Celestron 21035 70mm Travel Scope Review

The Celestron 70mm Travel Scope is an excellent choice of telescope for those seeking an easy-to-use, portable scope. The Travel Scope is a great choice for both beginners who are looking to start off their astronomical careers and for intermediate astronomers looking to refine their skills. It boasts many great features, including:

SPECS

• 70mm refractor telescope
• 2.76 inch aperture
• 10mm and 20mm eyepieces
• Focal length of 40mm
• Focal ratio of f/5.7
• Full-color, detailed instructions
• Sky X software
• Padded backpack case

REVIEW

This Celestron’s best feature is its lightweight portability. It is well-suited for travelling astronomers who need to take their telescope on-the-go. The Travel Scope also comes pre-assembled and ready-to-use, so you can just grab it and go. The 2.76 inch aperture is well-suited for the purpose of this portable telescope and provides bright and crisp views given its size. Quite possibly the best feature of this scope is not the telescope itself, but rather the accessories that are included. The Travel Scope comes with a great backpack case that can fit everything you need to use the scope, including the tripod and all other accessories you may need. The backpack is large and padded so as to ensure that telescope stays safe and free of damage. The package also offers high and low power eyepieces, which gives you an array of options considering what type of terrestrial objects you may be viewing. That’s great because it offers different types of eyepieces, not just ones that are too alike to distinguish between. Also included is Sky X software, which allows you to learn the basics of astronomy and how to use your new telescope. Sky X is a great addition to any telescope and is an excellent tool to help beginners.

PORTABILITY

If you’re looking for a super-sturdy telescope that you don’t plan to transport much, the 20135 may not be the best choice for you. Although the telescope itself is sturdy, the finder and focuser is made of plastic, which is different from the metal that the rest of the scope is made of. The altazmiuth mount is well-suited for the 20135, but the tripod it comes with is a little small. The tripod is best suited for sitting on top of a table, and its legs aren’t the sturdiest. If you need a more stable tripod, you can invest in one that will offer better support. The 2.75 inch aperture is a bit small if you plan on examining obscure terrestrial objects, but for the purpose of a portable telescope, the aperture is a good size.

PRICE

Considering all that comes with it, the Celestron 70mm is a great value. Coming in at the under $100 range, it is an excellent value as a portable telescope, let alone one that performs beyond its bounds. The Travel Scope is easily the quality of a $200 telescope. Celestron has a reputation of building quality telescopes, and this scope is consistent with this reputation. Also considering the fact that the Travel Scope comes much more than just the telescope itself, it makes the value all-the-more worth the price; the accessories alone could be worth as much as the whole package sells for. The telescope itself is also made of quality materials; it’s important that a portable telescope be able to withstand being thrown around a bit. Considering the quality and all that comes with it, the package is a great value and well worth the money.

VALUE

This telescope works great considering the fact that it is an inexpensive, portable scope. It provides wide, clear views of the sky that compare with much more expensive models. The aperture performs surprisingly well given its size, and will most likely suit your needs given that it is a portable telescope. The included eyepieces work very well in providing clear, crisp views of smaller objects. You’ll find it easy to get good looks at the details of the moon and you can even see the crevasses of the moons of Jupiter. It should give you the magnification you need to spot the terrestrial objects you’re looking for in the night sky.

WEIGHT

You’ll find that one of the best features of the 70mm Travel Scope is its portability. The telescope itself is remarkably light in weight and it very easy to carry around. Granted some parts of the scope are made out of plastic, but this is just to keep the weight down and make it easiest to transport. The backpack that comes with it is a great way to transport the telescope, and the backpack is comfortable and doesn’t feel too heavy when you’re carrying it around. You’ll find that this telescope is the best for when you need to move it often. This telescope is perfect for chasing comets and for those who will be lugging the scope around often. The altazmiuth mount is very effective in tracking stars and comets smoothly, and is a great addition. Overall, the quality of the finished product given its portability makes it a prime candidate as a portable telescope.

SUMMARY

You’ll find that this particular scope is best suited for beginning astronomers who want an easy-to-use portable telescope. The Travel Scope is easy enough to use for beginners to get the hang of, but it’s also a great telescope; more experienced astronomers will also be able to make great use of its features. It’s best not to think of this piece as just a telescope but rather as a full package; it comes with everything you need to get started, from eyepieces to astronomy software. Beginners will be able to make great use of the Sky X astronomy software, which will be able to guide them in the right direction when using their telescope. The portability and durability, as we’ve mentioned, also makes it a great choice for families who may be looking to share the enjoyment that the telescope has to offer. When it comes down to it, this is an all-around great option for a portable telescope.