12 best generic telescopes

Generic telescopes, often referred to as optical telescopes, are devices designed to gather and magnify light in order to observe distant objects in the night sky. They have played a significant role in the history of science, astronomy, and our understanding of the universe. Here's what you should know about generic telescopes:

Basic Functionality: Telescopes work by collecting and focusing light through a combination of lenses or mirrors. This focused light allows observers to see distant objects more clearly and in greater detail than with the naked eye.
Types of Telescopes: There are several types of telescopes, including:
- Refracting Telescopes: These telescopes use lenses to bend and focus light. The most famous example is the Galilean telescope, used by Galileo Galilei in the 17th century.
- Reflecting Telescopes: These telescopes use curved mirrors to gather and focus light. The Newtonian telescope, designed by Sir Isaac Newton, is a well-known example.
- Compound Telescopes: These telescopes combine lenses and mirrors to achieve high-quality images. The Cassegrain telescope is a common example.
- Radio Telescopes: While not optical telescopes, radio telescopes are another type used to observe radio waves from celestial objects.
Historical Significance: Telescopes have a rich history in science and astronomy. Galileo's observations with a telescope provided crucial evidence for the heliocentric model of the solar system, which posited that the Earth orbits the Sun. Telescopes were also used by astronomers like Johannes Kepler and Edwin Hubble to make groundbreaking discoveries about the nature of the universe.
Books and Literature: Telescopes and their use in astronomy have been featured in various books, both fiction and non-fiction. For example, "The Telescope" by Geoff Andersen explores the history and development of telescopes. Additionally, books like "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan discuss the role of telescopes in expanding our understanding of the cosmos.
Modern Applications: Telescopes continue to play a crucial role in modern astronomy. Observatories around the world and in space, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, use advanced telescopic technology to study distant galaxies, stars, and planets, helping scientists unlock the mysteries of the universe.
Telescope Design and Advancements: Over the centuries, telescope design has evolved, leading to more powerful and sophisticated instruments. Advances in technology, including computerized tracking and digital imaging, have greatly enhanced astronomers' ability to explore the cosmos.
Accessible Astronomy: Telescopes are not only used by professional astronomers but are also popular among amateur stargazers.Many people own telescopes for personal observation and enjoyment, making astronomy an accessible hobby.

In summary, generic telescopes have a rich history in the field of astronomy and have played a pivotal role in expanding our understanding of the universe. They come in various types and have evolved over time, making them essential tools for both professional astronomers and amateur stargazers. Telescopes have also been featured in literature and continue to contribute to our knowledge of the cosmos.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best generic telescopes on the market

Gskyer Telescope, 70mm Aperture 400mm AZ Mount Astronomical Refracting Telescope for Kids Beginners - Travel Telescope with Carry Bag, Phone Adapter and Wireless Remote

Gskyer

Based on 16 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Gskyer 70mm Astronomical Refractor Telescope

This 70x400mm refractor telescope can be a good observation of celestial bodies and terrestrial objects - best for viewing lunar and planetary. Featuring all coated glass optical components, the travel scope provides clean, crisp views. Developed with the traveler in mind, this travel scope features a compact and portable design perfect for the on-the-go sky gazer.

Specification:

● Type: Refractor

● Objective Lens: 70mm(2.75")

● Focal Length: 400mm(f/5.7)

● Mount: Altazimuth

● Eyepiece: Low: 25mm(16X), High:10mm(40X)

● Barlow lens: 3X

● Max Magnification: 120X

● Finderscope: 5×24 with cross-hair lines

● Zenith Mirrors: 48°Erecting BAK4 prism

● Tripod: 65cm(31.5") height adjustable Aluminum tripod

Warm Tips:

●If it shows a blurred picture, please adjust focus using focus wheel.

●When observing an outdoor target with an astronomical telescope indoors, do not close the window to avoid the deformation of the image caused by the reflection of the window glass.

●Use a telescope outdoors, please wait for the temperature of the product is the same as the outdoor temperature, the performance will be better.

●Avoid accidentally taking the telescope into a larger temperature difference environment because the moisture in the air will condense on the objective.

●NEVER aim your telescope at the sun or even close to the sun!

Quality Optics: 400mm(f/5.7) focal length and 70mm aperture, fully coated optics glass lens with high transmission coatings creates stunning images and protect your eyes. Perfect telescope for astronomers to explore stars and moon.
Magnification: Come with two replaceable eyepieces and one 3x Barlow lens.3x Barlow lens trebles the magnifying power of each eyepiece. 5x24 finder scope with mounting bracket and cross-hair lines inside make locating objects easily.
Wireless Remote: Free includes one smart phone adapter and one Wireless camera remote to explore the nature of the world easily through the screen and take amazing celestial images.
Adjustable Tripod: This telescope allows for many different viewing positions with a adjustable aluminum alloy tripod and a carry bag, the telescope and tripod can fit inside the bag for easy traveling and storage.
Satisfaction: lifetime maintenance. If you have any question about product and service, please feel free to contact us, we will do our best to help you in 24 hours.

User questions & answers

Question:	I cannot see thru the telescope even after taking all caps off it is stil blank image
Answer:	We are having the same issue. It’s been properly set up but even after allowing it to come to temperatures outside, there is nothing we’re seeing. We’ve adjusted magnification, tried different lens, still blank. And yes, all the caps are off too. I have a curious, yet disappointment kiddo on my hands. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Question:	I can’t get the the telescope to lock in place when we find something to look at, how is this done
Answer:	You have to use the little knob that looks like a T and also the long handle bar (you turn the handle bar right to tighten and left to loosen. They are both apart of the stand.
Question:	Is this user friendly as described ? Since im a beginner is this the right fit for me
Answer:	I set it up in 5 minutes. I observed the Moon, Venus and Cassini twin stars (actually quad) with in 30 minutes on 25 mm. I have never owned a telescope in my life. The instructions are pictures describing what part goes where under them. How to set up your phone is a bit of a mess but I understood and decided to address that later. I was too excited to see Venus, and then sad when it looked like a big star, lol. There is another way to set it up to see even closer images, so I’ll be experimenting. I want a bigger one now... lol 😂. I’m managing my expectations on the 3X with 10mm parts. I just want to see it all!
Question:	Is this good for photographing an eagle 100 yards away
Answer:	As long as the Eagle is stationary, yes. This comes with a 10mm and 25mm eyepiece. I think the 10mm would work.

Product features

Gskyer Telescope AZ70400

Stepping into the art of stargazing for the very first time can be an overwhelming experience. Overly complicated telescopes, hidden features, and confusing accessories only make the process of getting started more difficult. A balance between affordable and performance are two of the most important aspects to consider before purchasing any telescope. The Gskyer Instruments Infinity 70mm telescope manages to do exactly that – An affordable affordable for a high quality telescope.

What makes this particular model ideal for any beginner astronomer? Here’s a brief overview:

The visual resolution and optical capabilities are top tier for the low-end affordable.
Assembly is not overly complicated and beginner friendly.
The aperture diameter divided by the focal length calculates the magnifying power of a telescope. The Gskyer possess a 70 mm aperture and 400 mm focal length, which results in precise and high-resolution images.
The telescope is compact and portable.

ABOUT MAGNIFICATION

Gskyer telescope is a cost-effective one with bright image quality and high magnification power. 25 mm, and 10 mm eyepiece all offer varying levels of magnification.

Which is very suitable for kids, beginners and amateur astronomer to explore the sky, the moon, the planet. Meanwhile, you can enjoy landscapes during the day.

3X Barlow Lens

A 3x Barlow lens, 25 mm, 10 mm eyepiece and finderscope all offer varying levels of magnification. The magnification from 16x to 120x and provides clear, up-close images of birds, wildlife, distant treetops, as well as the moon, planets, and some star arrangements. It comes with everything you need to get started with astronomy.

Aluminum Alloy Tripod With Tray

Adjustable height and direction tripod with accessory tray is comfortable and convenient for observation and easy for storage.

Aluminum alloy tripod and its feet is more stable and durable for use.

The height can be adjusted from 22 inches to 46inches.

With a tray, you can put eyepieces or barlow lens.

Larter Apeture And High Power Telescope

Fully coated optics glass lens with high transmission coatings creates stunning imagess helps increase the brightness of celestial objects and provides clean, crisp views, delivering 99% total light transmission, and protect your eyes.

Smartphone Adapter & Wireless Remote

You can see the sky right on your phone and record the beauty.

Open the clip and secure the phone, then align the phone camera and adapter.

Lock the eyepiece into the threaded sleeve, and tighten the threaded sleeve to the bracket.

Press the eyepiece into the Bottom of the focuser.

Adjust focuser to get a clear image. Use the zoom function to enlarge the image.

Travel Scope AZ70400

Traveled - The body, accessories, and tripod are lightweight and fit conveniently in the provided travel bag for easy portability. for backyard exploring, outdoor adventures, camping trips, and vacations, both kids and adults will enjoy of discovery and observation fun.

Installation - Assembly typically takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Regardless of previous astronomical equipment experience, the step-by-step guide makes putting the telescope together quick and easy.

Simplicity and Convenience - Lenses are easily swapped, and the focused uses a standard rack-and-pinion system, allowing fine-tuning to produce a vibrant image. Wide angle and latest generation of HD Gskyer eyepiece are more comfortable to see objects without eye fatigue and dizziness.

Choosing - The affordability of the Gskyer AZ70400 telescope makes it an ideal choice for beginners seeking a telescope that meets a balance between quality and affordable.

Video Astronomy on the Go: Using Video Cameras With Small Telescopes (The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series)

Based on 4 reviews Check latest price

Celestron - NexStar 5SE Telescope - Computerized Telescope for Beginners and Advanced Users - Fully-Automated GoTo Mount - SkyAlign Technology - 40,000+ Celestial Objects - 5-Inch Primary Mirror

Celestron

Based on 266 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The best telescope is the one used often to enjoy the beauty and intrigue of the night sky. For those searching for telescopes for astronomy beginners that are infused with the latest computer technology, Celestron’s NexStar 5SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope fits the bill perfectly. The NexStar 5SE Computerized Telescope features Celestron’s iconic “orange tube” design and updated technology with the latest features for amazing stargazing for beginners and experienced observers. Celestron’s signature telescope combines advanced features and excellent optics in one easy-to-use system, the NexStar 5SE. It’s the perfect choice for your first serious telescope, offering striking views at an economical price.

The five-inch primary mirror in this computerized telescope packs enough light-gathering ability to observe the best that our Solar System has to offer, from Saturn’s rings to the cloud bands on Jupiter and geographic features on the surface of the Moon. When it comes to deep sky objects, take your 5SE to a dark-sky site and you’ll see hundreds of pinpoint stars in the Hercules Globular Cluster, the spiral arms of the Whirlpool Galaxy, and more. Featuring a database of more than 40,000 celestial objects, the 5SE’s GoTo mount automatically locates and tracks objects for you. You can also take a Sky Tour and let your telescope show you the best objects currently visible. The single fork arm design and sturdy steel tripod all assemble and break down from separate components for easy transportation. SkyAlign technology gets your telescope aligned and ready to observe in minutes. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the night sky, you can easily align your telescope on any 3 bright objects.

The NexStar 5SE is a telescope that will grow with you as you advance in the hobby of astronomy. It’s compatible with all the high-tech accessories advanced users love. Provide GPS coordinates to your telescope with SkySync, or add automatic alignment functionality with StarSense AutoAlign.

Buy with confidence from the world’s #1 telescope brand, based in California since 1960. You’ll also receive a two-year warranty and unlimited access to technical support from our team of US-based experts.

Celestron's NexStar 5 SE computerized telescope combines excellent optics and easy computerized GoTo tracking in a convenient portable size. The standard equipment tripod and mount feature easy no-tool setup, and the package even includes a student version of "The Sky" planetarium software for your computer.

The excellent optics of Celestron's classic C5 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope have been updated with premium Starbright XLT optical coatings. This telescope consistently delivers crisp, high contrast views of the moon, the planets, and brighter deep space objects. The standard equipment 25mm plossl eyepiece produces a magnification of 50x, powerful enough to show the rings of Saturn, the cloud bands of Jupiter, and the changing face of the Lunar disk. Optional eyepieces can be added to bring out significantly more detail. I like to use a 12.5mm plossl (100x magnification) or a 7.5mm Ultrascopic eyepiece (166x) for high power views of the planets. With the 7.5mm Ultrascopic eyepiece I can usually see the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings and cloud bands on the planet itself. I like to use a 32mm plossl eyepiece for great low power views of deep space highlights like the Orion Nebula or the Double Cluster in Perseus.

The NexStar 5 SE package also includes a sturdy adjustable tripod, a motorized alt-azimuth mount, and the NexStar hand held computer controller. You won't need a GPS receiver or star charts to operate this telescope. The SkyAlign procedure is easy to use, and experienced observers will like the two-star align and solar-system align options because they are even quicker to set up. The steel tripod and alt-azimuth mount provide a solid base for the NexStar 5 SE. Vibration is not a problem, even while focusing at high power. The computerized tracking is also very good, easily keeping planets in the field of a high power eyepiece. The disadvantage of a computerized telescope, of course, is battery consumption. I like to use a rechargeable Celestron Power Tank because the standard AA alkaline batteries only last a few hours.

This telescope is perfect for visual observing, and allowed me to capture some sweet images of the moon and planets using a Celestron NexImage web-cam. For long exposure deep space photography, however, I'd take a look at Celestron's Advanced Series equatorial telescopes such as the C6 N-GT --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

Excellent optics
Light and portable
Computerized GoTo tracking

Cons:

Short battery life
Too light for deep space photography

Suggested Options: Celestron Nine-Piece Accessory Kit Celestron Power Tank Battery Celestron NexImage Webcam

From the Manufacturer

Manufacturer Description

Featuring high-quality Schmidt-Cassegrain optics, the NexStar 5 SE is an ideal telescope for observing and photographing the wonders of space. With a total weight of 28 pounds including the tripod, the ultra portable 5 SE features a precision optical system with 1,250mm focal length (f10) standard with our premium StarBright XLT coatings and offers 56% more light gathering power than a 4-inch model.

The 5 SE includes a camera control feature that allows you to remotely take a series of timed exposures using your digital SLR camera. Plus the tripod featuring a built-in wedge helps make short-exposure astrophotography a heavenly experience.

About the NexStar SE Series:

NexStar 5 SE Highlights:

The NexStar 5 SE has all the same features as Celestron's most advanced computerized GoTo telescopes, including our revolutionary SkyAlign alignment technology, a sky tour feature, a database of nearly 40,000 celestial objects, and easy-to-use hand control.

Plug the optional CN-16 GPS accessory into NexStar's auxiliary port and download data from orbiting GPS satellites for truly quick and easy alignments. The universe may be full of mysteries, but using the NexStar 5 SE isn't one of them.

In the tradition of Celestron's famous orange optical tubes, the NexStar SE Family combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with state-of-the-art features including a fully computerized operating system, flash upgradeable hand control, our superior StarBright XLT coatings, our revolutionary SkyAlign telescope alignment software, and much more.

Whether you are a seasoned astronomer looking for a portable scope with advanced features or just starting your astronomy adventure and looking for an easy way to enjoy the night sky, a NexStar SE will help you take a closer look.

Every NexStar SE includes a version of The Sky software Level 1 Planetarium software for exploring the Universe on your PC and printing out custom star charts of the sky. In addition, you receive our NexRemote software that allows you to operate your telescope via your PC. This software package, valued at over $100, is included free with your NexStar SE!

General Features:

5-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
SE combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with the latest state-of-the-art features
StarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standard
StarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objects
Quick-release fork arm mount, optical tube, and accessory tray for no-tool setup
Sturdy computerized altazimuth mount
Internal battery compartment to prevent cord wrap during use
Ultra sturdy steel tripod features built-in wedge which allows 5 SE to be used for astrophotography
Includes CD-ROM "The Sky" astronomy software which provides education about the sky and printable sky maps

Computerized Features:

Proven NexStar computer control technology
Nearly 40,000 object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects
SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process
Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet
Includes a camera control feature and shutter release cable that allows you to remotely take a series of exposures using your digital SLR camera
Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple, and quadruple stars; variable star; solar systems; objects and asterisms
DC Servo motors with encoders on both axes
Double line, 16-character liquid crystal display hand control with backlit LED buttons for easy operation of go-to features
NexRemote telescope control software and RS-232 cable included for advanced control of your telescope via computer
GPS-compatible with optional CN16 GPS accessory

Nexstar computerized telescope: The NexStar 5SE Computerized Telescope features Celestron’s iconic orange tube design with updated technology and the latest features for amazing stargazing for beginners and experienced observers.
5-Inch aperture: The five-inch primary mirror in this Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope for adults and kids to be used together packs enough light-gathering ability to observe the best that our Solar System has to offer, while retaining a compact form factor.
Fully-automated go to mount: Featuring a database of more than 40,000 celestial objects, the go to mount built into our telescopes for astronomy beginners automatically locates and tracks objects for you. Tracking Rates-Sidereal, Solar and Lunar. Tracking Modes-Alt-Az, EQ North & EQ South
Easy to assemble and break down: The single fork arm design and sturdy steel tripod all assemble and break down from separate components for easy transportation. SkyAlign technology gets your telescope aligned and ready in minutes.
Bonus free starry night software: The NexStar 5SE Telescope includes a free download of one of the top consumer rated astronomy software programs for an interactive sky simulation.
Unbeatable warranty and customer support: Buy with confidence from the world’s #1 telescope brand, based in California since 1960. You’ll also receive a two-year warranty and unlimited access to technical support from our team of US-based experts.

User questions & answers

Question:	Why doesn't this telescope come with Equatorial mount? I would think it should since it's a very good piece of optic
Answer:	Check this link out http://www.astronomyforum.net/celestron-nexstar-telescope-forum/134708-nexstar-slt-127-vs-5se-6se.html
Question:	Is this a good telescope for a new astronomer / astrophotographer to use to start out? How much extra gear would I need to get
Answer:	not sure about the c6 or c8, however, it is the exact same bracket as the stock straight through 9x50 that comes on the cpc1100, slides right on.hope this helps...
Question:	What is the exact weight of the package in pounds? The amazon description says it weighs 39 pounds! this telescope is very small! I need to know
Answer:	LZ_Xray has a good scale - the Celestron web site lists weight as 24 oz - also known as 1.5 pounds
Question:	What is the difference between the Celestron Nexstar 127slt and the Nexstar 5se? Which one is better
Answer:	Yes and it’s a great finder scope easy to use and set up

Product features

Your Journey Through The Cosmos Begins Here

Celestron’s signature 'orange tube' telescope, designed to deliver one of the best stargazing experience for users of all levels

Fast Setup with SkyAlign

Celestron’s proprietary SkyAlign procedure has you ready to observe in minutes. Center any three bright objects in the eyepiece and NexStar SE aligns to the night sky, ready to locate thousands of stars, galaxies, and more.

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books)

National Geographic Kids

Based on 12 reviews Check latest price

Occer Telescopes for Adults Kids - Portable Telescope for Beginners for View Moon - 70mm Aperture 300mm Lightweight Refracting Telescopes with Adjustable Tripod Moon Filter Wireless Remote

Occer

Based on 167 reviews Check latest price

User questions & answers

Question:	Is this telescope fit for kids
Answer:	Yes, the portable telescope has a universal phone adapter. It also comes with a button shutter for capturing image at anytime.
Question:	Does this telescopes come with a moon filter
Answer:	You can avoid this by either spending $99 extra on Celestron's wifi module, or by tethering the handset through its USB plug to a laptop. Then you can save some time on setup by syncing your local time and GPS location to the scope on startup, with the added advantage of using planetarium software like SkySafari to select 10x more targets with a point and click. Basically controlling your scope with the laptop or phone.
Question:	Can you connect this to a dslr camera using this adapter? https://www.amazon.com/dp/b013did11a/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_bibzfbwgkaahn?psc
Answer:	With the 130 SLT Newtonian, you absolutely need a collimator. Mine needed to be collimated before its first use. Use a laser collimator to make things go easy and you will have the scope collimated in just a few minutes. I bought the SVBONY Laser Collimator 1.25'' Metal with 2" Adapter but there are others that work equally well.
Question:	Can I attach my phone to the telescope
Answer:	Details on planets depend on several things: Telescope alignment, quality of eyepieces, distance to the planet, and the planet itself.If you don't have a laser collimator, get one. They are well worth the $50-$70. While the secondary on this scope will stay very nicely in place, the primary (being heavier among other things) will need regular alignment and a laser collimator makes this less than a 5 minute job.The eyepieces that come with this scope aren't the best. If you want to do decent planetary viewing, get a good 6mm eyepiece. (Expect to spend at least $100, and read reviews from users to get the best bang for your buck.)While you'll get some good views of Saturn and Venus, and some really excellent views of Jupiter, Mars (and Mercury) generally don't show much detail. Further, right now, Mars is a great distance away from us and getting farther away each day. Every planet will give the best views when it is closest to us with Mars and Venus showing the biggest improvements when closest.When a planet rises at sunset, it is closest, or at "opposition." This also puts the plent highest above the horizonn around midnight, but gives good views starting around 9 PM.Your best view of Mars will come again on May 22, 2016. Jupiter Feb 6th, 2015, and Saturn on May 23rd, 2015. But note even then, Mars will not yield much detail beyand a distinctly orange disk and a definite whiteish area at the pole.When searching for eyepieces, you might also want to investigate a good 14-16mm eyepiece plus a 10% transmission filter for really great lunar views!For solar/sunspot viewing, you will need a special filter that fits over the front of the telescope tube.

Product features

Portable Scope with Adjustable Telescopes Stand

The professional high power telescope with tripod + Moon filter + H20mm eyepiece + H6mm eyepiece + barlow lens +1.5x Erecting Eyepiece + finder scope and diagonal mirror. Adopted with fully multi layered glass provide a clear and bright image. It would be the best gifts for explorer,and can be used as science toys for student.

Finder scope

The telescope for adults with 5x24 finder scope can help you find object quickly,then you can observed via telescope.
Besides, The telescopes tripod with 360 °rotation design can be adjusted different viewing angle.

Adjustable Tripod (16.5-49.6in)

Compared to others tripod,Our scope stand can be adjusted the height and suitable for more kind of people.
Using aluminum alloy materials is stable and durable.
The phone holder also can be used with monocular,binoculars,spotting scope,etc.

Moon Filter

Our refractor telescope comes with moon filter.
The moon filter of the telescope not only can help reduce eye strain,but also can improve contrast and surface detail of the planet.
Giving you a better astronomical experience.

How to Install Phone Holder

Marine Handicrafts, 4.5'' Antique, Vintage Brass & Leather Telescope/Spyglass with Wooden Box, A

Check latest price

Product description

Color:Brown 4.5''BRASS ANTIQUE TELESCOPE WITH WOODEN BOX A VINTAGE SPYGLASS GIFT size - 4.5 inch material brass & leather with wooden box

Color:Brown 4.5''BRASS ANTIQUE TELESCOPE WITH WOODEN
BOX A VINTAGE SPYGLASS GIFT size - 4.5 inch material brass & leather with wooden box

Scholastic Science Vocabulary Readers - Space Books Set (6 Books) for Grades 1-2: The Earth, The Sun, The Moon, The Planets, The Solar System, Stars and Constellations

Based on 194 reviews Check latest price

Making Beautiful Deep-Sky Images: Astrophotography with Affordable Equipment and Software (The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series)

Based on 9 reviews Check latest price

My Name is Anton: A Novel

Based on 1 reviews Check latest price

Celestron - 70mm Travel Scope - Portable Refractor Telescope - Fully-Coated Glass Optics - Ideal Telescope for Beginners - BONUS Astronomy Software Package

Celestron

Based on 7 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Designed with American innovation for beginner stargazers, the Celestron Travel Scope 70 is a professionally engineered refractor telescope that is perfect for celestial or terrestrial viewing on the go. It’s the perfect telescope for adults and kids to use together with its fully-coated, high-quality glass optics, including a refractor-style 70mm objective lens. The aperture allows high-resolution viewing, without adding a lot of extra weight. Added coating on the 70mm lens allows light to enter, providing sharper, crisper viewing of celestial and terrestrial objects during the day or at night.

The Celestron telescope for beginners is designed with several operating features that make it exceptionally user-friendly. Our precision manufacturing standards and high-quality materials are unmatched in the industry. We’ve included two quality eyepieces (20mm and 10mm) and a star diagonal for crisp low- and high-power viewing during the day or at night, allowing you to enjoy close-ups of wildlife in nature or stargaze with family and friends.

The Celestron Travel Scope 70 weighs just 3.3 pounds and assembles in seconds with no tools required. It’s easy to use to navigate the sky. When your observing session is over, everything packs up into the handy included traveling backpack.

Your purchase also entitles you to a FREE download of Celestron’s BONUS Starry Night Astronomy Software with information on thousands of celestial objects, printable sky maps, and more. It’s the best way to learn about the night sky and plan your next observing session.

Superior optics: The Celestron 70mm Travel Scope features high-quality, fully-coated glass optics, a potent 70mm objective lens, a lightweight frame, and a custom backpack to carry it all. Its quality is unmatched in its class and against competitors.
Powerful eyepieces for up-close viewing: Our telescope for astronomy beginners is equipped with two high-quality eyepieces (20mm and 10mm) that provide low- and high-power views of celestial objects at night and terrestrial objects during the day.
Large 70mm objective lens: Our refractor telescope is equipped with a large 70mm aperture objective lens that provides enhanced, brighter views compared to the 50mm model while adding very little additional weight. Setting up and using the Travel Scope is quick and easy.
Bonus bag, tripod, and software: This Celestron telescope and full-height tripod can be taken anywhere in the included travel backpack. Accessories also include a FREE download of one of the top consumer rated astronomy software programs.
Unbeatable warranty and customer support: Buy with confidence from the world’s #1 telescope brand, based in California since 1960. You’ll also receive a two-year warranty and unlimited access to technical support from our team of US-based experts.

User questions & answers

Question:	can this scope be used as a spotting scope for bird watching
Answer:	Excellent for bird-watching. At 20x, it's fine. At 40x (long distance) you may want a strudier tripod, and because it's daylight, you can look through the smaller 42mm hole (take off the little cap) in the dust cap and that will improve the sharpness at high power. If you want a better spotting scope, simply buy a fancy wide-angle/high-performance 1.25 eyepiece (super-plossl, etc), around 15 mm focal length.
Question:	You say that any tripod that I use for photography should work. Does that mean that I can screw my tripod head into the telescope
Answer:	Yes. As others have said, the tripod that comes with the telescope is reallllly flimsy. There are a couple of screw holes on the bottom of the telescope. I was able to attache the telescope to my other tripod using the detachable head on the tripod.
Question:	I'm a real beginner/plan to purchase this for my son so we can both explore the night sky, etc. Is it really easy to setup?/How long will it take
Answer:	The scope is really good for beginners and it is easy to set up. As others have said the the included tripod is small for portability and not very stable. If used fully "retracted" on the hood of a car for example, it's OK. I've used it with a Celestron 7.5MM eyepiece and a 2x barlow lens and it can still resolve the rings of Saturn on a clear night. It's not designed for that kind of magnification but for an inexpensive scope with simple lenses I was impressed. I wouldn't recommend trying that though until you have some practice on focus, finding objects in the sky, and purchasing a heavy duty camera tripod. You must remember even with the highest power eyepieces, which you only want to consider using for viewing planets, objects are really small which is due to it's 400mm focal length. Overall it's WAY better than spending 40-50 dollars on a cheap toy at the local discount store. Another good option comparable to this is the Orion 76mm Fun Scope. It's really only for table top use but it's easy to swivel up/down left/right. It is a reflector though and images don't appear as crisp in my opinion. You'll find out that half the quality of a telescope is how good the tripod or mounting set up is. For the price you can't go wrong with this scope. I own several telescopes from computer driven to large reflectors and still grab this for quick views of Orions belt, Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon, and star clusters like the double cluster and the Pleiades. Just to add to an already long answer, I added an inexpensive laser object finder (similar to the Celestron Star Finder) instead of the mostly useless viewfinder. It makes it ten times easier to point the scope at objects you're trying to look at and it doesn't take much modifications to get it screwed to the scope tube or stuck on with foam tape. Your son will thank you!
Question:	can i see with my left eye
Answer:	Only if you look at objects on the left....use right eye for objects on the right side....if its straight above you , you can use both eyes.

Product features

Travel Scope 70

Grab the Celestron Travel Scope 70 and go anywhere—from your backyard to another continent. Ample optical performance is packed and ready in this ultra-portable backpack kit.