- 70mm diameter optically coated 2-element lens
- Rigid double-strut tripod
- Red dot finder
- 1.25-inch Super Plossl eyepieces (12mm, 25mm)
Technical Details
Product Details
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Product Description
Amazon.com Review
The Skywatcher GreatStart 70AR-AZ2 is a great value in a small telescope, with some real improvements over the typical 60mm beginner scope. Instead of wildly exaggerated claims of “500 power” magnification, Skywatcher equips the SW 70AR-AZ2 with the basics: excellent optics, two Super Plossl eyepieces, a 2X barlow lens, and a solid Alt-Azimuth mount. The package also includes illustrated instructions and planetarium software for your PC.
Skywatcher’s GreatStart 70AR-AZ2 features unusually good optics for an entry level telescope. The best objects for small telescopes are bright objects like the Moon and planets. When I look at the Moon for example, I‘m treated to sharp, high contrast views of the Moon‘s mountains, craters and lava flows. The little orange disk of Mars, the rings of Saturn, and even the cloud bands of Jupiter all show up quite nicely with the 12mm eyepiece, about 58x magnification. Planet details show up even better when I add the 2X Barlow for a total magnification of 116x. Daytime views with the Sky-Watcher 70AR are also quite good. The 90 degree diagonal mirror produces images that are right side up but reversed left to right. When I use the 25mm eyepiece for a magnification of 26x I see daylight images that are crisp and colorful and sharp to the edge of the 2 degree field of view.
The Skywatcher 70AR-AZ2 also features an Alt-Azimuth mount with adjustable aluminum tripod. The tripod is easy to assemble, and includes a slow motion screw to adjust the altitude. An Alt-Azimuth mount is light and easy to use; there are no counter-weights to balance or polar axis to align, just point the telescope and look. As soon as you get the Moon or a planet centered in the eyepiece, however, it starts drifting toward the edge; this is caused by rotation of the Earth. Celestial objects will stay in the low power field of view for three or four minutes, but with a high power eyepiece they may disappear in a minute or less.
The Skywatcher GreatStart 70AR-AZ2 is a great choice for someone who wants a telescope that can be used during the daytime as well as at night. The sharp optics produce a right side up image, the mount is light and easy to use, and the included planetarium software helps you find planets in the night sky. Bottom line, this telescope is an all around great value, and much better than the so-called “500 power” “professional” telescopes seen in toy stores. --Jeff Phillips
Pros:
- Very good Achromatic optics
- Plossl eyepieces and 2X barlow included
- Light, portable and easy to use
- Rugged low maintenance design
- Does not track stars and planets
From the Manufacturer
Is this to be your first telescope? Want a great experience? You just found it! We supply only premium Plössl eyepieces! Plössl eyepieces are the world’s most popular premium eyepieces often supplied on telescopes costing thousands of dollars.
Enjoy a huge 52° picture-window field of view, image sharpness edge to edge, and eye relief that offers great comfort. Trust Sky-Watcher for best in class performance
Stability of the mount and tripod upon which the optics are placed is of paramount importance. It matters big time! Cheap flexible mounts and rickety tripods act like tuning forks transferring vibration to the eyepiece. Such circumstances deprive the viewer of a steady view. Images dance around in the eyepiece in a distracting manner. Sky-Watcher mounts and tripods are some of the most stable and robust in their class.
Specifications
Enjoy a huge 52° picture-window field of view, image sharpness edge to edge, and eye relief that offers great comfort. Trust Sky-Watcher for best in class performance
Stability of the mount and tripod upon which the optics are placed is of paramount importance. It matters big time! Cheap flexible mounts and rickety tripods act like tuning forks transferring vibration to the eyepiece. Such circumstances deprive the viewer of a steady view. Images dance around in the eyepiece in a distracting manner. Sky-Watcher mounts and tripods are some of the most stable and robust in their class.
Specifications
- Aperture - 70mm
- Focal Length - 700mm
- Focal Ratio - f/10
- Optical Coatings - Multi-Coated
- Red-Dot Finder
- 2X Barlow Lens 1.25”
- Mirror Diagonal 1.25”
- Super Plössl Eyepieces
- Planetarium Software
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Buy in the Sky,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sky-Watcher Great Start 70 AR-AZ2 70mm Refractor Telescope (Electronics)
This telescope was purchased to see if the astronomy bug that bit me was for real or just a passing fancy. So I didn't want to spend a lot but did want to really check out the sky. Well I couldn't be happier with the purchase. Not only is the telescope quality built, but the optics are clear edge to edge with only a hint of optic color on the edge of viewed objects at high resolution. In comparison to other telescopes at twice the price of this one I personally could not tell the difference. While I'm still not sure if astronomy is going to be a real heavy hobby of mine, I'm glad to have started with a telescope that provides more than enough for my beginner interest level.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Telescope,
This review is from: Sky-Watcher Great Start 70 AR-AZ2 70mm Refractor Telescope (Electronics)
This telescope works great! We watched a partial lunar elcipse and it showed up very good, even with a low power lense. The targeting scope with the red light pointer is very nice too. I would certainly recommend this telescope.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great telescope for planetary and moon viewing,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sky-Watcher Great Start 70 AR-AZ2 70mm Refractor Telescope (Electronics)
The tripod is a little flimsy...The barlow is absolute junk. The 25mm is mediocre. The 12mm is the only eye piece that is decent. Build quality seems good. Focuser is smooth. The optics are good. Dont expect too much though. Only good for viewing the moon and brighter planets. Shipped in two boxes. Came with sky1 software.
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