Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope
by Celestron
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: CelestronModel: 21024
Product features:
- FirstScope Telescope
- 76mm aperture reflector optical tube
- Moveable tube for ease of navigation for viewing
- Lightweight, portable
- Two eyepieces included
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope
Customer Review: Amazing scope for the price; A great introduction to the night sky.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never owned a telescope before, but have found myself looking up at the stars often at night, exploring online through the Microsoft World Wide Telescope and Google Earth's view of the night sky with an urge to take a deeper look at it for myself. Opening up I was impressed by how small it was, but also how sturdy the construction was. It rotates smoothly on a table, and pivots up and down quite easily after loosening the adjustment knob.
On the first clear night I took the scope out to peer into the constellation Orion, with a netbook running Google Earth's in sky mode. Although the scope's instruction informed me that the view of the stars through the scope would be rotated 180*, being able to determine which stars were which was extremely confusing. I could identify the stars I was wanting to look at with my bare eyes, but had lots of trouble lining them up in the telescope. That night after spending a couple of hours I came back in disappointed that I didn't identify any particular star with confidence. The moon wasn't out that night, so perhaps it would have been a better target for my first attempt.
The second night I took it out I got a better handle on the telescope was able to successfully target and identify the key stars in the Orion belt, and made lots of attempts to make out details in nebula's nearby. Since then I've been able to identify Jupiter, three of it's moons, the Pleiades star cluster, and a couple of other items in the winter northern night sky (pointing south-east.)
The 20mm eyepiece was the most helpful at identifying what I wanted to see. With it along with Google Earth I was able to identify many items I didn't know. The 4mm had a very high zoom (75x) and I was hoping to be able to make out some sort of detail in Jupiter's belts, but was unsuccessful as the zoom was not quite high enough. Jupiter was still just a tiny circle with three little white spec's in a row next too it. With the assistance of a couple of reviews on this product here I purchased a set of eyepieces to use with this scope to get much more out of it's mirrors.
Pros:
- The price: I've been able to see far more with this scope than I have ever imagined seeing with my bare eyes at night.
- The size: Being able to quickly move this scope in and out really helps me get engaged in star viewing on a cold night; there's just nothing really to setup.
- The first experience: This was my first scope, and I'm now really energized to learn more and save up for a more-intermediate scope.
- Standard size components: I didn't expect to being able to purchase just any eyepiece. I purchased the Meade Series 4000 Eyepiece for Telescopewith Filter Set whose eyepieces and filters worked with this scope. A great value-add. (Note the exception of the barlow below)
- The mirrors: With the purchase of additional eyepieces, views of the stars at both high and low magnification (6.7mm-32mm) were crisp and clear.
- The eyepieces: for the price the two included eyepieces did their job well.
Cons:
- The focal length of the scope seems pretty good compared to other scopes in this price range, however if you purchase an additional barlow, make sure it will be able to focus on this scope. Celestron says it needs to have it's lense close to the end of the tube. The barlow that came with the Meade 4000 set would not focus.
- The images through the scope with the included eyepieces. I was completely blown away by the difference in the Meade eyepieces compared to those that are included.
- The ease-of-use of the included eyepieces. On really cold nights I found it very difficult to remove the eyepieces (especially the 4mm) from the scope. There is really nothing to grab on to, and I was worried it would slip out of my hand when removing.
- Tightening the adjustment nob tended to force the scope downward. Aiming the image slightly above the target helped counteract this effect.
Conclusion: I find it difficult to imagine a better first time telescope for this price. It helped me decide whether or not I wanted to invest more into the hobby in the future, which I can now say confidently that I do!
Description of Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope
FirstScope Telescope Official Product of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. Ideal astronomical entry level telescope. The FirstScope Telescope pays tribute to Galileo Galilei and may of history's most notable astronomers and scientists. We honor these men and women for their contributions bringing us one step closer to understanding the universe around us. The compact design makes it easy to take with you on your next outdoor adventure. The FirstScope is also stylish enough to be used as a decorative fixture on your bookshelves or desk.Reflectors
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