If you're looking to try your hand at astronomy or you have a budding stargazer in the family who is already dropping hints about their Christmas wish list, the Celestron 70mm Travel Scope could be exactly what you're looking for. Right now is the best time to pick it up as it is currently on sale at Amazon for just $72.07, a reduction from $109.95. This is the lowest price we've seen Amazon list it for, even in previous Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Prime Day sales.
Though at this price point, it clearly doesn't offer the same optical quality as the best telescopes, it is good value for money, even more so now. It can be used to observe a variety of interesting night sky objects including the Moon and planets and is easy to transport from place to place — something that's not always possible with larger more powerful scopes. We would recommend upgrading the tripod, as the supplied one isn't the best; it's pretty short too, so unless it's a child using this scope, you'll likely want something taller.
If you're not sure if astronomy will be a long-term hobby, for you or your aspiring astronomer, this scope (that comes with all of the essential accessories they will need to get going) is a good place to start. At less than $80 it's a low-risk purchase given that some of the best telescopes can retail for thousands of dollars.
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Key Specs: The Celestron Travel Scope 70 is a portable refractor telescope with an aperture of 70mm (2.8-inches) and a focal length of 400mm. It comes with two decent eyepieces (10mm and 20mm for 20x and 40x magnification), a finderscope, a tripod (though as we've said, you'll likely want to upgrade this), an erect image diagonal so you can use it during the daytime and a lightweight travel backpack.
Consensus: The Celestron 70mm travel scope is a good value scope for those looking to dip their toe into skywatching and astronomy, especially when it's reduced to less than $80. The optics are probably some of the best you will get at this price point, not to mention all of the included accessories, so you can start skywatching immediately.
Buy if: You're a beginner astronomer who wants to hit the ground running with all the essential accessories you need to get started without breaking the bank. It's very portable and quick to 'whip out', so could also be an option for keeping in your car as a backup scope should you happen to stumble on an exciting celestial event when out and about.
Don't buy if: You're a seasoned astronomer or an astrophotographer, or plan to develop your skills beyond occasional casual viewing. This is a basic scope you'll quickly 'grow out of'.
Alternative models: You'll find plenty of alternative beginner scopes in our best beginner telescopes guide, but one model we can highly recommend is the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ, especially for those who might want to dabble in astrophotography. It's currently on sale for $319.67 — Amazon's lowest-ever price for this model.
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