Celestron's Firstscope60AZ couples quality and economy with exceptional portability in this telescope ideal for first-time users. A sturdy, smooth-operating altazimuth mount makes finding things quick and easy, both in the sky and on the ground. All Firstscopes have coated glass (not plastic) optics and glossy black aluminum tubes.
The Celestron Firstscope 60 AZ is a great value as starter scopes go, in fact it's just what I purchased for my own ten year-old grandson. Instead of wildly exaggerated claims of 500X magnification, Celestron packages the Firstscope 60 AZ with the basics: two decent eyepieces, a finder, and a simple alt-azimuth mount.
The best objects for small telescopes are bright objects like the moon and planets. I find the little orange disk of Mars, the moon-like phases of Venus, the moons of Jupiter, and the rings of Saturn all show up quite nicely with the included 10mm eyepiece (about 70x). The low-power 20mm eyepiece (35x) is best for finding objects and for viewing star clusters. Even a small telescope like the Firstscope 60 AZ reveals hundreds of craters on the moon, and turns the Summer Milky Way into a glittering river of stars.
See a detailed view of the Firstscope 60 AZ's components
The alt-azimuth mount included with the Firstscope 60 AZ is both lighter and easier to use than low cost equatorial mounts. An Alt-Az telescope moves up and down (altitude) and left or right (azimuth)-there's no counter-weight to balance or polar axis to align before you can start observing-just point the telescope and look. As soon as you get the moon or a planet centered in the field of view, you'll find 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. For this reason, alt-az telescopes are best used at lower magnifications.
Would I recommend the Firstscope 60 AZ for a young person? Definitely. It's easier to use than low-cost equatorial mounts and has much better optics than the so called "500 power" "professional" models you find in toy stores. Would I recommend the Firstscope 60 AZ for an older student or adult with a serious interest in the night sky? Not really. If you want to see the divisions in Saturn's rings or resolve globular clusters into individual stars, take a look at the telescope buyers guide for some larger recommendations. -Jeff Phillips
Pros:
Low cost
Ease of use
Low maintenance design
Cons:
Too small for serious observing
Does not track stars and planets
The Celestron Firstscope 60 AZ (Altazimuth) Telescope offers all glass components, coated optics and smooth functioning mounts, with the added benefit of slow motion controls on the mount for easy adjustments. The Firstscope 60 telescope tubes are glossy black aluminum. Altazimuth is the simplest type of mount with two motions: altitude (up and down/vertical) and azimuth (side-to-side/horizontal). Good altazimuth mounts will have slow-motion knobs to make precise adjustments, which aid in keeping tracking motion smooth. These type mounts are good for terrestrial observing and for scanning the sky at lower power but are not for deep sky photography. Certain altazimuth mounts are now computer driven and allow a telescope to track the sky accurately enough for visual use but not for long exposure photography.
Refractors
This is a refractor telescope. Refractors (also known as a dioptrics) capture light with a lens at the front of a long tube and send it to an eyepiece at the other end. They look, in other words, just like what most people think of when they hear the word "telescope." Refractors offer--potentially, at least--the cleanest images of any telescope design. They are simple and reliable (the sealed tube is maintenance-free), and are good for both celestial and terrestrial viewing.
Read more about different telescope designs in our buying guide
Specifications include:
60mm (2.4") Aperture
Focal Length of 700mm
Focal Ratio of f/12
All metal Altazimuth Yolk Mount
Weight: 7 Lbs.
Standard accessories for the Firstscope 60 AZ:
20mm MA Eyepiece (35x), 10mm MA Eyepiece (70x), 1.5x Image Erecting (Terrestrial) Eyepiece
Star Pointer Finderscope
90-degree 1.25" Star Diagonal
Slow Motion Control Rod for smooth vertical adjustments
The Sky Level I Astronomy software
Sturdy, adjustable aluminum tripod with accessory tray
The 60mm (2.4-inch) refractor is the most popular telescope size for beginning astronomy enthusiasts and for casual gift-giving. This size telescope is perfect for introducing newcomers to astronomy, at an affordable price. For astronomical observing, the 60mm refractor allows you to see lunar details, Saturn and its rings, Jupiter and its moons, the phases of Venus, larger globular clusters, bright double stars and some bright nebulae. After adding an optional solar filter, you can observe activity on the sun. In addition, a 60mm telescope can be used for terrestrial viewing, bringing the world closer to you and allowing you to observe wildlife, distant views and your environment.
Moon viewing 101 The moon is often one of the first celestial objects a beginner will look at through his or her telescope. Here are a couple hints for you once you get your hands on your new 60 AZ.
Often, it is tempting to look at the Moon when it is full. At this time, the face we see is fully illuminated and its light can be overpowering. In addition, little or no contrast can be seen during this phase. One of the best times to observe the Moon is during its partial phases (around the time of first or third quarter). Long shadows reveal a great amount of detail on the lunar surface. At low power you will be able to see most of the lunar disk at one time. The optional Reducer/Corrector lens allows for breath-taking views of the entire lunar disk when used with a low power eyepiece. Change to higher power (magnification) to focus in on a smaller area. Choose the lunar tracking rate from the NexStar's MENU tracking rate options to keep the moon centered in the eyepiece even at high magnifications.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Great scope for the kids I've had a C6 Celestron for some time. I wanted something easier to move and set up. This Firstscope works great for the kids. Easy to set up and and has very clear optics. For the price, you can't go wrong!
The Moon, Venus and Saturn have the kids wanting to see more!
Not the best way to go This is not the best way to get started in astronomy. The low power eyepiece is fairly useful, the higher power one less so, and don't even think of using the barlow. The maximum useful magnification for a 60mm scope is about 120-140x, assuming the objective lens is of good quality. When you use the middle and high magnifications provided with this scope, you exceed that limit and the increased image size is more than offset by breakdown. To their credit, the manufacturer has provided a reflex... more info
Poor Starter Scope This scope is not a good starter scope for anyone interested in astronomy. Here's why: 1. The objective is too small, only 60 mm, 2.36 inches, so it is too small to bring in the light necessary for even a beginning look at the universe. I suppose it is adequate for the moon, but that is it. The planets will appear as very small disks. One will be able to see Saturn's rings, but the image will be very small. Forget it for deep sky objects, clusters, galaxies, etc. 2. The mount is an altazimuth,... more info
Not for serious stargazing Celestron makes some of the world's greatest telescopes, but this is not one of them. It's fine for peeking into the neighbor's window across the street or looking at the a large, bright object in the sky like the moon. But for serious stargazing, one shouldn't expect much from this telescope or any telescope in this price range. No telescope in this price range is much good for looking at stars or other faint objects. A really good pair of binoculars for around the same price would probably give you more... more info
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The moon is often one of the first celestial objects a beginner will look at through his or her telescope. Here are a couple hints for you once you get your hands on your new 60 AZ.
