Celestron Firstscope 80EQ 80mm Refractor Telescope

by Celestron

Product Details

Product Manual [749kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 39 x 26 x 11 inches ; 44 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 49 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000051TN2
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,801 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 7, 2000

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Celestron's Firstscope 80 EQ refractor bears a strong resemblance to its larger cousin, the well regarded C102HD. When compared to 60mm beginner scopes, the larger optics and sturdier mount of the Firstscope 80 EQ translate into significantly better views of the moon, the planets, and deep space. Even computerized scopes in this price range can't match the Firstscope 80's fine views of the moon and planets.

The Firstscope 80 EQ features a classic achromatic refractor design.

I find views of the moon delightfully crisp and clear with the included 20mm (45x) and 10mm (90x) eyepieces, and even at 120x with my own 7.5mm eyepiece. I can't see the flag on the moon, of course, but I can easily pick out the twin craters Sabine and Ritter near the edge of the Sea of Tranquility where Apollo 11 landed. Jupiter and Saturn show up nicely at magnifications up to 150x, although the blue glow of chromatic aberration (the "false color" seen in achromatic refractors) is visible around Jupiter. The Firstscope 80 EQ is big enough to show Cassini's division in Saturn's rings and even Jupiter's famous great red spot when conditions are at their best.

Many of the sky's best galaxies and star clusters were discovered by comet hunter Charles Messier. Globular cluster "M13" in the constellation Hercules, for instance, is a glowing ball of individual stars in large telescopes. In the Firstscope 80, M13 looks distinctly comet-like with a glowing core and feathery edges, very much like a comet with a short tail. I've even been able to spot a number of galaxies with the Firstscope 80. The included star-pointer finder, which is easy to use while pointing the scope at bright stars and planets, isn't much help for finding galaxies. Instead, I use a technique called star-hopping, starting from a brighter star and using a low power eyepiece to work my way from star to star until I reach the target.

The CG3 equatorial mount included with the Firstscope 80 EQ strikes a balance between sturdiness and portability. Although the image shakes a bit while focusing at high powers, vibrations damp out quickly. Celestron's #93515 motor drive can be added for hands-free tracking of celestial objects. You'll want some star charts to help find planets and star clusters; I like the monthly star charts and viewing tips in Night Sky magazine. Celestron's optional accessory kit includes a set of five better quality plossl eyepieces, this is a worthy upgrade to the basic MA eyepieces that are standard equipment. --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Sharp views of the moon and planets.
• Rugged, maintenance-free optics

Cons:

• Chromatic aberration at 100x and up
• 80mm aperture inadequate for deep space objects

Product Description

Refractor telescopes have a long, thin tube in which light passes in a straight line from the front objective lens directly to the eyepiece, at the opposite end of the tube. Simplicity of design, which translates into reliability and ease of use Little or no maintenance requirements Excellent lunar, planetary and binary star viewing. High contrast images with no secondary mirror or diagonal obstruction. Sealed optical tube, to protect the optics and reduce air currents, which tend to degrade image quality. Permanently mounted and aligned objective lens. Celestron's 80mm refractor is a top choice for beginning observers who want to start with a more powerful telescope and for intermediate level astronomers. This instrument performs equally well viewing within our solar system and for deep-sky observing. Starting with a more powerful telescope can be a good option when you're looking for an instrument to grow with as you explore the hobby of astronomy. Firstscope 80EQ The Firstscope 80 EQ (Model #21086) is a good choice for the more serious beginning astronomer. The setting circles and slow motion controls on the R.A. and DEC. axes allow for greater control in both locating and tracking objects, making this equatorial telescope one you can grow with over time as your observing interests expa nd. The achromatic optics are made to Celestron's exacting specifications and are quite excellent. Th

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice scope- great optics, August 31, 2001

By 

peter s. mizla (CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron Firstscope 80EQ 80mm Refractor Telescope (Electronics)

Good beginner to intermediate scope. Optics are clean,concise and crisp. Even with poor seeing moon, and planets focused sharply. Splits double stars cleanly- shows nice color of stars.
Mount is average- stable - and lightweight to carry. Viewing things at the zenith is hard with many refractors, and this is no different. Finder is not that good. Overall a good scope for the money. Will show better views of double stars, the planets and the moon then any reflector. Ring nebula easily found in semi darkness- M13 looked nice as well.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bare Minimum Requirements for a Starter Scope, August 18, 2005

By 

kone "kone" (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Celestron Firstscope 80EQ 80mm Refractor Telescope (Electronics)

This scope is as very basic starter scope. Here's why:

1. The objective is 80 mm, just over 3.1 inches, so it is jsut adequate to bring in the light necessary for a beginning look at the universe. It is adequate for the moon, and beginning views of the larger planets. The planets will appear as small disks. One will be able to see Saturn's rings, and Jupiter's moons, but the images will be very small. Some deep sky objects will be visible, but faints and fuzzy.

2. The mount will vibrate when touched, which will cause the image in the eyepiece to "shiver", which is very frustrating to the observer.

If additional funds are available, I'd opt for a larger scope with a better mount. Kids will be satisfied with this scope however.

Jim "Konedog" Koenig, astronomy buff

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't get caught up on size, March 1, 2011

By 

norcaltakguy (elk grove) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron Firstscope 80EQ 80mm Refractor Telescope (Electronics)

Dear Amateurs, You can increase a certian ammount of planetary detail with the use on colored filters. While your aperture ( scope size ) will impact your light gathering and with the use of filtering decrease light even further you maybe able to increase your contrast to bring out additional features. Also, whenever you use a inexpensive telescope, barlows can give you additional options with your eyepiece collection (they double what you use) but also an extender can be a valuable asset! For example, lets say your 80mm refractor is an f/ 8 and the focal length is 640mm with an extender you increase your ratio to f/16 and Focal Length to 1280mm...YOU just turned your scope into a super planetary Refractor! Don't forget, beyond our solor system are double stars and amazing clusters, YOU can see them if you look! Don't get caught up on reviews from people who don't understand the sky. An 80mm scope can unlock the sky just enough for you to get started, after all there are billions and billions of objects to see!

Clear skies, James Edwards