Review on Celestron 21048 PowerSeeker 80EQ Telescope by Jeff Perez

This is the perfect scope for this price range! The entire assembly is moderately heavy. The tripod legs aren't very rigid, but tightening the top screws helps a lot. My first order had to be replaced due to some metal shavings on the back of the lens. I was initially impressed until I saw the shavings but I have to say that my replacement got rid of my negative attitude towards the product. The EQ mount is solid and tracks very well at 180x magnification. The replacement came quickly and doesn't seem to have any major issues. Rest assured, Revain customer support is here to help with any issues. Aside from the metal shavings causing distortion in my original order; the replacement looks great. Do yourself a favor by ordering this and purchasing the Astromaster Accessory Kit. The Astromaster kit works with this scope and costs $50. I also suggest getting a targeting compass (Brunton9077), it will really help with polar alignment. This product is able to represent Jupiter and several nebulae quite well. Even though the photos most of us see on TV may not look like photographs, you will still be amazed at the beauty they can reveal. I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of 13. Feel free to mount the telescope on the EQ, the standard manual has enough information to get you used to it. You also get great software that could very well replace buying sky maps. The included eyepieces and accessories are medium to low quality but suitable for planetary observing. 4mm alone is more than enough for this 225x magnification scope, providing a good view of planets and nebulae. The Astromaster also comes with color filters that really help contrast Jupiter's cloud bands and Saturn's outer rings. This product would make a great Christmas gift for a teenager or adult.