As a stargazing enthusiast, I have always been keen to observe the rings of Saturn, the craters of the moon and other planets visible from the Earth. Then one day, my dream came true as I had a telescope in my hand, and it enabled me to get a clear and amazing view of the sky. If you are a beginner stargazer just like I was, this Celestron Astromaster 114EQ review is for you. This telescope can be the right choice if you are a newbie who has just begun gazing at the night sky to see some Celestial & Terrestrial magic.
Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Reflector Telescope comes with Permanently mounted StarPointer finderscope that offers sharp, detailed views of the night sky. You may go for a high-end model if you want to see galaxies and nebulae. But, for the novice astronomy enthusiast, this one has the features to be considered a topnotch telescope. Continue reading to find out how much it really can offer.
Our Findings on Celestron Astromaster 114EQ
It has been a few couples of years I am into stargazing. But, was searching for a budget telescope ideal for the beginners. This telescope has come up as a result of my quest for the perfect telescope for the novice stargazer. Keep reading to know what I have found.
1. Performance
It took me almost one hour to put it together to look through the telescope. The tripod is fairly sturdy providing a stable position. The mount is good enough to make it movable around your house or in the outdoors.
After the installation process, I put this Celestron Astromaster 114 telescope to the test. I used the 20mm eyepiece to focus on the target at first. Once the object is centered, the 10mm eyepiece did magic to zoom in the plants closer for me. I had a very pleasant experience while delving into the realm of stargazing. I was able to see the moon in detail with the craters, Saturn with rings, Jupiter along with its moons, Mars, Venus, and some distant stars. This device performed really well to see planets, but not to see the galaxies.
2. Ease of use
The use of a telescope is somewhat complex as it deals with many things simultaneously. you are going to watch planets and stars, so it calls for the required expertise to find and see them correctly. Before that, make sure that the assembly is done perfectly. This isn’t a simple monocular, so take the help of an expert if anytime seems confusing.
3. Price
This telescope is a great telescope in terms of the price and performance. It is a big bang for the buck as it comes with excellent features at a comparatively low price. So, price-wise, I have found it as a great purchase.
Key Features of Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Telescope
The key features of a product help it perform well and gain popularity to the users. Go through the following section to know the key features of this telescope.
1. Slow Motion Controls
This telescope has two slow-motion control knobs to make fine pointing adjustment for both Right Ascension and Declination axes which are also termed as RA and DEC. this couple of slow-motion control knobs assist the telescope in achieving more stability.
2. The Erect Image Diagonal
Erect image optics have the ability to make this telescope ideal for astronomical and terrestrial uses. It provides with a more comfortable viewing position. The erect image diagonal produces correctly oriented images avoiding inverted or flipped views.
3. Two Eyepieces
It comes with two eyepieces. The 20mm eyepiece will give a moderately wide field view with low magnification, and the 10mm eyepiece will produce comparatively narrower field views with higher magnification.
4. The AstroMaster Equatorial Mount
The AstroMaster equatorial mount uses an effective mechanism to move in two directions based on the celestial coordinate system. It works on the basis of two axis RA and DEC. RA axis comes into play to move the telescope in the East/West direction. And, DEC does the same while moving it in the North/South direction.
5. The StarPointer Finderscope
A StarPointer red-dot finderscope works as a sighting tool while aiming at the telescope at the desired target. It is a reflex sight that functions using a red LED to project a superimposed red dot on your target. Align the finderscope with the main optics of the telescope before using it.
Specifications at a glance
- Type: Newtonian Reflector Telescope
- Product Dimensions: 12 x 17 x 33 inches
- Weight: 17 pounds
- Ideal for: Beginner Stargazers
- Aperture: 114mm (4.48″)
- Focal Length: 1000mm (39.37″)
- Included Items: Optical tube| Tripod | Accessory tray | 2 eyepieces | Battery
- Mount Type: CG-2 Equatorial
- Software: Starry Night Basic Edition
- Tripod: 1.25″ steel tube legs
Pros
- Easy to install
- Pre-assembled tripod
- Built in tripod
- Easy to detach dovetail attachment
- Precise tracking
- Pristine image
- Free stargazing software
Cons
- The tripod of the telescope is not quite stable.
Whom is this product ideal for?
This product is ideal for newbie stargazing enthusiasts who love to observe the night sky to enjoy stellar views. One can also use this for birdwatching and whale-watching if he/she wants. This isn’t ideal for advanced astronomy. You have to spend more on a telescope of a larger aperture model if you want to delve into the beauty of galaxies and nebulae.
How to Use and Maintain Celestron Astromaster 114EQ Telescope?
The toughest challenge of using a telescope lies in its assembly process. Once you have assembled it correctly, learn how to use and care for this telescope from the remaining part of this Celestron Astromaster 114EQ reviews.
1. How to use it?
You have to use the telescope differently to see different objects. Watching the moon is the easiest. You will know the rest if you continue watching the stars. Let’s know how to watch the moon with this telescope.
- Ensure that the sky is clear and set up the telescope with 20mm eyepiece.
- Find the red dot by using the finder scope.
- Keep changing the position of the telescope until the red dot is centered to the moon.
- Gently adjust the focus knobs to get a sharp and clear image.
The clarity of the views depends on some sky conditions such as steadiness of the air, transparency of the air, sky brightness, etc.
2. How to maintain it?
Your telescope may catch dirt or mist very often you should do the following things to ensure the device performs at its best.
- Remove the larger particles simply using a paint brush with soft bristles.
- You can use a vacuum cleaner to suck any debris
- Mix distilled water with isopropyl alcohol – which is a over the counter medication in the same ratio to clean the optics.
- Apply the above-mentioned solution to an unscented tissue and gently rub it Starting from the middle of the lens to the periphery of the lens.
- Keep it in a well-protected cool and dry place.
Customers Feedbacks
The telescope has earned good reputation among customers. Though the number of reviewers in Amazon is below 1600, but most of them give positive feedback. None of them find any serious issue in the product.
Our Final Thoughts
This is an amazing telescope for astrology hobbyists. It allows you to enjoy the pristine view of the star-studded night sky. This is a beginner level telescope. New astrologers get the first breathtaking experience of watching other planets of the solar system through Celestron Astromaster 114.
No product comes with without limitation. Celestron Astromaster is not an exception. One limitation of the product is seasoned astrologers cannot explore distant objects of our galaxy with the device. But if you consider the price of the product, that limitation is acceptable. Though the product has not a lot of reviews on Amazon, it receives a 4-star rating out of 5 scales. If you want to get the first experience of astrology with a limited budget, Celestron Astromaster 114 is an excellent astronomical device.
FAQs
Q: Can I take photos using my DSL with this telescope?
Ans: Answer: Yeah, but in this case you require two additional accessories. One is T-adapter, and the other is T-ring. In addition, the ISO and shutter speed require manual adjustment.
Q: What is the length of the extended tripod?
Ans: The length of the extended tripod is 1.40 meters.
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