Review on 🔭 Celestron - AstroMaster 70EQ Refractor Telescope: Perfect Choice for Beginner Stargazers - With Fully-Coated Glass Optics, Adjustable-Height Tripod, and BONUS Astronomy Software Package by Anthony Lopez

I wanted to try my hand at garden astronomy after being bitten by a bug with Nikon 8x42 binoculars. Binoculars are still needed, but they are too shaky and too weak for planetary observation. So I studied telescopes and decided on a refractor since I have young children and little time to mess with collimation. My budget was low to keep my wife happy. The 70EQ stood out compared to the Powerseeker models with the stronger CG-2 equatorial mount and tripod, as well as much smarter and better eyepieces (waiters). I was able to put it together in about 20 minutes, took it outside and found both Jupiters. and Saturn in a few minutes. It is absolutely amazing to see Saturn's Galilean moons and rings within minutes of being pulled out. The moon itself looks impressive through this telescope at both 45x and 90x magnifications. 10mm has significantly more chromatic aberration than 20mm, but that's not a bad thing. After that first night I set the mount to my latitude and polar alignment consists of setting up the tripod so the mount is pointing roughly north. This is usually enough to keep Saturn in the viewfinder. Fitting an equalizer is a must. I like it. I had a problem with the red dot viewfinder, it stopped working after about a week. I changed some new batteries and it still broke. So I quickly ordered a $14 replacement and it's working again. So far the new one hasn't failed. I recommend this area to everyone. It can be used right out of the box. I've looked through all 8 planets. Uranus and Neptune are still tiny dots but you can see they're bluish and round, but that's about it. Saturn is my favorite, also tiny in the 90's but the rings are clearly visible and separate from the planet itself. Jupiter, I can vaguely see the cloud bands, the planet is small and the contrast is low, but with patience and perseverance they are visible. I couldn't see the huge red storm, but I'm hoping to get a decent 7mm or maybe 5mm eyepiece to push the limits of this telescope and see it along with the Cassini fission. But if not, then that gives me reason to ask for an updated scope someday. I was also fascinated by the pale gray little fluff up there. I have seen the Andromeda galaxy, the Dumbbell Nebula and the Orion Nebula, they are faint as the telescope is set to a slow aperture of f/12.9 but again be patient and you will see that you are here. Saturn's rings cannot be seen without a telescope. 73