Features

• Interface your NexStar telescope with your laptop or PC
• Control telescope by clicking on sky maps on computer monitor
• RS-232 jack on one end of cable, standard serial connector on other
• Certain telescopes allow downloading new data into database
• 62-inch length

Amazon.com Product Description

The Celestron FirstScope Series of telescopes is designed with the first-time telescope buyer in mind. Offering exceptional value, these scopes feature compact and portable designs with ample optical performance to excite any newcomer to the world of amateur astronomy. Each telescope has its own design characteristics to help you choose which is best for you. The smaller FirstScopes feature refractor optical designs while the larger apertures feature Newtonian reflector optical systems.

Reflectors     This is a reflector telescope. Reflectors (also known as Newtonian reflectors or catoptrics) capture light with a mirror at the bottom of a tube, which sends the image to the eyepiece at the top of the tube.    First-time telescope users sometimes have difficulty with the idea of looking through the side of a telescope, but the big draw for reflectors is that they are by far the cheapest to manufacture--and thus offer the best value--of all telescope types. 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.

• 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.

... Read more

Features

• Slow-motion control rod
• Newtonian reflector scope
• 2 eyepieces (35x and 70x)
• Adjustable tripod
• German equitorial, CG-2 mount

Features

• Amici prism design allows you to look into the telescope at a 45-degree angle
• Use with a telescope equipped with .96-inch eyepieces means greater versatility
• Diagonal will allow you to use 1.25-inch eyepieces to obtain a larger field of view and better eye relief

Features

• Up to 525x magnification
• Built-in compass
• Barlow lens
• Very portable
• Comes with a 2 year, limited manufacturer's warranty

Features

• Control your Celestron computerized telescope from your personal computer
• Keep your eyes on the stars instead of the LCD by enabling speech support
• Wireless control of the telescope with Optional Gamepad Support
• Connect to your personal GPS device to NexRemote with NexGPS
• Alignment in any tracking mode; database of objects

Amazon.com Review

Celestron's Firstscope 60 EQ is an affordable entry level telescope packaged with two decent eyepieces, a "red-dot" finder, and a basic equatorial mount. But "affordable" doesn't mean "cheap": Like many other amateurs, my first unforgettable view of Saturn's rings came years ago with an entry level 60mm refractor very much like the Firstscope 60 EQ.

The best objects for small telescopes are bright objects like the Moon and planets. When I look at Jupiter with the included 10mm eyepiece (90x) or my own7.5mm plossl eyepiece (120x), I can plainly see Jupiter's four moons and two major cloud belts. The rings of Saturn, the moon-like phases of Venus, and the little orange disk of Mars all show up quite nicely at 90x and 120x. Many deep space objects look best with the low power 20mm eyepiece (45x). The Pleiades cluster, for instance, fills the eyepiece with bright stars right across the field of view. Other famous deep space objects like the Ring Nebula, the Swan Nebula, and the globular cluster in Hercules are plainly visible, but they are too small and faint to show much detail.

The Firstscope 70 EQ features a classic achromatic refractor design.

The equatorial mount included with the Firstscope 60 EQ has dual slow-motion controls. Simply point the mount's polar axis at Polaris, the north star, and you can turn one knob to track stars and planets as they move across the sky. You can even add anoptional motor drive for automatic tracking. In practice, however, the small equatorial has its drawbacks. I find the flexible control knobs are stiff enough to get in the way when viewing overhead. Some people even remove the counter-weight and set the elevation dial to zero degrees-this simple change converts the mount to Alt-Az operation with dual slow-motion controls. Alt-Az mounts use an easy to understand up-down (altitude), left-right (azimuth) motion instead of the more complicated "declination" and "right ascension" of the equatorial mount.

A subscription to Night Sky magazine would go a long way to helping a beginner learn how to use the Firstscope 60 EQ and how to identify the stars and planets. A small telescope like the Firstscope 60 EQ has its limitations; it won't show the divisions in Saturn's rings or resolve globular clusters into individual stars. Even so, if a small scope peaks your curiosity by showing you the rings of Saturn and the mountains on the Moon, it's done its job well. When you're ready for a bigger telescope, check out Amazon's telescope buyers guide.--Jeff Phillips

Pros

• Low cost
• Decent optics
• Good planet views up to 120x

• Too small for serious observing
• EQ mount can be hard to use

Features

• Focal length: 900mm
• 2.4-inch refractor telescope ideal for terrestrial and celestial viewing
• StarPointer finderscope locates objects quickly and easily
• Includes adjustable tripod and accessory tray
• Magnification: 142x

Features

• Binocular/digital camera combo with 2.1-megapixel resolution (for prints up to 8 x 11 inches)
• Flip-up 1.5-inch LCD screen; 8x magnification
• Images twice as bright as 22mm binoculars
• 32 MB internal memory; accepts SD and MCC memory cards
• Continuous video capability; rubber-coated texture for a comfortable grip

Features

• Lightweight yet durable, water-resistant nylon case
• Shoulder and back straps provide hands-free convenience
• Separate compartments for telescope and tripod as well as eyepieces
• Separate deep pockets for additional parts
• Non-abrasive inner lining, heavy-duty zippers

Features

• Allows attachment of 35mm SLR camera to the prime focus of your telescope
• Great for terrestrial, short exposure lunar and planetary photography
• Use with separate guidescope for long exposure deep-sky photography
• Fits any type of telescope that uses a 1.25-inch focuser or visual back
• Both a T-Adapter and T-Ring are required to mount camera

Amazon.com Review

Introduced in 1970, the Celestron 8 is one of the most, if not the most popular amateur telescope of all time. In the nearly quarter century since its introduction, the C8 continues its role of industry leader thanks to new and innovativefeatures. This, the NexStar 8 GPS, is the most advanced version of the telescope ever offered.Like its larger 9.25- and 11-inch cousins, the NexStar 8 GPS combines the time-proven design of Celestron'sSchmidt-Cassegrain optics with a state-of-the-art computer-driven fork mount coupled to the Global Positioning System (GPS) of Earth-orbiting satellites to synchronize time, date, and location.

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

The telescope and fork mount assembly come with a variety of standard accessories, including a 40-mm Plössl eyepiece, a 1.25-inch star diagonal, a visual back adapter, a 9x50 straight-through finderscope, a hand controller, andan AC adapter to power the built-in computer control.

Right out of the box, it quickly becomes apparent that this is no ordinary Schmidt-Cassegrain.For openers, the tube is not made of metal, but rather carbon fiber.Carbon fiber has been used in recent years for everything from sailboats to high-end bicycles, and is famous for its weight-to-strength ratio.But for telescopes the real value is its thermal properties.In order for a telescope to perform optimally, the temperature of its optics must match that of the outside air.An hour or more may pass before the optics in a telescope brought outdoors from a warm house reach thermal equilibrium.A traditional metal tube, a great absorber of heat, only slows the process.Carbon fiber, on the other hand, does not absorb heat as readily, shortening up the cool-down process.The carbon-fiber tube also lessens focus shift as the telescope cools during the night, an important consideration for long-exposure astrophotos and CCD imaging.

Of all the C8s that I have viewed through recently, including several NexStar 8 GPSs, all have produced sharp images of the Moon and naked-eye planets.Jupiter, for instance, reveald some very sharp detail in the Jovian clouds, while Saturn's rings, including Cassini's Division and the elusive C ring, were clearly resolved.

Deep-sky objects can also be viewed well with the NexStar 8 GPS.For example, the four stars in the Trapezium quadruple star system buried inside the Orion Nebula were easily resolved.Under steady seeing conditions, I could also just barely make out one of the two fainter "E" and "F" stars set amongst the brighter four, which are a good test for an 8-inch.

Star testing a NexStar 8 GPS, I found that the optics were top quality. Images both inside and outside of focus were identical (comparing the two is what a star test is), and nearly textbook perfect.I could detect only the slightest hint of spherical aberration. Astigmatism and other telltale optical imperfections were imperceptible.

Throughout these travels, I found images to be sharp and contrasty, a testimony to Celestron optics as well as their excellent coatings. Optical collimation was also very close to perfect right out of the box, indicative of Celestron's product inspection and packing ability.Corrections are easily made by turning one or more of the adjustment screws on the secondary-mirror assembly.The instruction manual that comes with the telescope includes a very good description of this procedure, as well as other important topics, such as telescope set-up and care, use of the hand controller, and even a primer on observing the sky and astrophotography.

It must be noted, though, that the 40-mm Plössl eyepiece that comes with the telescope is mediocre at best, and should be replaced with better eyepieces as soon as funds permit.At a minimum, I would recommend a 32-mm Plössl eyepiece for low-power viewing, a 17- to 20-mm eyepiece for medium power, and a 9- to 12mm eyepiece for high-power views.You should also consider premium eyepieces, such as the Tele Vue 11mm Nagler Type6 as well either their8mm Radian or 9mm Nagler Type 6 All will show the full potential of the NexStar 8 GPS, and will last a lifetime if properly cared for.Even if money is tight after the telescope purchase, try to expand your eyepiece collection with some budget-priced Plössl eyepieces.

When it comes to an advanced instrument outfitted with all the bells and whistles, the NexStar 8 GPS is a leader in the field thanks to its easy set-up, ergonomically friendly design, crisp optics, and intelligent options. --Phil Harrington, author of Star Ware

Pros:

• Excellent optics
• Starbright XLT coatings increase image contrast and sharpness
• Carbon-fiber tube

• Mediocre 40-mm eyepiece

Features

• Focal length of 2032mm
• 203mm (8-inch) diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain refractor
• Observe immediately with the computerized auto align feature
• Automatic slewing to over 18,000 celestial objects
• Common sense menu descriptions

Features

• Weatherproof nylon case provides protection as well as making it easier to transport your tripod to remote sites
• Fits all NexStar tripod sizes for the ultimate in versatility
• Shoulder and back strap included
• Non-abrasive inner lining
• Heavy-duty zippers

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 eyepiece
This eyepiece is wonderful. This eyepiece will give just the right amount of magnification and field of view in most eyepieces. It is of high quality and is about the equivalent of a Meade series 4000 plossl. This eyepiece is a must buy for someone who wants a good medium powered eyepiece and will allow good viewing of star clusters, fine detail in galaxies and nebulas. This eyepiece is amazing and you will be glad you have it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Combining the powerful optics of Celestron's legendary 8 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and premium XLT coatings with the solid computerized tracking system developed for its popular Nexstar 5, Celestron'sNexstar 8i is a remarkable telescope value. Compared to theNexstar 5i, the eight inch version is only six pounds heavier and only a little more expensive, yet it delivers more than two and a half times the NX5's light gathering power. The Nexstar 8i's excellent optics easily bring out wonderful detail on the moon, the planets, and on star clusters and galaxies.

The computer-driven handset makes it easy to find celestial objects.

What can I see with the Nexstar 8i? I love the sharp, high contrast images of the planets. Cassini's division in Saturn's rings is a thin black line even when the seeing isn't perfect. On rare nights when the air is perfectly still and clear I've pushed the magnification past 400x; Saturn's rings and moons were still sharply etched against a black sky. Jupiter and Mars also show wonderful detail.While a smaller scope may reveal Jupiter's two major cloud belts and its famous great red spot, the Nexstar 8i is capable of showing multiple cloud bands and even some small white ovals on a good night. Although high performance XLT optical coatings are advertized as improving brightness, I find the improved contrast even more impressive, especially on deep space objects. Globular clusters show up particularly well with the Nexstar 8i. Looking at globular cluster M13 in the constellation Hercules, I see the bright pinpoints of individual stars sprinkled right across its glowing core.

The real genius of the Nexstar 8i is its computerized object location and tracking system. I find the Nexstar system much easier to use than earlier computerized telescopes. You can choose from several different alignment modes, from the traditional two star alignment to the latest GPS aided automatic setup using the optionalCN-16 GPS module. I especially like the flexibility of the new "quick align" feature. Starting with "quick align" at a recent public viewing session, I was able to use Venus and the quarter Moon to synchronize my telescope alignment half an hour before sunset. Meanwhile other computerized telescopes were sitting more than an hour, waiting for their alignment stars to appear in the twilight.

You'll want some good eyepieces to take full advantage of Celestron's excellent optics.I'd suggest starting with a set of three, Celestron's10mm,18mm, and30mm Ultima eyepieces or three similar Tele Vue Plossls would be a good choice. These would be ideal for viewing the planets at about 200x, galaxies at about 110x, and open star clusters at about 68x magnification. My only disappointment with the eight inch Schmidt-Cassegrain design is its limited field of view; some of my favorite objects like the Pleiades don't quite fit, even with a low power eyepiece. Also be aware that you'll want an external power supply; the computer may crash after only a few hours when the on board AA batteries start to run down. The Nexstar 8i is a delightful telescope for visual observing or even web-cam images of the planets; for deep space photography, however, you'll want the greater stability of theNexstar 8 GPS .–Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Excellent optics with XLT coatings
• Light andportable
• Easy-to-use computerized finding and tracking
• GPS upgrade option

• Short battery life
• Limited field of view
• Not optimized for photography

Features

• 203mm (8-inch) diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain refractor
• Compass calibration, enabling you to point to true north more accurately
• Electronic controls allows you to move the telescope at six different rates
• 40,000 object database
• XLT coatings

Amazon.com Review

Celestron's Firstscope 80 EQ refractor bears a strong resemblance to its larger cousin, the well regarded C102HD. When compared to 60mm beginner scopes, the larger optics and sturdier mount of the Firstscope 80 EQ translate into significantly better views of the moon, the planets, and deep space. Even computerized scopes in this price range can't match the Firstscope 80's fine views of the moon and planets.

The Firstscope 80 EQ features a classic achromatic refractor design.

I find views of the moon delightfully crisp and clear with the included 20mm (45x) and 10mm (90x) eyepieces, and even at 120x with my own 7.5mm eyepiece. I can't see the flag on the moon, of course, but I can easily pick out the twin craters Sabine and Ritter near the edge of the Sea of Tranquility where Apollo 11 landed. Jupiter and Saturn show up nicely at magnifications up to 150x, although the blue glow of chromatic aberration (the "false color" seen in achromatic refractors) is visible around Jupiter. The Firstscope 80 EQ is big enough to show Cassini's division in Saturn's rings and even Jupiter's famous great red spot when conditions are at their best.

Many of the sky's best galaxies and star clusters were discovered by comet hunter Charles Messier. Globular cluster "M13" in the constellation Hercules, for instance, is a glowing ball of individual stars in large telescopes. In the Firstscope 80, M13 looks distinctly comet-like with a glowing core and feathery edges, very much like a comet with a short tail. I've even been able to spot a number of galaxies with the Firstscope 80. The included star-pointer finder, which is easy to use while pointing the scope at bright stars and planets, isn't much help for finding galaxies. Instead, I use a technique called star-hopping, starting from a brighter star and using a low power eyepiece to work my way from star to star until I reach the target.

The CG3 equatorial mount included with the Firstscope 80 EQ strikes a balance between sturdiness and portability. Although the image shakes a bit while focusing at high powers, vibrations damp out quickly. Celestron's#93515 motor drive can be added for hands-free tracking of celestial objects. You'll want some star charts to help find planets and star clusters; I like the monthly star charts and viewing tips in Night Sky magazine. Celestron'soptional accessory kit includes a set of five better quality plossl eyepieces, this is a worthy upgrade to the basic MA eyepieces that are standard equipment. --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Sharp views of the moon and planets.
• Rugged, maintenance-free optics

• Chromatic aberration at 100x and up
• 80mm aperture inadequate for deep space objects

Features

• 80mm diameter refractor telescope for serious beginners
• Comes with two eyepieces, 20mm (45x) and 10mm (90x)
• Objective lens permanently aligned and mounted in a sealed optical tube for low maintenance
• Includes Starpointer Finderscope
• Comes complete with piggyback mount and adjustable aluminum tripod

Reviews (1)

Very nice scope- great optics
Good beginner to intermediate scope. Optics are clean,concise and crisp. Even with poor seeing moon, and planets focused sharply. Splits double stars cleanly- shows nice color of stars.
Mount is average- stable - and lightweight to carry. Viewing things at the zenith is hard with many refractors, and this is no different. Finder is not that good. Overall a good scope for the money. Will show better views of double stars, the planets and the moon then any reflector. Ring nebula easily found in semi darkness- M13 looked nice as well. ... Read more

Features

• Solar Filter- Allows for daytime solar observing, filter cap fits snugly over optical tube.
• Erect Image Prism- Allows your telescope to display images right-side for land viewing.
• Compass- Compass Included for quick and easy setup and alignment of your telescope.
• Computerized Hand Control- Instant access to all Nexstar functions, automatic slewing to over 4,000 objects, common sense menu descriptions.

Reviews (1)

Very useful for the price
Celestron's GT scopes are notorious for eating AA batteries. An external power source is mandatory for lengthy viewing sessions.

The car battery adapter is inexpensive, works well, and the 25-foot cable allows ample movement of the scope (and helps prevent the dreaded "cord wrap" when the scope slews more than 360 degrees during your viewing!).

If you have a Celestron GT scope, this is a "must have" accessory. ... Read more

Features

• 1 eyepiece (50x)
• Auxiliary correction lens reduces aberrations
• 150mm aperture
• 1,000mm focal length
• Adjustable tripod

Reviews (4)

bad choice for a beginner or intermediate observer
I enthusiastically purchased this telescope. The images with the 20mm eyepiece that was supplied with the scope were fine (50x magnification), but every attempt to increase the magnification resulted in blurry images. I tried a Televue 17mm, University Optics 12mm, Celestron Ultima 12.5mm, Meade Research grade 7mm ortho eyepiece, all great eyepieces, but the images quality was poor.

I have a friend who is a life long astronomer (he sells dobsonian tracking platforms and has owned a dozen large telescopes). He spent over an hour attempting to realign things (star testing, and laser collimator) - he finally gave up. The problems include - the focuser is very sloppy, and the tube flexes so as the telescope is rotated in the mount the alignment changes. The screws for adjusting the alignment of the secondary mirror do not move in any predictable way making adjustments impossible. Even after careful alignment the images were bad at high power.

The tube is only 500mm long - it's 1000mm focal length is achieved with an internal barlow lens in front of the secondary mirror. This adds two more surfaces that scatter light and degrade image quality further.

I like the CG-4 mount ... it is the only good part of this telescope. I have read similar experiences in the Astromart Forums. This scope will look good collecting dust in your front room, but the views it provides will disappoint you. I am donating this to a school so they can "see" what a telescope looks like. The scope is unusable for planetary viewing - and the Messier objects are too small at 50x magnification.

My opinion of Celestron products dramatically fell as a result of this purchase.

Very good telescope package for the advanced beginner
The Celestron C150-HD is a nice, solid scope for the serious beginner. I was happily pleased with the production and optic quality of this scope, since this particular model is made in China and there have been issues with China-built scopes in the past. However, I found all the parts and components to be very high quality for this price range. The tube is a painted metal tube, not pressed paper/particle board. This helps decrease the time to come to ambient temperatures, and has less potential for water damage or crushing. The mount is nice and smooth, and I've found it to be a very stable platform. Yes, it probably could be another 5-8 pounds heavier, but I have not had any issues regarding stability or shakiness at all.

The scope comes in a single box with all the components to assemble the mount, as well as accessories. It took me about 1.5 hours to assemble, using tools included in the box (a small wrench, and phillips screwdriver). The mount includes an accessories tray to hold eyepieces and filters. The accessories included are a decent Celestron 20mm Plossl eyepiece (threaded for filters), 6x30mm finderscope, and slow motion controls for each axis (RA/Dec). Setting circles are pre-installed on the mount assembly, and Celestron sells an optional single or dual-axis motor assembly for auto-tracking of the sky once polar aligned (Orion also sells a drive for their EQ-3 mount that will work with this mount for 1/2 the price). The mount also includes a threaded sight hole to accept an optional polar alignment finder. The tube assembly comes with a dust cap, as well as caps for both ends of the finderscope and eyepiece. The mount legs can be retracted or extended, adding nearly 3 additional feet in height. The focus knob is firm but not stiff, and has very good travel. It does not disturb with a light touch, so images can accurately be focused. It accepts 1.25" eyepieces.

This is probably about the largest scope I personally would use as a "portable" scope. It weighs about 35-38 pounds. Setup time is about 5-10 minutes. If compact travel is needed, the mount is probably too large. The tube assembly does easily remove with two screws, but the bulk of the mount remains assembled unless you want to take additional time/effort.

I have previously used a 4" Scmidt-Cassegrain, and am very pleased with this as a quality upgrade to my previous scope.

A great beginner or budget enthusiast's scope
It had been years since last getting a new telescope, so I spent a lot of time researching what to get this time. In reading magazines, talking to other astronomers, and studying the facts, the C-150HD seemed to be a pretty good choice for planetary objects versus deep sky viewing, and quality versus price.

If your budget can't take you to an 8 inch or bigger scope, but you don't want to settle for something less (and for heaven's sake, stay away from cheap stuff) this scope is a good choice.

As for an optical instrument, Celestron's quality is great. It is not the "best in the world" but you should be pleased.

There are those who seem to think that things in space look like the pictures in magazines. Those pictures are taken with CCD cameras and the deep, rich colors are the result of time-exposures. Now, don't be discouraged! The views you'll enjoy through this scope are superb! You can resolve the better known deep-sky objects.

...With a 6mm lens one can resolve Jupiter's red spot. Saturn is spell binding with a wider field lens. The moon is right next-door!

Deep space you ask? How about the beautiful and famous Orion Nebula? A sight to behold. Bode's Galaxy and the Crab Nebula can be seen through the C-150HD if you have a bit of patience and a decent chart.

I would love to see a heavier mount and tripod (on any portable, one-man scope)... but would not want to have to carry a heavier one around. This tripod/mount is sufficient for stability.

The price can get the beginner a good instrument, and the quality will let the more experienced enthusiast have a good time through the night.

If you are bitten by the astro-bug... you'll end up wanting something bigger someday. Eat your spinach and don;t quit your day job, though, because they are heavy and very expensive.

piece of junk!
I have a 250mm reflector and if you expects see things in the eyepiece like you do in a book well be prepared to be dissapointed. in teelscope of this size you won't relly anything so don,t spend your money on it!! ... Read more

Features

• Objective lens: 22mm
• Digital camera and binocular combination
• 0.3 megapixel resolution for 640 by 480 images
• 8MB SDRAM internal memory for up to 160 high-quality images
• Magnification: 8x

Amazon.com Review

The Celestron Firstscope 60 AZ is a great value as starter scopes go, in fact it's just what I purchased for my own ten year-old grandson.Instead of wildly exaggerated claims of 500X magnification, Celestron packages the Firstscope 60 AZ with the basics: two decent eyepieces, a finder, and a simple alt-azimuth mount.

The best objects for small telescopes are bright objects like the moon and planets. I find the little orange disk of Mars, the moon-like phases of Venus, the moons of Jupiter, and the rings of Saturn all show up quite nicely with the included 10mm eyepiece (about 70x). The low-power 20mm eyepiece (35x) is best for finding objects and for viewing star clusters. Even a small telescope like the Firstscope 60 AZ reveals hundreds of craters on the moon, and turns the Summer Milky Way into a glittering river of stars.

See a detailed view of the Firstscope 60 AZ's components

The alt-azimuth mount included with the Firstscope 60 AZ is both lighter and easier to use than low cost equatorial mounts. An Alt-Az telescope moves up and down (altitude) and left or right (azimuth)–there's no counter-weight to balance or polar axis to align before you can start observing–just point the telescope and look. As soon as you get the moon or a planet centered in the field of view, you'll find it starts drifting toward the edge–this is caused by rotation of the Earth. Celestial objects will stay in the low power field of view for three or four minutes, but with a high power eyepiece they may disappear in a minute or less. For this reason, alt-az telescopes are best used at lower magnifications.

Would I recommend the Firstscope 60 AZ for a young person? Definitely. It's easier to use than low-cost equatorial mounts and has much better optics than the so called "500 power" "professional" models you find in toy stores. Would I recommend the Firstscope 60 AZ for an older student or adult with a serious interest in the night sky? Not really. If you want to see the divisions in Saturn's rings or resolve globular clusters into individual stars, take a look at thetelescope buyers guide for some larger recommendations. –Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Low cost
• Ease of use
• Low maintenance design

• Too small for serious observing
• Does not track stars and planets

Features

• Slow-motion control rod
• Great for terrestrial and space viewing
• 2 eyepieces (35x and 70x)
• 700mm focal length
• Adjustable tripod

Reviews (8)

Not for serious stargazing
Celestron makes some of the world's greatest telescopes, but this is not one of them. It's fine for peeking into the neighbor's window across the street or looking at the a large, bright object in the sky like the moon. But for serious stargazing, one shouldn't expect much from this telescope or any telescope in this price range. No telescope in this price range is much good for looking at stars or other faint objects. A really good pair of binoculars for around the same price would probably give you more enjoyment and be more versatile. Just lie on the ground and look through both eyes at the moon or constellations, and then take them to the ballgame the next day. And try to get away from city lights. If you do get binoculars, make sure that the second number is at least 7 times the first number (e.g., get 7x50 binoculars, but not 7x35) and that they have fully multi-coated lenses.

Its just so-so
I wouldn't recommend this. Its very blurry and can't even focus on the cows out in the field let alone all the way to Mars.

Update to previous review : Added a 2x Barlow lens
Just a short addendum to my previous firstscope review.

I added a Celestron 2x Barlow lens from amazon via adorama.

This increases the magnification using the 10mm lense to 140x.

Unfortunately, at 140x, the scope doesn't provide sharp
focus of viewed objects. The moon is large but washed out,
very low contrast. Saturn couldn't be brought into focus, it
was 2x larger but fuzzy. I didn't get to try Jupiter.

I wouldn't reccomend adding a 2xBarlow to this scope, I would
live with the 10mm and 20mm lenses and save my money for
binoculars or a better scope in the future, or buy a
subscription (at least part of one) to the wonderful Astronomy
or "Sky And Telescope" magazines.

Good value, not powerful enough to keep interest for long
I purchased this scope for my 12 year old son.

First things first, the scope was packaged well and there were
no missing parts, not a scratch on anything, no defects whatsoever. Excellent.

The entire scope is very portable, we take it in and out
through a sliding door and store it standing up on the tripod
in my son's room.

The scope is very light and the tripod supports it fine. The
tripod is easily adjustable, and the telescope positioning
mechanisms also work fine.

The scope comes with 2 lenses, providing 35x and 70x magnification. Apparently a 60mm scope should support up to 140xish magnification. (Rule of thumb? 50x per inch of apeture, so 60mm == 2.5 inches == 150x mag).

A 2x barlow lens sounds like a good addition to push the scope to its maximum. I am going to order one right after this
review, every bit helps. Amazon is advertizing one at $30.

Viewing the moon - So far the moon hasn't been too visible,
but what we have seen looks nice, albeit a little bright. I
may end up getting some sort of brightness filter.

Viewing the planets - Mars is a dot, definitely a dot and not
a pin point, but at 70x there is no hope of picking out any detail. Jupiter is a bigger dot with some faintly visible
points of light I am assuming are moons. No discernable details
on Jupiter, I doubt you will see any no matter how you try since
it's another very small object at 70x magnification.

Saturn is a discernable dot with a distinct band / ring around
it. Cool! (Its still very very small but you really feel
like you have seen something unique when you spot Saturn).
Think of the small "o" with a distinct band around it about half
the width of the "o".

I can't find any fault with the product other than it should
have a 2x Barlow lense to max out its magnification. I like the 10mm and 20mm lens choices. I gave the telescope 5 stars
because it really seems to be a lot of product for $80.

The other side of the coin.......

Ok, so its a 5 star telescope at $80, but I don't think its a good idea to buy one of these if you really think Astronomy could
become a hobby or actual interest.

I feel that we will quickly lose interest in the night sky
because its only so interesting to look at a dot, even Saturn,
a dot with a band around it. I am envisioning a scope capable of
showing Jupiter as a quarter sized object.

Same thing for deep space. There are many many objects that are

fantastic to look at. Unfortunately, at 60mm and 70x magnification, there are mainly "points" and "dots"
in the night sky to chose from.

While you can find some areas of the sky to
explore that aren't visible with the naked eye, its not going
to take long to get past that and then what?

For me, the front runners are 5 and 6 inch refractors, great
cost / performance / portability.

The 6" refractors seem to be up around $900-$1000 with
tripods and a few lens choices, one or two with motorized
mounts. I am just studying right now. There are some pictures
online from various scopes and Jupiter might be between a
nickel and a quarter in size with great detail.

If you end up like me, you might want to look through
this list and check out these scopes, at least read about them
on the internet.

Meade 6" LXD 55 EMC
Celestron CR 150 HD Refractor
Sky-Watcher 6" Refractor
Konus 120mm (Konosuper)
Orion SkyviewPro 120mm
Orion Skywatcher 120mm
Photon 127 (5") Refractor

I have an inexpensive set of binoculars, (another xmas
present), and we have had a lot of fun looking at the sky with
these! In retrospect, a good set of binoculars might be a lot
more fun than a 60mm telescope.

Summary, certainly a great deal of technology for $80 dollars, but unless the 2x barlow gives us a hint of detail in say Jupiter, and makes something deeper in space worth hunting for, I would say that you are buying into astronomy too cheaply and
your budding astronomer's interest may wane prematurely as a result.

Now Stargazing . . .
Great Product! The assembly instructions were not the best, but I was able to get it put together in 15-20 minutes. Since then, my boys (ages 6 and 4) and I have spent almost every clear evening looking at the moon, Mars and as many stars as we can.
This a great telescope for the family or a budding amateur astronomer. ... Read more