First Light~~~Celestron Travelscope 70

[LukeSkywatcher]

This is not a very long or detailed report but after weeks of only seeing clouds in the sky tonight i was delighted to see a very large patch of clear sky to the N/NE at about 12:15am. Cassiopeia was the most obvious target so i pointed the scope up towards her. Within a few seconds of getting focused a very nice meteor traveled W to E across my FOV (30mm Vixen NPL EP). It wasn't a very bright meteor but it was fast. Most likely a Perseid?. Then the clouds came in from the west. They were not very thick clouds so all was not lost for another look later on.

At about 12:40am there was a break to the east and rising above the trees in my garden was a very bright Jupiter. With the 30mm EP in i could make out a perfect round well defined disc. I then put in a 20mm EP and i started to notice colours (browns and beige's). Then i finally inserted a 10mm EP and was amazed at just how much detail i could see. I could pick up all 4 moons (2 on each side......2 of which were close to the planet and the other 2 were a bit further away). The planet itself was a very pleasing size in the EP. A couple of mins later my eyes were better adapted and i could CLEARLY distinguish the NEB. It appeared as a brown line going across the face of beige Jupiter. Very noticeable was the lack of the SEB. Even with the 70mm scope it truely was very strange to see Jupiter without the SEB.

All in all i am very happy with the performance of the scope so far. It definitely packs a punch for its size. It will be great to have it when traveling.

Hopefully i will have a lengthier report later on if the clouds just ease off a bit.

[johnnyp]

looking good so far then.....hows the tripod luke?

[LukeSkywatcher]

I only use it with the top leg (the thickest) extended because i observe while seated. Its not bad. I've experienced worse. The pan and tilt motion is very smooth and fluid. Its very tight when you lock it off completely, so the scope doesnt move out of position once the motion controls are locked.

[Talitha]

That's great, i'm glad you were able to get out for a bit. Jupiter certainly does look odd without the SEB.

Sounds like you made a good choice for your travel scope, which eyepieces will you be taking?

[LukeSkywatcher]

That's great, i'm glad you were able to get out for a bit. Jupiter certainly does look odd without the SEB.

Sounds like you made a good choice for your travel scope, which eyepieces will you be taking?

Well i just had a few more mins with Jupiter when it was higher, and the views were even better. I could make out the moons with the 30mm EP (i couldnt see them earlier with it). A very nice view was obtained using a 20mm EP and TAL 2X. Much better then when observed with just a 10mm. So i think i will just bring my low powered EP's (40mm,30mm 25mm and 20mm) and also the TAL. Focusing with high powered EP's is a bit tricky. I certainly wouldnt use anything more powerful then 10mm with this scope.

I also got the briefest of views of the Seven Sisters. Then a big cloud rolled in. Spotted a couple more meteors, very nice.

Overall no matter where you point the scope...the images are sharp and bright. Great scope for less then 100 euros.

[mark7331]

Great review Paul, I think I will bag one of those!

Mark

[LukeSkywatcher]

You could do a lot worse Mark. Once you know the scopes limitations and accept then then you wont be disappointed with it. It does exactly what it says it does and it does it well.

P.S.~~I had forgotten what it is like to stay up til 5am observing. I am completely cream crackered this morning. Just as well i am 2 weeks holiday.

[jgs001]

Nice one Paul, sounds like a great little scope.

[johnnyp]

recieved my celestron travel scope today...a great bit of kit for £60 delivered. Much better quality than i expected.

Just a couple of minor gripes...the finder is awful and the 10mm eyepiece is not up to much. but seein as its 1.25 fitment you can use your own or upgrade.

Im nit picking though and this is goin to make a great holiday scope.

Anyone know how easy it would be to attach a RDF?

Cheers

[LukeSkywatcher]

recieved my celestron travel scope today...a great bit of kit for £60 delivered. Much better quality than i expected.

Just a couple of minor gripes...the finder is awful and the 10mm eyepiece is not up to much. but seein as its 1.25 fitment you can use your own or upgrade.

Im nit picking though and this is goin to make a great holiday scope.

Anyone know how easy it would be to attach a RDF?

Cheers

I totally agree. The finderscope is CRUD. I sent mine free of charge to a fellow SGL member.

The 10mm EP is also CRUD.................but the 20mm aint that bad.

[johnnyp]

well im goin to bin the finder...just ordered an RDF to replace it.

Also just ordered a kson 10mm plossl from ebay..worth a punt for a fiver and cant be much worse than the one supplied.

its nice and clear here now...works a treat on my horizon tripod:)

[LukeSkywatcher]

well im goin to bin the finder...just ordered an RDF to replace it.

Also just ordered a kson 10mm plossl from ebay..worth a punt for a fiver and cant be much worse than the one supplied.

its nice and clear here now...works a treat on my horizon tripod:)

Someone here recently bought a Kson 2X barlow. They binned it. They said it was like looking at disco lights there are so many colours in the lens.