Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

I was considering spotting scopes because I didn't want to spend the money on a telescope. I thought this looked too good to be true. I would classify this as a good quality amateur scope. The focuser is so-so and the spotting scope is tricky to align, but the optics are superb. The five inch primary gets plenty of light and the included eyepieces provide a great range. Don't expect the Hubble, it's an amateur scope and you only paid about a hundred bucks. I would stick to the 20mm piece and the barlow for most purposes, the smaller eyepiece is a bit tricky for most and you need a REALLY accurate setup to enjoy it properly. The tripod and EQ mount are worth what you are paying. Also, the erect image 20mm is great for terrestrial viewing. I suggest keeping the tripod low and using a stool, it's more stable. Study the setup and other information carefully, especially if you are new to the EQ Mount and/or use of a telescope. If you are patient and take the time to know what you are doing and set up properly in the right area, you will really enjoy this telescope and count your money well spent.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

The effectiveness of the scope has yet to be fully experienced but by the elation of the recipient of the gift, it's money well spent. A good price point, a good form factor, and a positive reaction; I can't expect much else from a product.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

My daughter wanted simply: "a telescope I can see the craters on the moon with" for her 10th birthday. When we got it dialed in, she exclaimed… "Daddy, I can see the meteor that made the crater in the moon!"
I am very pleased with the purchase. I almost bought the same telescope from a local retailer for almost twice the price. Needless to say, I feel I received a great deal… and at the price, an excellent scope.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Got this scope a day before I went on vaca. Very easy to setup, and use. First day I got to see Jupiter and could make out the grey band (didn't think I would with the light pollution). The moon looked awesome, my 10 year old son was amazed. While on vaca it was used a few times, but I didn't have a real stable place for it (balcony on the roof) We could still make out Jupiter but it was shaky from people walking.

This was also the first Eq mount I've ever used. Once I was able to get the spotter scope aimed it was easy to align it. The spotter scope it the only real weak point. It's plastic and doesn't hold aim very well.

All together I'm very happy with this scope and I hope to take my son to a star party.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

previous reviewers obviously expected too much from a hundred dollar scope. it definately needs better eyepieces one low and one medium to high power for it to perform satisfactorily,but other than that it offers good planetary and very nice moon views. finder scope and focuser are standard for this price model. you can work with them or upgrade if your that picky

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Use it general observing: planets, clusters, lunar.
The tube is great. I like the rigid secondary mounting.
The tripod is shaky. The eyepieces are sub-par. The focuser is rather loose.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Planets, Moon, Solar, open clusters, etc.
I like the extra rigid secondary mounting. Easy to assemble. Focusing is a pain. The rack is not as precise as on my old table top Cometron. Definitely, need better eye-pieces. The spotting scope is a joke; its plastic mounted in plastic so it bends.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Never even looked through a telescope until I got this one. I got it for my 5 y/o for Christmas. Putting it together was a breeze, took about 20 minutes.

Its been very cold in the north east, lots of snow and rain so we only had 1 descent night to try it out. Mind you I have never touched a telescope prior to this one. The finder was difficult to adjust. I adjusted it by pointing the scope across the street and focusing on a specific christmas light on my neighbors house. once I got the finder and scope aligned to that one light i was good to go. Only thing was that if you tried tightening the finder it would move. So I tightened it before I made any adjustments, not too much though, I tightened it enough so that the wind wouldnt blow it but still was able to move by hand. I would imagine that I will have to do this adjustment often as the slightest touch of the finder will throw it off. no biggy it only took a couple of minutes to fix. I was able to find the moon instantly. Looked pretty cool. I have no prior experiance so its hard to compare but I was pleased. Gazed at a few stars and rapped it up quickly as it was getting cold. The tripod is fairly sturdy although the higher up you put it the shakier it gets. As far as shaky it kinda feels more like the ground is shaking. there was no wind or anything but you can see some kind of vibration when looking through the scope. OVerall I was pleased for my 1st outing. I will invest in more powerful lenses but the 20mm dos a good job with as well as when in use with the 3x barlow. The 4mm is garbage. It just feels like work trying to look through it. Well thats it for now. Looking forward to warmer nights to get more use out of it. For the price I think its pretty good. Considering I almost bought one of ToysRus' over priced plastic junk. I'm happy I went with this one.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Larger and more precise than I expected- difficult to focus- directions are a must

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

The last time I touched a telescope was 25 years ago, so I was a bit reserved about buying the powerseeker. Thankfully, Celestron provides very useful information on how to use the product and the assembly was relatively painless. The first night I saw amazing images of the moon. However, trying to find anything else was a frustration. It is very difficult to correctly align the finderscope and it can easily move around if you touch it too much. Once you locate an object, trying to focus on it can be a challege.
I think some of the frustration will abate over time with more practice. If you have the extra cash to invest in a motorized or "go-to" scope (i.e. the NextStar by Celestron) I would suggest going that route instead.
The barlow lens is mediocre. If you try to connect it to a camera with a t-mount adapter, the scope could easily tip over. Focusing with the barlow or included 5mm lens was also very difficult. This wasn't unexpected as other telescope users have told me that included lenses typically are of poor quality. This is very true and you will need to invest in a higher quality barlow.
Terestrial viewing is ok. Low contrast and the "doughnut bokeh" (common in telephoto mirror lenses) will be just as bad with the PowerSeeker (it is afterall a telescope that uses a mirror).
Overall, this is a good value for the beginner, but beware you probably won't be viewing Jupiter's moons the first night. It will take some time and practice.
As stated before, if you have the money to invest in a motorized or "go-to" telescope, you will probably be more satisfied with the extra investment. If you don't mind manual operation, you can't find a better telescope value than this one.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

The spotting scope does not align very easily; a little good luck and effort and you get it somewhat close. For the price, it is an okay telescope. I would recommend spending a little more if you can for a better quality scope.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Got this for my daughter.Assembly was about 20 min, some of the instructions could've been better.Well, it is a [$]telescope, don't wait great images from it. I'd say stick to the hubble images from youtube.The spotting scope is so out of focus and misaligned, that, it is pretty useless, better aim the telescope manually to the sky and search, you may get lucky.Than, even at the clearest of the night (unless you are watching the moon) the image will be 20% of a pea size round dot with no definition.But, you get what you pay for.I am not bashing this thing, I am simply telling its capabilities.Oh good luck with Jupiter's moons or Saturn's rings. LOL

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

I can now see some planets I need to this great telescope and research them.
I would rate this telescope 1000000 out of 10!:)

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Way better than expected, images so clear, assembly very easy, in about 25min you´re ready to see the stars

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

This is the second scope i've ever owned and I love it! My fist was a toy compared to this one, i got it when I was 14y/o. Now at 51, I wanted to start stargazing again with omething a little more powerfull. This scope is an excellant value! Assembly took minutes with no tools.It has a very stable tripod and is very easy to use and set up. It took getting used to as my first scope was a refacting type and this is a reflector. It has very powerful lenses and I get some nice views of the planets. I was even able to see some of Jupiters moons on one night! I have yet to try to use it to find any of the many galaxies and nebulas. It came with a star finding CD, that I can use on my laptop to find objects in the sky! The only thing is it is VERY sensitive to vibration at high magnification and can be difficult to focus at that setting.

Comments about Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ 5.0"/127mm Reflector Telescope Kit:

Very easy to use, much nicer than previous owned telescope.