Review on 🌌 Explore the Stars with the Telescope 114AZ Newtonian Reflector Telescope: Perfect Gift for Kids and Adults, Complete with Cellphone Adapter & 1.25 Inch 13% T Moon Filter by John Graves

Firstly I am new to astronomy, stargazing and using telescopes. I got this one because I've had a cheap telescope sitting in my garage for years and every time I use it it's more trouble than it's worth. Finally, I decided it was time to get the best without spending a lot of money. A friend recommended I buy a reflecting telescope with an azimuth mount and after some research I finally settled on this one. The price was right and I love the fact that it comes with a phone mount which I knew would be compatible with the telescope. I am very happy. The first thing I noticed was that the instruction manual is better than I expected. Being new and knowing little was priceless. As with most things, I tried using the telescope without a manual. Basically I just put it together, waited for the night, went out and tried to see things. It didn't work that well. The guide will walk you through viewfinder alignment and using a spotting scope. From the manual I learned that I had reverse magnification for lenses. I tried using maximum magnification to find something in the sky. The guide describes the moon, some terrestrial objects and some nebulae and how they will look in a telescope with different eyepieces. The guide also contains many useful tips. Funny, at one point it also says "Ask your parents for help if your telescope is really dirty." Lens (1.5x magnification). The Barlow lens screws onto a piece that accepts other lenses, doubling the magnification to 35x and 75x. The Barlow lens came with a phone holder which was a nice bonus. The phone holder works well, it slides right over the lenses so you don't have to try to find items with the phone attached. The tripod is nice and stable. I had concerns when I bought it, but I'm very impressed. I was worried it would be shaky and the telescope would move a lot and it would be difficult for me to keep an eye on something for others to see. I actually had a 9 year old friend accidentally kick the tripod leg but he didn't move much and I was able to easily find the moon again. The azimuth mount is easy to use, but one thing I had to learn is that you tighten it just enough to keep it stationary. I tried to tighten it more than necessary and I had trouble moving the telescope because I was twisting my arm too much. As I learned to be gentler it became much easier to use. Observing the moon with this telescope is amazing. It's bright and clear and fills a 10mm eyepiece. I have a photo but my photo is not the best. I thought I took a picture of it once I got it well focused, but apparently I didn't. Now that the moon is back in the night sky, I'll try again. Now that I understand the telescope better, it will be easier for me. Any telescope will take some time to get used to. I really didn't know anything about it beforehand. I didn't do this with my old telescope because it was very awkward to use. That's what makes it fun. I took it even more than I expected because it is a pleasure to use. I'm still learning, but at least for now I really want to get out there and try something new.