Travel Scope 70 Portable Refractor Telescope – 70mm Aperture, Fully-Coated Glass Optics – Includes Tripod, Backpack & Software – Ideal for Beginners & Travel

I wanted a telescope that would grow with my grandkid who was turning 8 and this was one of her birthday gifts. In making this choice, I turned to the reviews left by fellow Amazon reviewers. This telescope elicited mostly favorable responses and convinced me that with all its features it would be a good buy. As it turned out, I am glad I turned to the reviews. My greatest concern was the tripod but it is stable yet light enough to not be cumbersome and is easy to use and set up. The magnification/optics are good and produces a detailed view of the night sky, stars, etc. Best feature of all is the response from my grand daughter. She drags her dad to the park near their home and is really enjoying this telescope. However, I suggest you read Amazon's description that convinced me it was easy to use and had a lot of features that could grow with the child. The truth is this is not really a toy. It is a learning experience. My grandkid is learning about the planets and the stars. She has been dragging her parents to the planetarium in the city and learning a lot which carries over to using this telescope. If treated kindly, this telescope should last for years. It is fairly well made considering its modest price. Included is a backpack/case that offers good protection and makes it conveniently portable. The only thing that I can add is that this works far better in the country without the interference of city lights. The view is better in the country without mechanical interferences and really couldn't be more lovely.

I really like this travel telescope at 70mm. Here is how to really fall in love with it. Purchase the used like new offer and then spend the money you saved to buy an upgraded red dot finder this is a must to avoid frustration, and a better upgraded aluminum camera tripod stand for stability. Then grab a 45-degree diagonal for terrestrial viewing and 90 degrees for celestial viewing. Pick up a zoom eyepiece or a svbony or astromania 25mm eyepiece and you'll love it!. It's a great telescope! The finder-scope and tripod are a wobbly junk mess. These lil cheap upgrades the whole thing cost $172 total and produces the same exact sight picture as seen in my first light FL-80640 telescope.

Celestron travel scope is a good product for what it is made for. It is primarily a terrestrial viewing scope. The objective (large lens in front of the scope) is good quality and is functional. However, the eyepieces that come with the scope are (in my opinion) lower quality (this is probably done to keep the total cost of the scope low). Without a decent eyepiece the experience of viewing objects will be minimal. What I did was invest about $25.00 (they can be higher priced - based on quality) in a good quality 20mm x1.25 inch (a good standard starting size) "Plossel" type eyepiece (several listed on Amazon for under $30.00). The addition of a higher quality eyepiece really changed the viewing experience with this scope. Or, if you want to get into astronomical viewing with this scope Celestron makes an Observers Accessory Kit (#94308- you can get it on Amazon - about $70.00). It comes with two Plossel eyepieces -17mm and 6mm-, a moon filter (definitely will need it to bring down the glare if observing the moon), a 2X Barlow lens (doubles the magnification of the eyepieces), and two planetary filters, and a case. It seems like a well put together and thought out accessory kit (I know, another $70.00 !!). Also (as stated in other reviews) the tripod is weak (when extended to its full length). What I recommend is getting a sturdy table (and chair) and set the tripod (in its non-extended or shortest length) on the table. Sit in the chair, and rotate the 45 degree prism (with eyepiece attached) until you can see what you want. You don't need to be standing to view the stars (or whatever)!! It is even better to get a 90 degree correct image diagonal to view the heavens with (that way you don't have to bend over so far, and you can aim the scope higher - I know even more money - actually about $45.00 for a starter correct image diagonal). Become familiar with how the pieces attach (eyepiece to 45 degree prism to insertion in the telescopes focusing tube-and how they can be rotated to your seated position) and you will get a lot more enjoyment out of this well made product. Remember, this is not a heavy duty alt-azimuth tripod with slow motion controls (Celestron #93607 - which looks like it would fit this scopes screw on base). It is basically a standard camera tripod. You will have to "play" with it and figure out (especially on celestial objects) how to aim it high and then tighten the adjustments (which will lower the object into your field of view). You could even buy a heavier tripod with the same type of adjustments that this tripod has - Celestron #93610- it would make the scope more secure if you needed to fully extend the legs on the tripod - I have one that I use with some of my other telescopes - you just have to get used to the way it adjusts -think each mentioned tripod is about $80.00 to $90.00 (that money just keeps adding up !!). The adjustment for lowering the object into view while tightening the tripod controls takes some getting used to, but it can be learned -and is part of the overall "experience" of this fine travel scope. Also, about the adjustments on the tripod. The vertical (up and down) lever on the tripod - do not back it out all the way. What happened to me is that a small nut that attaches the handle to the tripod will fall out. So what I did was put a piece of tape over the hole where the nut is - so if I backed out the adjustment to far, the nut would not fall out (no big deal - just need to be aware that it could happen). I have had this scope for several years, and have seen many celestial objects with it (although I use a correct image 90 degree star diagonal - as stated previously). It is a nice scope for its intended purpose, however (in my opinion) it does need a couple of upgrades (as suggested). Further, if you need to make the tripod more secure when it is on a table top or partially extended - try draping some "strap on ankle weights" over one or more of the tripod's braces (let one or both sides of the weight rest on the table - so you don't over stress the brace). I had some old strap on ankle weights lying around, just draped one over the brace (without strapping it down), and it makes it much more secure. Also, you get two ankle braces in a set. So you will have an extra one if you need it !! So let's review. The most important item on any telescope is the objective lens (as stated previously) the large lens in the front of the scope. The Celestron Travel scope objective lens is of good quality, that's where I think the product excels. I recommend to buy a higher quality eyepiece (Plossel type), add some weight to the tripod (as suggested)-do not extend the tripod into its fully extended position (becomes really shaky and weak)-keep it as "low as possible"-preferably on a table top (add an "ankle weight" to the fold out extensions), learn how to rotate the 45 degree diagonal so you can view while seated (this won't change the correct image view of the object), and you have a very well made, fairly light weight travel scope. I have used this scope for terrestrial and astronomical purposes, and as a "spotting scope" while at the range. Works perfectly !! I hope this review has assisted you in your decision (I know -I didn't intend for this review to be so long - but there you have it !!). Have fun !!

TL;DR Review: Great portable scope. Get a separate tripod - tripod wobbles. Definitely recommended for anyone who would like to take a scope with them on a trip, for someone who doesn't have the space for a permanently mounted scope, for a student whose interested in astronomy, or as a fun add-on to keep in the trunk on trips to anywhere. It’s small, lightweight, and priced right. It’s light enough that a five-year old could carry it for an entire trip without effort, giving them direct participation in the setup process. This is an amazing little telescope which you can easily take anywhere you're going. Looking at the moon, you'll be able to see the moon in fantastic detail, clearly seeing the ridges of the craters peaking above the moon's northern pole. Aimed at any patch of the sky, stars will become visible when before you saw nothing but darkness. As with all telescopes with this magnification, you will not see the individual rings of Saturn, but you will be able to make out the halo of the rings. Jupiter's moons, though, will be easy to spot, but speaking of spots, you won't see Jupiter's red-spot. Mars and Venus are indistinctive. As for galaxies, if you know where to look, Andromeda can be seen. As for using this scope for daytime viewing of birds and bees, it's perfect. My recommendation is to pair this scope with a Gosky Cell Phone Adapter Mount (you can order one here on Amazon - see my review for photos and videos take with it) and use your phone's camera to capture some amazing shots. Note positioning the Gosky is tricky, so prepared to be frustrated as you try to get the phone's camera and the telescope aligned. It’s not a defect and it's not something you're doing wrong - it's just worth it, but difficult. And if you want to get photos of objects you can't even see through the telescope with your phone, Google "android [or iphone] astronomy photo stacking", "NightCap Pro," or "iastrophotography". What makes this scope a winner it how easy it is to carry around. The included backpack has enough extra space that you can easily toss a laptop or Chromebook in it - I have. It also comes with two high-quality eyepieces (20mm and 10mm) which allow you toquickly switch them up as needed. Each lens also comes with a cap (a needed feature), though I wouldn't fret too much if I lost one. The side finderscope is well aligned and will make targeting much simpler. But the tripod! The tripod! It's OK, but because it's tiny and lightweight, it's not stiff and suffers from touch-wobble. You'll repeatedly find yourself aiming for an object and then when you let go of the telescope or tripod, sometimes it will move out of alignment. You just need to be cognizant of this and use a light touch once you've locked it down to where you want to aim. Since I’ve gotten it, my son and I have used it in City locations and in the country – obviously it works great in both locations. So if the tripod is poor - why did you give it 5 stars instead of 4? For the size, price, and weight of the tripod, it’s what you would expect. A sturdier tripod will weigh a whole lot more and will be bigger, killing the portability aspects of what without the tripod would automatically make this a 5-star telescope. So it’s neither the tripod’s fault nor the Celestron’s. A better-built tripod would weigh more and cost a lot more. As a person who doesn’t read manuals, do read the instruction manual. Some parts aren’t obvious. I managed to figure out how to put it together but would have had a much easier time if I had taken two minutes to flip through the instruction manual.

This spotting scope is reasonably okay, but with some caveats. For starters: the included tripod is awful, and belongs in the garbage. It is a flimsy piece of plastic that breaks into several seconds of uncontrollable wobbling from the slightest movement. This instability makes everything about using this scope much harder than it needs to be, from focusing the scope to moving it around and even observing through it. If you do choose to purchase this telescope, you will need to purchase at least a reasonable digital camera mount to mount the telescope on. Furthermore, Celestron includes a 45 degree star diagonal with this scope. While this is well and good for terrestrial observation, observing anything higher than 45 degrees above the horizon will require you to look upward into the eyepiece to go higher in the sky. If you want to use this scope for astronomical observation, you'll need to get a 90 degree star diagonal so you can actually comfortably look up into the sky. The included viewfinder with this scope is bad. It's awful. I seriously think a child's toy telescope has a better field of view. This is not as big of a deal as the scope itself has a very wide field of view and you can easily find targets of interest with just the telescope. Those two necessary upgrades for astronomical observation, a better tripod and a 90 degree star diagonal, will increase the total price for this scope by about $100. Given that the actual optics are of reasonable quality for the price point, and I've very much enjoyed observing through this telescope once the necessary improvements were made.

I don't know why people are expecting the results of the Hubble Telescope in the reviews. It does exactly what it's designed to do. It takes the moon and makes it look like a large marble that's placed a few inches from your eye that's in pretty good focus. You can see some craters on the Moon, but you can't see Niel Armstrong's footprints. You can see the rings of Saturn, but you can't count them like a tree that's been cut in half. I'm not sure why some individuals have ridiculous expectations for something that's less than $100... There are better scopes out there, sure, but it's a great beginner scope for kids and amateurs. I got this for my 7 year old who has shown interest in the Cosmos. If he really gets into it, I'll invest more later and pass this to his younger siblings. For right now, it's perfect. The frame is light, but the scope is light and doesn't need a heavy duty frame. It holds the scope, which is what it's designed to do. All the pieces were accounted for, and it came with a backpack so it can be taken on trips so you don't need to buy a separate case to hold it when you're traveling in the car or walking somewhere. It does what it was designed to do. Great for kids and amateurs at a modest price to see nature, take it to a long distance shooting range, see space a bit better, and anything else that is legal to do. If you want to see a nebula, and have a few thousand dollars to spare, go for it and buy that kind of scope. For the normal people with real expectations, this is a great telescope for beginners and kids. Well worth the investment if you're unsure if you want to invest a large amount of money to see footprints on the Moon. Take care!

Although I am not a newbie with regard to an interest and study in the stars - and I have also been in one or two very sophisticated observatories in the past - yet I am a complete newbie with personal telescopes. So after reading the reviews, I bought the Celestron Travel Scope 70. I didn't expect the perfect telescope, but one which would allow me to do a fair amount of amateur observing without too much hassle and with satisfied expectations. This telescope does just that. The assembly was a snap, and after playing with the scope in the daytime and familiarizing myself (and discovering) its features, it easily meets, and - based on some of the reviews - easily exceeds my expectations. I don't find the tripod to be a real issue, but then, I make sure I have a firm foundation to set it upon. I did not read anywhere - maybe I missed it - about turning the Pan Handle clockwise/counter-clockwise to smooth out the altitude adjustments, but I quickly discovered that by playing with the scope during the day. In short, I played with every thing on the scope I could find, and now I've pretty well got it figured out. The only thing I don't really care for is the Finderscope, but not because it's plastic, but because - as of yet, anyway - I have found it to be pretty much useless, whether it's plastic or titanium or kryptonite. I can use the 20mm to find just about anything I want, and then I can use the 10mm to focus more powerfully on the object I have found with the 20mm. I can see ants crawling on a tree at a hundred yards, at least, and I can read the text on license plates which I can't even see with the naked eye. While practicing, I read the text on a street sign clearly, even though I couldn't even see the street sign itself with the naked eye. Having learned and familiarized myself with the telescope by putting it through its paces in the daytime - which is an absolute must if you're a beginner, if you really want to learn the scope, that is - then viewing the night sky is a great deal more fun. The moon and its features are crisp (and I am near a big city), albeit the stars and planets I'm just now getting to, so can't say anything definitive on that yet, but based on the other reviews, and based on what I've seen so far with this scope, the planets and stars should easily meet or exceed my expectations for this scope. If you are a complete beginner, even if you're an adult (which people who don't really know me would say that I am), then this scope is a great value, and it will easily help you determine whether or not you want to go on to fry bigger fish in the future. Moreover, don't discount what you might learn by using this scope instead of going on to bigger fish right away. This scope will give you a far better feel for the issue, and will teach you some little but important things that will help you with more professional scopes in the future, should you decide to go that route. Also, the SkyX Software included with this scope is a terrific value in and of itself, and is a tremendous tool for the beginning/amateur astronomer. So rather than going out and plunking down a lot of money for a professional scope right off the bat, give this one a try, for it is a great beginning tool, especially for the price.

Everything about this telescope is garbage. The manual looks like it was written 30 years ago. The manufacturer can't even include clear photos or diagrams. And how hard would it be to make a 90 second video showing people how to assemble it? They don't even have that. At any rate, I was able to assemble it (no thanks to the photos), but quickly realized the tripod was total garbage. It's flimsy and wobbly, and the screws that hold the telescope in place are also complete crap. The movement is not smooth at all, and the telescope will not stay in place when you try to tighten the screws, making your view useless. The topmost extension is especially useless, because no matter how much you tighten it, it wobbles, and will slip down as soon as you make the tiniest adjustment to the platform. Once you find the right angle of the telescope for the object you are trying to view (which will take a very long time), adjusting the screw to hold it in place will move it so much, that you'll just fight with it over and over again. Because the tripod legs are so flimsy, if you even just bump one of them slightly, your angle is already off. Finding your object in the viewfinder doesn't help (assuming you can ever tighten the screws and still keep the object on center). You'll never be able to see it through the telescope lens anyway. I don't know if it's just not lined up properly, or if the lenses and/or the telescope are just useless, but after an hour and a half of trying to look at the moon (not a terribly difficult object to start with), I just gave up and started the return. I never saw anything through the lens at all. I even just tried holding the telescope (seriously, that was no worse than trying to use the tripod) and aiming at the moon, and nothing. Don't waste your money. I'd still like to have a telescope, but not sure i'd ever buy from this company. Everything about this purchase was a disappointment.