Review on Celestron 51630 Pointer Telescope Finderscope by Durioki Cordaro

I needed a small, lightweight viewfinder for my Celestron FirstScope. I have the Telrad on two large scopes, but the Telrad would be quite unwieldy on something as compact as the FirstScope. After searching the internet I found the Celestron Star Pointer. Light and inexpensive, I ordered it expecting it to be less than twenty dollars but it was worth a try. The Star Pointer comes with a set of mounting bases, one of which works well for the FirstScope. The base attaches to the scope with two pre-installed screw posts on the scope tube, and the star pointer fits over the dovetail on the base. The two screws on the side of the star pointer tighten the dovetail mount to hold the star pointer securely during use. Adjusting the single red dot aim point is easily done with the two small knobs on the star pointer and the intensity of the red dot is controlled by the switch knob. After adjustment, move the scope until the desired object is under the red dot and bring the object into view even when using a higher magnification eyepiece. This allows for much faster aiming compared to "aiming" along the pipe, reducing the frustration factor during viewing sessions. Viewfinders of this type are among the easiest to use, even for younger viewers, and are a worthwhile investment. Unlike finders on small telescopes, they don't enlarge or invert the image, and it's very easy to determine what you want with the naked eye and center it in the finder (if such objects are visible to the naked eye). The Star Pointer is easily removed from the base even after evening viewing, allowing for safe storage and transportation. All in all a good option at a good price.