Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I think this is a very fair telescope for the price. I used to own a 10" telescope that cost $3000 and had the full electronic controls. I was looking for something more portable as the other one was very large and weighed at least 50 pounds. I was surprised that this one worked pretty well, again for the price. Its not a substitute for $1000 or $3000 scope. Here's what I would want to know if I was new to telescopes and considering buying this. You MUST by the extra lense kit for an additional $150. The lense that comes with it is not that powerful. You'll thank yourself by taking the time to learn how to set up the equitorial mount correctly. And also learn about lenses - you can't just pop in the most powerful lense and get a clear image. Download the celestron app and plan out what you want to see before you're standing outside excited to see something. Astronomy is a lot of fun, but there's a lot to learn. Finally, temper your expectations. You will get great close-ups of the moon. Mars will appear as a reddish dot with no detail. You won't see the colors of Jupiters stripes like a picture from NASA. You'll see that Saturn has a ring, yes it will appear as one light band, not several. And with this scope, nebulae will appear as more of a haze than a colorful exploding cloud. Unlikely be able to make out a galaxy except if you're on a mountain top on a very clear night. If you're a beginner, buy this scope with the additional lense kit and patiently learn how to use it. If you're not a beginner, save your money and get an 8" at least.