep space object, globular star cluster M13 in the constellation Hercules, as a glowing nebula without a star. That's just how M13 looks to this day in smaller 60mm and 80mm telescopes. When I observe M13 from a dark rural location with the Firstscope 114 EQ however, at 90x magnification, M13 takes on the distinctly grainy appearance of a glowing snow ball full of tiny stars.

The Firstscope 114 EQ, like any Newtonian reflector, is a telescope that rewards patience. The mirrors in the Firstscope 114 EQ may need to be aligned or "collimated" from time to time--I find the Celestron Collimation Eyepiece helps get this fine-tuning just right--but the reward is sharp images of the planets even when using the 4mm eyepiece in Celestron'soptional accessory kit for a magnification of 225x. The CG3 equatorial mount can be equipped with an optional#93515 motor drive to track the planets at high power, although I find that manual tracking with the standard slow motion controls works pretty well up to magnifications of 120x or so. You'll want some star charts to help find your way around the sky, I like the monthly star charts in Night Sky magazine because they help to find the planets as well as stars and galaxies.--Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Reflector design good value
• Pleasing detail on brighter star clusters and galaxies

• Optics may need occasional fine-tuning
• Terrestrial images appear upside-down

Features

• Manual slow-motion controls
• Newtonian reflector optics
• 900mm focal length
• Comes with adjustable aluminum tripod
• 227.5x maximum magnification

Reviews (4)

Impressive
Ordered this scope on a Monday from Amazon and it arrived four days later from Adorama in perfect condition. Celestron does an excellent packing job. The user manual was easy to follow. Assembly took about 90 minutes. I was viewing that evening from my suburban townhouse patio. The views of the Moon, Mars and Saturn were very clear. Not bad for the first night!

In my opinion this is a far superior piece of equipment for half the price of an ETX 90 by Meade. I purchased one of these about two years ago. This proved to be a mistake. The Celestron is far more user friendly.

good beginner scope
I originally bought this scope to give me something to watch the sky with while building my 14 inch scope hehe. I think it's a fantastic scope for the price if you know what your expectations are. It's a great scope for a beginner, because it's light , easy to transport and set-up which means that you'll use it often. What's the point of getting a monster scope if it'll end up sitting in the closet because it's just too painfull to have to lug it outside and set it up. With that scope you'll see all the planets and all the messier objects and it'll keep you busy for years. Don't expect to see Hubble type pictures though. All you 'll see is faint fuzzy glows. But that's the case with all small scopes.
Optics: the optics are good. Star images are clean with no major defects. Collimation is easy and the primary stays well collimated through all the abuse you can think of. You'll have to adjust the secondary often though due to the single-stalk spider. The focuser is nice and stable and the knobs are big enough to give you good control. The supplied eyepieces are ok. Not spectacular. I recommend you get the accessory kit at the same time, becuase it's discounted when you get it with the scope. It contains 5 eyepieces plus a barlow and all the planetary filters, which is a real bargain
Mount: the mount is good and very stable. The fine controls barely induce any vibration even at high magnification. The mechanism for the declination control is a little flimsy, since it consist of a screw pushing against a metal block. The setting circles are useful to get the scope pointed approximatively in the right direction, but you still have to exactly align the scope by eye with your target. Don't expect to be able to dial in the coordinates of an object and voila. The only part where you get a lot of vibrations is if you touch the focuser. That can make focusing at high magnifications a little tricky, but even the worst vibrations die down after a few seconds. The only thing I have issue with is the azimuth adjustemnt of the polar axis. The lock screw will move the axis just slightly when you tighten it, so that to get good polar alignment you have to overshoot a little to compensate for the shift caused by tightening the lock screw. Let me point out that this is a minor annoyance only and that overall this is a great mount for that price
Performance: So how good is this scope? I put it to the test in my back-yard in light polluted Los Angeles. Here's a sample: during this year's opposition (2003) I was able to easily make out the polar caps of mars and glimpse some surface feature (300x). I've split close double stars (2 arcseconds separation), and the ring nebula (M57) is definitively a ring. Stars have colors. Based on performance, this scope will keep you happy.
who is this scope for?: this scope is ideal for a beginner who isn't sure about astronomy and wants to get a scope to check out whether or not he/she would like the hobby without breaking the bank. The main problem used to be that beginners would want to get cheap scopes so as to not have a very expensive coat rack but would end up getting such low quality that their dissapointing experiences would turn them away from the hobby. This scope is definitively an exception since it has superb quality for the price.

A Very Good First Scope
Quality is first rate, and the German Equitorial Mount (GEM) and tripod are beefy enough to avoid irritating vibration. This scope is still small enough to fit in the corner of the room, ready to be taken outside for quick viewing, but large enough to see the rings of Saturn (and make out the Cassini Division on clear nights) and get resolution of the bands on Jupiter and track the path of its moons as their shadows march across Jupiter's orb. Saturn is a tiny jewel in the eyepiece, about 3/8" across, with the 10mm eyepiece. Jupiter is larger, about the size of a pencil eraser. But you see an amazing amount of detail on them. Lunar viewing is outstanding, with the 20mm presenting the globe of the moon filling all but the edges of the eyepiece. The 10mm gives you close up views of the craters and mara.

Everything you need is included, although like most people, you will probably buy some accessories later. The included eyepieces are good, not fantastic like [...] Naglers, but for starting out they are fine (in fact, I still use mine regularly).

Using the 10mm or 20mm eyepieces (included) for observing nebula, you can make out the gas clouds of the Orion Nebula, and split double stars, with good clarity. The 6mm eyepiece is about the most powerful you will want to use with this scope and mostly for planets, as the width of field narrows considerably. The 6mm might be included in this package; check the description. I bought it separately, as well as a 2X Barlow, but the Barlow seems to degrade the quality of the image so much that I don't recommend buying it ... investing in extra eyepieces or a different brand of Barlow might be a better idea if you want to spend the money. I also bought a motor which fits nicely on the GEM, but when the scope is properly aligned, turning one dial to keep the planet or star in the middle of the eyepiece is no trouble at all. I hardly ever use the Barlow or the motor.

For serious astro-photography, deep sky and "close up" planetary viewing, a more expensive scope is probably required, one in the 8" to 10" range. But you'll expect to pay prices starting at about [...] for that type of setup. And to set up those larger scopes, count on 20 - 45 minutes with "cool down time" and the like. And they are heavy. So if you already know you want to go larger, take a look at the Celestron G8N, an 8" reflector that runs about [...] on sale. But if you're stepping up from a department store scope with a two or three inch apeture, the Firstscope 114 EQ is a great step up. And for the beginner, it is a serious beginning scope that will let you see well into the night sky at an affordable price, without the frustrations of buying those cheap department store telescopes.

Couple it with the books "The Backyard Astronomer" and/or "Turn Left at Orion" and you'll be set to start discovering the world above.

i dont know
i thought this is a very good telescope ameratuers but for pros dont by this product ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Celestron's value priced Powerseeker 60 telescope takes a basic "just the facts" approach to affordable entry level telescopes. The package includes an adjustable aluminum tripod with an alt-azimuth mount and stabilizer, a Kellner type K20 eyepiece, a Ramsden type SR4 eyepiece, a 3x barlow lens, and a 5 power cross-hair finder scope.

The Powerseeker 60 comes disassembled in a compact box, but it won't take long to put everything together. Go ahead and try it out in the daytime, that's the best time to align the finder scope while looking at a distant tree or telephone pole.

My first view of Saturn's rings and star cluster M13 in Hercules came with a 60mm telescope, and I enjoy celestial viewing with the Powerseeker 60 to this day. The secret is to use the low power K20 eyepiece and only extend the tripod legs half-way. This gives me sharp and steady views, whether I'm looking at nearby hills, craters on the Moon, the Double Cluster in Perseus, or even the Andromeda Galaxy!

With a 1.25" focuser and diagonal mirror, it's easy to add better eyepieces. The Kellner type K20 eyepiece yields a 1.1 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

• Too small for serious astronomy
• Only one good eyepiece

Features

• Affordable telescope for beginning astronomer; portable yet powerful
• All-glass optical components with high transmission coatings for enhanced image brighness and clarity
• Refractor optical design with a 60mm aperture and 700mm focal length
• Altazimuth mount suitable for terrestial viewing as well as astronomical use
• Includes 3x Barlow Lens (1.25"), 20mm eyepiece, 4mm eyepiece, aluminum tripod with accessory tray

Features

• One of the best stereo microscopes in its class
• True color with 20x and 40x power using 10x eyepieces
• Rotating turret of 2x and 4x objectives

Reviews (2)

YAY FUN
Hi Folks. Let me begin by saying this microscope has been an extremely fun toy to have around the house. I'm a law student (read: not a scientist haha) and this thing has been great fun - for the other novices like me, this microscope magnifies both 20x and 40x, which may not sound like much, but wait until you get a fingernail or a bug under it - EWWWWW. Anyway, this thing is absolutely solid - nice heavy-duty construction, with great optics. For those of you who don't know, this is a "dissecting" microscope which means you don't need slides or any of that stuff - you can just stick anything under it and easily get it in focus. VERY cool, and highly recommended to anyone who is interested in exploring the world of the small and icky. I can't recommend this scope highly enough, ESPECIALLY if you are a novice like me who just wants to look at anything and everything just for fun.

the best
THIS HAND HELD MICROSCOPE IS AWESOME!
I HAVE 1 AND IT GIVES ME THE SIGHT OF EVEN THE SMALLEST THINGS
I USE THIS ON MY TRIPS TO MY COTTAGE AND I LOVE IT
HOPE U BUY THIS ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Celestron C102HD telescope is regarded as a major bargain for good reason. Instead of computerized bells and whistles, you get the solid optical performance of a full sized four-inch achromatic refractor combined with a serviceable German Equatorial mount. Experienced observers frequently recommend the C102HD to beginning astronomers for one simple reason: it delivers great views of the planets.

How great are the views?In side by side tests, the C102HD consistently showed better contrast and more detail on Jupiter and Saturn than my five inch Schmidt-Cassegrain.On a night when my C5 showed five or six cloud belts across the face of Jupiter, the C102HD showed seven. On Saturn, when I push the magnification to 200X, the Cassini division is crisp, I see cloud belts on the planet; I see shading in the A and B rings, and even glimpse the Crepe ring.When looking at the star Epsilon Lyrae, the famous double-double, the C102HD showed me four crisp bright beads of light, without the bright diffraction rings and scattered light that I see in my C5.

One drawback: the CG-4 equatorial mount included with the C102HD is only barely adequate to support a forty-inch plus telescope. I found that it was better to set up on grass or gravel and leave the tripod about a foot short of full extension--this significantly reduces the vibration problems that otherwise trouble this mount.

What accessories would I recommend?Adding a CG4 motor drive significantly increased my viewing pleasure by allowing the telescope to track for long periods without my touching the controls.As with any equatorial mount, you need to point the Polar axis at the North Star, Polaris, for the tracking to work properly (don't worry, this is all explained in the manual). As for eyepieces, the included 20mm plossl eyepiece gives a magnification of 50X and a one degree true field of view.You'll want a 32mm eyepieceto take in the full view of star clusters like the Pleiades and the Double Cluster in Perseus.The Ultima 7.5mm is ideal for high power views of Jupiter and Saturn.I usually suggest a good star chart with any telescope, but for viewing the planets, a subscription to Sky and Telescope magazine might be even more useful; the planets, after all, move from one month to the next! --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Solid optical performer
• Great views of the planets

Con:

• Barely adequate mount

Features

• Refractor telescope for serious astronomers and terrestrial observers
• Rigid German equatorial mount for following objects
• Slow motion controls on both axes object
• Magnification: 241x
• Objective lens: 102mm

Reviews (5)

WoW
I finally had a clear night although it was a bit on the windy side, and I was very impressed with the performance of my C102HD refractor. I have never really had a real Telescope I alway's Fell to the ads of those high powered store sold 60mm. refractors, those are junk. I saw more on that one night than I have all of my life, I saw the Orion Nebula for the first time,it was great at 50 power with the 20mm. eyepiece, also the moons of Jupiter were very sharp plus the rings of Saturn, I also bought the Celestron accessory kit so I have plenty of options when it comes to power. I just can't say enough to express my delight with my new scope and probably can't say it right. But this a real quality item,and amazon.com is a great place to purchase it, they have great service and the scope came very well packed. So I would really recommend one of these scopes you will really be pleased and amazed at it's performance.

Every bit worth the wait!
I used to work on 10" and 12" refractors and in comparison this scopes only lacks in size. I started running around in circles after looking at the amazingly sharp views of Saturn, Jupiter, the Moon, and the Orion nebula the first night. Stars are sharp pinpoints. Plan to buy additional eyepieces as this 20mm Plossl (pretty decent per se) is just a starter. My 6mm eyepiece works beautifully at 150x. With the 2x Barlow lens, the 20mm gives you 100x. In a light polluted city (like where I live), the best I could get was around 200x.

I saw the Cassini division and bands on Saturn, bands on Jupiter and its 4 moons as pinpoints of light. The full moon gives a purple halo, but only at high mags. A moon filter solves that problem. The finderscope takes some fussing with the get it centered and the mount is VERY shaky. I plan to buy a better mount anyway. From reading other scope review sites and from my personal experience, this Celestron 102HD is a definite ***** winner. Everywhere I asked, "pro-amateurs" were telling me its the perfect scope for a beginner. Its still very portable - just carry the weights separately out to the field/backyard for viewing. From a beginner's perspective, to really learn how to navigate the stars, this scope gives you the best bang (optics) for the buck as opposed to smaller apertured GOTO scopes (ahem Meade 90etx) for the same money. You won't be disappointed!

Low-Contrast Detail and Portable Too
This is a good scope for the price. It provides refractor-sharp views of the Cassini division in Saturn`s rings and cloud bands as well as the shadow of the rings on the planet. I`ve also seen as many as 8 cloud bands on Jupiter and the two reddish equatorial belts. The bands look like they`ve been colored in with a very sharp pencil point. The 4 Galilean moons are easily seen and, with good seeing, the Great Red Spot is also visible. Also, views of the moon are contrasty and filled with lots of details. Mercury, the phases of Venus, Mars, 100`s of deep space objects, etc., are also easy targets. For instance, the Orion nebula is a spectacular sight with it`s greenish glow.

Most images are extremely clear, sharp and bright with almost no spurious color on bright objects. One has to sometimes look for the spurious color to see it.

IMHO, the mount-tripod seems to be fine even for high-power views if everything is tightened up all the way and vibration suppression pads are used. In fact, this makes for a very portable set-up which can be carried around pretty easily and can be ready for use at a moment`s notice.

Conclusion: This scope excels at showing low-contrast details. This is one of the refractor`s most superior features and is one of the main reasons why they often make better planetary scopes than other types of scopes much larger. The C-102HD is no exception!

Great buy
For the money this telescope is hard to beat. The OTA is well made; the 102mm Achromat being housed in a adjustable metal lens cell. The tube has three internal baffles and has a nice focuser which will accomadate 2" eypieces. My focuser was originally rather sloppy but after tinkering with several screws it tightened up nicely and is now quite serviceable. It also includes a 5.5" removeable felt lined aluminum dew cap. The 30mm finder scope is to small and it would be good to replace it with 50mm. The equatorial head is solid and well matched to the OTA. It has the standard(rather small)setting circles with a vernier. The slow motion controls work fine with no backlash although the locks have to have a slight amount of tension otherwise there may be some slippage. It's also supplied with two conterweights one large and one small. The small weight tightend all the way to the end of the counterweight shaft leaves the scope perfectly balanced. The larger weight is to be employed if photography is desired. I added the single axis clock drive and it tracks well. Again there has to be a slight amount of tension(via RA lock)on the RA axis or there will be some slippage. The weakest point of this model is the aluminum legs. Aliminum has the advantage of being light but has a very low dampening coeficent. Thus, focusing at higher powers can be a challenge. My remedy to this problem was to add a JMI electronic focuser. Focusing is a breeze now as I don't have to touch the OTA when adjusting. Another alternative used by some is the addition of wooden tripod legs. The scope is supplied with a nice 20mm Plossl; But figure on buying a couple more plus a barlow as this scope handles 200mag. well. Optically it does very well on the star test with only a slight amount of spherical abberation present. Ronchi grating test shows sraight lines in and out of focus. There is some false color, as to be expected from an achromat, around bright objects. All and all a very nice package. I would have given a five were it not for the tripod. Keep in mind this is a telescope best used for planetary use and double star splitting. Deep sky object are best served by more aperture. So if that's your fancy consider a "light bucket"(Dobsonian). I have heard of some cases of people getting poor optics with this scope, but that seems to be the exception not the rule. So if that happens to you, send it back to the factory till you get a good one.
Cheers.

bought too quickly
This was the first real telescope I purchased. The product description fits, but, as I found out later, I should have started with a good pair of binoculars. The mount is the culprit that caused me to give the telescope a 3 rating. It isn't the quality I expected from Celestron. After carefully carrying this heavy (equatorial mount) scope in and out of my van numerous times, there is evident play in the mount. Other than that, I have seen beautiful views of Saturn, Jupiter and Orion Nebula. Another problem is straight up viewing, virtually impossible. Would recommend a good pair of binoculars (7X50 or 10X50) and a dobsonian mount at least 8 to 10 inches for starting astronomers. As you may or not know, what you see in this telescope (as all others) will not look like the beautiful pictures in astronomy mags and books. It takes a lot of viewing to start dectecting any colors, and the size of the object won't be very large, other than the moon. I know I am adding a lot about astronomy, but I learned the hard way, join an astronomy club,and try out all the scopes they offer before you commit to something that will collect dust. Clear Skies, don ... Read more

Features

• Affordable telescope for beginning astronomer; portable yet powerful
• All-glass optical components with high transmission coatings for enhanced image brighness and clarity
• Refractor optical design with a 60mm aperture and 900mm focal length
• Equatorial mount for tracking the sky
• Includes 3x Barlow Lens (1.25"), 20mm eyepiece, 4mm eyepiece, aluminum tripod with accessory tray

Amazon.com Review

The computerized Celestron NexStar 4GT joins a 4-inch f/13 Maksutov tube assembly to the same "goto" mounting used with Celestron's other small NexStar telescopes (such as the NexStar 80GT refractor and NexStar 114GT Newtonian reflector).Introduced in late 2001, the NexStar 4GT is intended to go head-to-head with Meade Instruments' successful ETX series of small Maksutov telescopes.It comes with 25-mm (53x) and 10-mm (113x) SMA eyepieces, a hand controller, and a StarPointer red-dot finder (which I find far more useful than the tiny finderscope that comes with the Meade ETX90EC.

See a detailed view of the NexStar 4GT's features

Like the Meade, the NexStar 4GT is designed to take the guesswork out of finding sky objects.Setup is very easy.Take the telescope out of the box, install 8 AA-size batteries, plug in the hand controller, attach the StarPointer, and the telescope is ready to use.The one-armed mounting, which is permanently attached to the telescope, can be placed on a flat surface, any sturdy photographic tripod, or Celestron's own tripod/wedge combination.

Once the telescope's computer has been initialized to the sky, any of over 4,000 targets can be selected from the onboard database by using the hand controller.Choose each target by scrolling through menus while reading object names and information from the controller's LCD readout.Large, softly backlit control buttons are easy to see and press, even when wearing gloves on cold nights, although I have found that the brightness of the LCD readout tends to drop off as the temperature approaches freezing.

In practice, the NexStar 4GT's goto system works adequately provided it was properly initialized and has a fresh set of batteries.Although the motors are noisy when slewing from object to object, the selected target is usually within the field of the 25-mm eyepiece.Once in a while, however, the telescope will go into a "death slew," seemingly spinning around aimlessly. To bring the scope back to its senses, press one of the direction keys, then "Enter" to try again.Sometimes, this will happen when the batteries are running out of power, for which the NexStar 4GT has quite an appetite.A fresh set of batteries will be fully drained after only a night's worth of use.To save the expense of new batteries every clear night, buy the optional AC adapter or Celestron's Power Tank, which allows portable operation.

Optically, the NexStar 4GT has its pros and cons.Images are rather dim due to the small aperture, although most that I have examined seem to give reasonably sharp views.The Moon and brighter planets certainly put on a good show.Jupiter shows two or more belts and Saturn's rings display Cassini's Division, although not as clearly as through a 4-inch refractor. Double stars, such as Castor in Gemini, are cleanly split.

Like the Meade ETX telescopes, the NexStar 4GT has a built-in "flip mirror." By turning a small knob, an internal mirror diverts light either up through the star diagonal into the eyepiece or directly through an opening where a camera body can be attached for photography.The NexStar's mounting, however, is really only suitable for short exposures of the Moon or terrestrial scenes.

One reason why longer exposures are not recommended is the accuracy of the motor drive's tracking.While aiming precision is adequate, the telescope does not track the sky as accurately as some other telescopes, including the ETX.Even after the telescope has been initialized precisely, objects tend to drift out of the field of view, requiring users to press the direction buttons on the hand controller to keep up.

Overall, I'd judge the Celestron NexStar 4GT a good second telescope for someone who is looking for a "grab and go" instrument for quick viewing sessions.Although slightly larger than the Meade ETX90EC, its small aperture still limits it to brighter objects only.If money permits, I would recommend the Celestron NexStar 5i or Meade ETX125EC, both of which have better optics and larger apertures. --Phil Harrington, author of Star Ware

Pros:

• Compact, light weight design
• Goto computer control
• Ease of setup

Cons:

• Small aperture
• Short battery life
• Poor tracking precision
• Noisy motors

Features

• Ideal telescope for observing and photographing the wonders of space
• Incredible light-gathering and a full degree field of view give you views 189% brighter than a 60mm refractor
• Computerized capabilities like Auto Align, automatic Tour Function, easy-to-use hand control and 4,000+ object database
• Star Pointer is the quickest and easiest way to point your telescope exactly to the desired object in the sky
• 102mm (4 inch) diameter Maksutov-Cassegrain optics

Reviews (4)

Must buy the RS232 cable!!!!!!
I hope this is going to be a great product. I just unpacked it and discovered that although it's computerized, and the software is included, THE FREAKING CABLE TO CONNECT IT IS NOT! To quote the Installation Instructions, "establishing a link ... will require the use of an optional RS-232 cable (#9320)." How a product that lists for $995 claim a "required" part is "optional" is beyond me. Amazon should be ashamed of the listing for this item.

Awesome telescope for beginners
I found that this telescope is great for the hopeful to find out more about the heavens. This scope is awesome at capturing light for photographing and is study when you perches the tripod, which is the only down I found with this scope is all the stuff you have to buy on top of getting the scope its self, so be conscience when buying this scope that you need to buy other things to make it fun to use. Other then that this scope is light and durable which makes it user to bring with you on camping trips and hikes. Better then caring around a 50+ pound scope and doing some damage to your back. This is also a good spotting scope if you want to take it out and look at areas that are far enough away in the day light or when observing nature as it is.

Not ready for Prime Time
This scope has great optics for the money and is fairly easy to use. It also falls short with it's tracking abilities, at first I
thought it was user error untill I talked with several dealers and
found that this was a common complaint. If you spend just a little
more for the 5I or the 8I you will be very pleased, its like money in the bank because they hold there value quite well.

a good scope
...The scope is just great. I am a newbie to astronomy, but this telescope is so easy to use. It takes about 5-10 minutes to setup the telescope. The 4000 objects database it has is great and the alignment is rather good.
I would recommend a good tripod and a more powerful eyepiece if you are interested in serious astronomy.
Overall I rate this telescope rather high (Maybe because this is my first!) and would surely recommend it to anyone interested in astronomy. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Celestron’s little NexStar 80GT is a popular scope at an attractive price. It features a short 80mm f/5 optical tube assembly, mated to a single-sided swing arm assembly, tripod, and the motorized computer system. The scope also comes with 25 mm (16X) and 10 mm (40X) eyepieces, a red dot finder, star diagonal for easier viewing, and a basic version of The Sky on CD ROM.

The NexStar handset is your user-friendly guide to more than 4,000 celestial objects.

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 ETX70ATis similar to the NexStar 80GT.If you‘re looking for more light gathering ability, go with an Orion XT6or 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)

Features

• 400mm focal length, with a 3.25-degree wide field of view
• 2 eyepieces (16x and 40x)
• Observe immediately with the computerized auto align feature
• Automatic slewing to over 4,000 celestial objects
• Common sense menu descriptions

Reviews (12)

Good Beginner Telescope, But Not for Serious Starters!
Here are some things I like about this product:
- easy to assemble, lightweight, and very mobile
- sturdy tripod
- great auto goto feature and easy to calliberate. Can find stars, messier objects, etc, in a matter of minutes. Very cool and slick feature
- decent quality eye pieces
- RS-232 connection is a little tricky, you may need assistance from Celestron to get started there.

Here are some things I don't like about this product
- the hand controller wirings and the batter wirings can get all caught up if you are not careful.
- it does not have enough magnification and aperture to see detail of celestial objects other than the moon. It is a great spotter type telescope which may supplement your high powerered manual telescope to cut down time in finding objects
- check all the parts before you setup the telescope, I received damaged, missing parts and had to get replacements
- I was able to find a number of deep sky objects in the sky with this telescope but could not see much detail other than bright dot(s), still it is pretty neat to locate these objects at the touch of a button

Another Recommendation
Buy the Dobsonion from Orion. It costs the same amount of money (about [$$$]), it doesn't have the auto goto features like Celestrons, but you get a lot more viewing power i.e. focal length of 1200 mm vs. 400 mm, aperture of 150 mm vs. 80 mm, better view finder etc.

Andy

Sharp images, poor magnification
I'm a novice as far as telescopes goes. Actually this is my first one. Getting it to work won't take more than 5 minutes (including the unpacking) Assembling it is very straightforward.

For terrestial objects I am very happy with it. I was able to see crisp images of objects more than 20 miles away.

The hand control is also easy to use. It is a battery eater. And be careful, if you leave the battery pack connected, the next day you will realize they are gone.

As far as magnification, I feel a little bit dissapointed. I was able to see Jupiter and 4 of it's moons, also Saturn is visible along it's rings. However the image is so small you'll get a headache after a couple of minutes due to the strain on your eyes. The moon looks great. I was also able to see what I presume was a satellite. It was like a very small lighted dot blinking and moving very fast on the sky for 1 or 2 minutes.

Overall it is a good telescope, but if you are a first timer, don't expect to see the planets as big balloons with all kinds of patterns.

Very nice telescope
Having shopped around, a lot, and keeping it below $$$, this is a great telescope. The red diode star finder makes zero-ing in on objects a snap! Really! What a neet invention. This telescope is too easy to set up. And the computer control works great too. For the $$$, this IS a very nice product. My ONLY suggestion is to also order a stronger eyepiece than what comes with it. The two that come with this scope dont do it justice. Mars looks great, and with a stronger eyepiece, you can see the dark bloches/spots on Mars. It wont be like the big close-ups from the hubble, but you'll enjoy what you see. And the moon is so clear and close up, you will feel like you can take a walk on it. The tripod is ok, a little flimsy but does its job. A happy purchase...

Wow! Too much telescope for beginners
Bought this as a gift for hubby. We live with 360 degree view from Sierras to Sacto/Mt. Diablo, etc. but found this too much to figure out. Spent hours with little books that glow to find constellations...much easier than waiting for Celestron 80 to "skew" and then haven't a clue where it is or what it's doing. Mom bought it so will spend precious hours doing a techno. but feels overwhelmed. Suggestions? Classes at JC?

Great Beginner Scope - Some Small Annoyances
I've wanted a telescope for years, and finally decided to get one this Christmas. I bought the Celestron Nexstar 80 based on what I deemed as a good compromise between optical capabilities and ease of use. For the most part, I'm very happy with the purchase.

Setup could not be easier. I was ready to rumble in minutes.

Being a pure beginner, I needed the GOTO functions to help get me started. Within five minutes of bringing the scope outside, I was checking out Saturn's rings and scoping out Jupiter. I even managed to find the Orion Nebula. And I had no idea how to find these things without the scope's help. Now, after only a few days, I can find them on my own - which saves lots of battery life.

There are some annoying design problems. As many other reviews have noted, the battery pack is a pain. The connection to the scope slides out far too easily, dumping alignment. Also, the wiring on the battery pack itself is fairly fragile. As soon as you break the scope out of the box, you should Velcro or tape the battery pack to the motorized mount (not the tripod legs). This will save you some disappointment.

I was also disappointed in the readability of the hand controller. As the text scrolls by, it's very difficult to read. Don't fret too much about this, though. After you align it once or twice - you won't need to read the display that often, anyway.

Lastly, while I have found the optics very good, I would recommend purchasing a 6mm and/or 4mm eyepiece right off the bat when you order your scope. The 25mm and 10mm eyepieces that come with the kit are great, but you're going to want more magnification the first time you look at Jupiter, Saturn, etc. And while you're buying an additional eyepiece, grab a moon filter and a solar filter as well. My daughter loves looking at the moon with the telescope, but it's so bright that it destroys your night vision for ten minutes without the filter.

Overall, I'm very happy with the telescope. I have really enjoyed it, and look forward to exploring the night sky for years to come. Who knows, maybe this is the first of more telescopes in my future. ... Read more

Features

• 8x magnification digital camera and binocular combination with LCD screen
• 2.1 megapixel still image quality, 3.0 with digital interpolation
• Rubber-coated grip for comfortable viewing
• 32 MB internal memory with SD memory card slot
• Multi-coated lens with Bak4 roof prisms

Reviews (1)

Celestron got it right!
The Celestron VistaPix LCD Digital Binocular is the best of class. It features digital zooming and stop action in video mode, features that no competitor, to my knowledge, currently offers.

I'm very happy with this purchase. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Celestron's compact Firstscope 114 Short Telescope offers three times the light gathering power of 60mm refractors in a system that's light, portable, and affordable. The package includes the CG-2 equatorial mount, an adjustable aluminum tripod, two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a red dot finder scope, and an introductory version of "The Sky" astronomy software.

With this telescope its easy to see Saturn's rings and Jupiter's cloud belts. When the night air is still and clear I've been able to see the Cassini division in Saturn's rings and even spot the shadow of Jupiter's moons crossing the planets cloud tops! Deep space objects like star clusters and galaxies also show up nicely. The Ring Nebula M57, for instance, shows up as a pale smoke ring, and globular clusters like M13 and M15 begin to reveal their individual stars.

The compact 18-inch long optical design of the Firstscope 114 Short is very similar to the computerized Nexstar 114-GT. Like the Nexstar 114, this telescope uses a short focal length mirror combined with a corrector lens to simulate a traditional long tube reflector. This works best at moderate powers; at low power the stars seem out of focus near the edges. Planet views are OK if you keep the planet near the sweet spot in the center, but again sharpness declines toward the edges. If you're willing to spend a little more, Celestron's long tube Firstscope 114EQ is capable of sharper images.

To get the best views from a Newtonian reflector, the optics may need to be tuned up or "collimated" occasionally. I find a Collimation Tool helps get this fine tuning just right. The other essential accessory is a guide book like NightWatch or a subscription toNight Sky magazine; once you own a telescope you'll want to know where to look for cool sights like planets and galaxies!Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Compact and affordable
• Includes all the basics
• Good (but not great) optics

• Views are soft around the edges
• Optics may need fine tuning
• Terrestrial images are upside down

Features

• Manual slow-motion controls
• Newtonian reflector optics
• 1,000mm focal length
• Comes with adjustable aluminum tripod
• 18-inch tube is compact and portable

Reviews (2)

good scope...
i took delivery of this scope about a week ago, and though i haven't used it much for astronomical observing, i have had a whale of a time with terrestrial stuff. for the price i paid, it's an excellent VFM product, and i'm looking forward for the skies to clear so that i can really freak out with this telescope, with astrophotography being at the top of my list.

now to specifics...

the equatorial mount is not 100% rock-solid - it's a little shaky sometimes, specially when i set it up in a hurry - but any trembles settle within about 5 to 6 seconds. the 4.5" aperture is fairly decent, and i have found that contrast provided by the included eyepieces is pretty decent. i'm not sure what kind of eyepieces are included, as i'm yet to hear from celestron on this query. the 10mm ep doesn't have as good eye-relief as does the 20mm, but that's to be expected (and is not specific to this scope), i guess.

the scope was delivered by adorama.com, and was fairly well packed. collimation was near perfect, and i haven't meddled with this one yet.

i'll need to transport this one back home to india - more than 8000 miles away by air, and still need to find out what will happen to alignment on that journey - according to all accounts, i'll need to collimate it when it lands back home. celestron doesn't include much by way of enlightenment on collimation - they only say to visually eyeball alignment - this is sketchy at best, and i'll need to read up on this one and not trust the manual totally.

while on the manual... looks like this was written by some sweatshop employee without much grasp of the language, the component break-up image is missing some part number indicators, etc., etc... don't go by the manual much - just look at it as something that celestron needs to include with the scope, and they have done it - absolutely no quality there.

parts... the scope is of pretty good quality - mostly metal parts; a little plastic, though bearable. the ota looks like it will take a lot of abuse and seems to be sturdily built. parts of the mount may need to be shimmed to get close tolerances - to ensure less shaking than current. an optional t-ring has to be bought to plug an slr camera to the unit, so that feature is available on demand, too.

my personal conclusion: it's an excellent scope for my money, and i'm very happy with the purchase. am looking forward to carry out some decent astrophotography with it, and shall try to update this review, if at all possible.

Pretty good scope
This a very portable scope. Its aperture is big enough to show pleasing views of fairly bright deep sky objects. The planets are good,but not as good as a refractor of similar aperture. Its mount is not that shaky. I recommend this scope for anyone starting in astronomy. ... Read more

Features

• Doubles the magnifying power of your eyepiece by doubling its effective focal length
• Air-spaced, three-element apochromatic design with a 27mm clear aperture
• Amazingly compact and lightweight--just 5 ounces and 2.75 inches in length

Amazon.com Review

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 a7.5mm 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.

• Equatorial mount could be more solid.
• Instruction booklet could be more user friendly.

Features

• 2 eyepieces (45x and 90x)
• German equatorial, CG-2 mount
• Star Pointer finder scope
• Slow-motion controls and setting circles
• f13 focal ratio

Reviews (4)

Don't spend the money
This is my second telescope.
It is difficult to set up.
You can see just as well with a good pair of binoculars.
Save your money. It is not fun.
I'll probably donate it just go get it out of the house.

A great starter scope!
When this scope first arrived I was very pleased. It looked great and I couldn't wait to try it. I immediatly began setting it up, which was a difficult task. The instructions gave a photo that had tiny arrows pointing to different parts of the scope. [I still can't figure out what angle their photo was taken from.] The directions started out easy to follow, but later on it seemed that their writer had taken them from a guide-book on flowers found in the Sahara. I'm 14 though, and even I managed to use common sense to put the scope together.[It doesn't hurt to have a couple of magazines handy, such as Sky and Telescope or Astronomy.]
After setting the scope up and fingering with the controls while the sun went down I eagerly set it up outside. I live out in the country so I didn't have to worry about street lights, and using the finderscope attachment I easily located Jupiter. Bringing it into focus, I was able to easily see 7 of its moons. From that point I have steadily grown more accustomed to the controls, and for the cost I paid this scope has turned out to be wonderful!

great first time telescope !!
After looking at the night sky with binoculars all these years I decided to get my first telescope.WOW ! I was amazed at what I can see with this celestron firstscope 70 EQ !! Iv been looking at the rings of Saturn !!(which are at their peak viewing this year and next),the moons of Jupiter where I can also see some of the bands on Jupiter.And the moon is a grand site with this scope also.It very easy to use once you get it put together. I had to have my son help me put it together. The Star Pointer finder scope makes it easy to locate what your looking for. I would recomend this scope to any first time users.
I also like the fact that you can buy other eyepeices and filters for this scope.

Good starter scope for some people
This is a good starter scope for some people, most notably those who don't know if they want to spend more than $500 to buy a better starter scope, and don't mind spending more later if they enjoy the hobby. I own a few scopes, and have used dozens, so I had an idea of what I was getting with my money. This scope will let you have fair views of Jupiter including the moons and the two equatorial belts, nice views of Saturn, although the Cassini division isn't clear, spectacular views of the moon, and not too bad views of Venus and Mars, given the size of the scope. Deep space objects will take a lot of time and patience to appriciate them. Make no mistake, these will not be great views compared to Hubble, but if you could get great views with a $200 telescope on the ground, why would you spend millions to put a telescope in space. You get what you pay for.

And you'll need to pay for more. You'll want at a minimum one or two additional eyepieces (I never use the high power eyepiece that it came with, as it's a piece of junk), a moon filter, maybe a couple of colored filters. I also have an external motor and some astrophotography supplies, but note that this scope is not recommended for astrophotography. Of course, if you like spending dozens of hours taking three rolls of film for 2-5 decent (but not spectacular) photos, go right ahead, but there are much better scopes on the market for that part of the hobby. The equatorial mount is also difficult for many folks to work with, but if you plan on putting a motor on the scope it is essential. Best use of this scope for me is setting it out on the front drive, put Jupiter or Saturn in the view, turn the motor on, and let the neighbors come round and learn a little astronomy.

Overall, a great scope for under $300, but know what you're buying and realize this isn't the greatest scope out there. Still, it's a dandy scope! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Regal LS series gives you all the optical performance of a high-quality Porro prism binocular in a lightweight, compact roof-prism design.

These 8 x 25 Regal LS series binoculars feature a field view of 5.2 feet, eye relief of 19mm, near focus of 6 feet, and a weight of 16 ounces.

Fully multicoated optics make the details come alive with bright, true colors. These waterproof binoculars stand up well in all weather conditions. Their rubber-covered bodies are rugged in design with a large center-focus wheel for smooth, easy adjustment. Eyeglass wearers will appreciate the twist up (and down) eyecup feature.

Other features include:

• Smooth, click-stop style of diopter adjustment
• Large center-focus wheel for ease of focusing
• Included deluxe soft case
• Included padded cloth neck strap

Features

• 8x magnification
• Lightweight, compact roof prism design
• Multicoated optics make the details come alive with bright colors
• Twist up (and down) eyecup feature for eyeglass wearers
• Includes deluxe soft case and padded neck strap

Features

• Stable, steel field tripod for serious astronomical observing and photography
• Height extends to 48 inches, folds down to compact 8 by 28 inches
• Built-in 20 to 90 degree wedge tilt plate for quick equatorial use
• Includes metal center brace and accessory tray
• Weighs 10 pounds

Features

• 11% more light gathering than a 76mm telescope
• Tripod adaptable
• Carrying strap included
• Allows for collimation adjustments
• Erect Image eyepiece for terrestrial use

Reviews (2)

OUTSTANDING VALUE.
I have owned my ULTIMA 10x50's for going on 4 years. Fully multi-coated lenses and BAK-4 prisms. Optical quality is superior for both day and night use. With reasonable care, your grandchildren will be enjoying them. Only fault I can find is the soft nylon case provided. (I like the hard cases of old) Theses will serve you well, from sneeking a peek at distant wildlife, catching the "N" number on that funny looking plane or binocular astronomy....and NO, I do not work for Celestron.

8x40 version of these fine binoculars.
I own the 8x40 version of these fine binoculars. The image quality is better than many much more expensive units. If you don't want to spring for the extra cost of image stablization, the 8x40 Ultima binoculars are an excellent choice.

PRO
Decent low light capability.
Good compromise size if you can only own one pair.
Excellent optics - Fully Multicoated with BAK-4 Prisms.
Classic design for enhanced stereo effect.
Convienient center focus wheel.
Short close focus distance.
Easy to hand hold for extended periods of time.

CON
Poor strap on case.
Not waterproof, a limitation of the center focus design not a flaw with this model. ... Read more

Features

• Ideal teaching tool for learning the night's sky
• Specially designed cover rotates to simulate the seasonal progression of celestial objects
• Illustrated reference section provides basic information and the visual characteristics of various types of stars, nebulae and galaxies

Features

• Plug-in power source for Celestron NexStar telescopes
• Standard 110-volt AC
• Outputs 12-volt DC
• 1.5-amp rating
• Compatible with all NexStar, Celestar 8, Ultima 2000, and CI700 scopes

Features

• Celestron¿s top of the line eyepieces, utilizing a hybrid design of five elements
• Computer designed to keep visual aberrations to an absolute minimum
• Rubber eyecups are included both for comfortable use and to keep out extraneous light
• Lens and barrel caps are included for safe storage

Reviews (1)

Great high power Eyepiece
This eyepiece is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a high power eyepiece that is of high quality. This will deliver great detail of Jupiter and Saturn on most telescopes along with stunning views of the moon. The Ultima series is celestron's top plossl design and is definetaly worth buying over the Nexstar plossl. If you need a high power eyepiece, definitely consider buying this one. ... Read more