The Celestron FirstScope Telescope is a beautifully designed scope made for the lay-person. Inexpensive & compact, it is perfect for kids & beginners.
The Celestron FirstScope telescope is an attractive device. Its design pays tribute to Galileo Galilei–and several other early astronomers and scientists who got us where we are today–by etching his name in a spiral fashion on the side of the tube. Even when this scope is no longer used, it’ll still make a fashionable highlight to your room’s décor.
Fortunately, though, it’s more than just a decoration accent. The FirstScope model is also an above-average starter model for brand new astronomers. Particularly perfect for kids, this is an easy-to-use and easy-to-move device that can help begin a love affair with the night sky in a big way.
Celestron FirstScope Telescope Review
There is just one model to be found in the Celestron FirstScope series, but it’s all you really need in this starter scope category. Before we dive into the model’s pros and cons, though, let’s take a peek at a few of its specifications:
- Aperture — 76 millimeters
- Type — Dobsonian reflector
- Focal Length — 300 millimeters
- Eye Pieces — 4mm and 20mm (or 75x and 15x)
- Weight — 69 ounces
As you can see, this is a pretty compact design–and at just 4 1/2 pounds, it’s pretty darn light, too. This means that you can easily take this telescope around with you wherever you want to go without its weight ever bogging you down.
Obviously, this isn’t exactly a professional-grade telescope. There are no super special features, computerized motors, or tracking systems here. This is a bare-bones device that’s just meant to introduce you or your kids to the science.
But don’t let its bare-bones façade (or its $50 price) fool you–this is still a scope to be reckoned with. The Celestron FirstScope was named the Official Product of the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. It also features a Dobsonian tube reflector design that hearkens back to a simpler and more attractive scoping era.
There are some drawbacks with this model, however. As mentioned, this isn’t an advanced telescope by any means. So if you’re a more experienced astronomer looking for a new scope, you’ll want to pass on this one–unless you just want it for decoration.
The FirstScope is also a tabletop model, so even though you can take this with you wherever you go, you won’t find a very stable image unless you can place it on a hard, flat surface.
But if you’re a kid who just wants something for the bedroom window? If you’re interested in astronomy but don’t want to spend tons of money? If you just want something nice for your study that you can occasionally stargaze out of, but you can’t afford a gigantic brass instrument? Then the Celestron FirstScope was made just for you.
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Celestron FirstScope Telescope Customer Reviews
For a better idea of how this scope operates in the field, here’s a peek at what real consumers say about the pros and cons of its construction and performance.
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Celestron FirstScope Telescope: Summary
The Bottom Line — This is truly a fantastic buy for kids and new astronomers.
Listen, the FirstScope is $50, so you can’t expect it to be full of bells and whistles, but what it does offer is easy operation, decent performance, compact and portable construction, and a fun design that allows your kids to keep it on the shelves long after they’ve outgrown its usefulness. This is absolutely recommended for budget-conscious families.
Learn More About the Celestron FirstScope Telescope
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About Perry
Perry Rosenbloom is the Binocular Dude. He's been an avid birdwatcher since he was 5 years old and bird watching with his Grandpa. You can learn more about him here.
