Celestron has been producing optical instruments for over 50 years now. They are one of a select few telescope manufacturers that experts in the industry hold in high regard for their development of motorized or automatic telescopes. However, they produce several entry-level manual designs as well, such as the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ.
This is an affordable telescope that can provide kids, amateur stargazers, or whole families with an entire evening of entertainment and fun. Although it is one of the most affordable designs in its class, the 70AZ includes a variety of features that can help you locate and identify objects in the night sky with ease. We’ll take you through a full review of the product below.
Main Features of the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ
This section will list the main features of the PowerSeeker 70AZ, including some of its technical specifications. We will go into detail about these aspects in the following section.
Specifications
Analysis
We will present our detailed analysis of the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ in this section. This model is a refracting telescope. A refractor uses the lens to gather light from the subject or object you will observe. You can calculate the magnification level by dividing the telescope’s focal length by the eyepiece you are using. Keep in mind that in most cases, a refracting telescope should be able to produce a clear, steady image even under conditions that are not ideal.
The PowerSeeker 70AZ uses a typical altazimuth mount to move the instrument along both vertical and horizontal axes as necessary. An altazimuth mount may have trouble tracking objects in the sky, but it makes up for this shortcoming by being easy for most people to put together and maintain. On a beginner’s budget model like the PowerSeeker 70AZ, we think this usability is the more important factor.
You’ll get standard viewing features with this telescope, but they are of good quality considering the price point here. Barlow-style lenses can further enhance the magnification powers of the eyepieces for this model. During our testing, we found that it was easy for us to pick out rings on Saturn or individual craters on various planets with just a little bit of practice.
The 70mm aperture size is standard for telescopes in this price range. It may not let enough light in to see faint objects or those located at very far distances, but it should allow you to find and track some of the thousands of objects that come in its database software. Larger apertures are more difficult to manufacture, so we appreciate that Celestron went with the 70mm one for this model. The eyepieces and Barlow magnification are big pluses that add to the aperture’s versatility.
What We Like
We’ve covered some of the main features of the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ already, but this section will highlight the main benefits we saw when we tested the scope.
- It is easy to assemble, and you can start using it almost right out of the box. You should not need any extra tools or accessories to put the telescope together.
- The price point is suitable for beginners or anybody that would like to give the hobby a try.
- Although it is quite durable, it includes a standard two-year warranty to protect it against defects or problems.
- The altazimuth mount is easy to set up and great for stargazing or viewing terrestrial objects.
- It is not technically a portable telescope, but the Celestron 70AZ is light enough that you should have no trouble transporting it when necessary.
- The database and guide can help you start tracking objects right away.
What We Don’t Like
There are a few aspects of this telescope that we think Celestron might be able to improve for its future models. Note that some of the negatives we experienced might not manifest in your telescope. We’ve also reported some of the cons that other users have experienced for the sake of clarity. Your impression of this telescope may be unique.
- The scope cannot track objects for you. You will need to adjust the telescope manually if you don’t want to lose an object.
- Some of the plastic parts can be a little flimsy.
- A few users claim that the tripod is too lightweight to be stable, but others say that it is suitable if you can balance it properly.
Price Range
You should be able to grab the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ telescope for under $100 right now. It is definitely an inexpensive, budget model. Some of the plastic pieces or accessories may feel cheap, but they held up well and did their respective jobs during our testing. You get a lot of magnification power and nice features with this telescope, and there’s a lot of value here for the price.
Final Verdict
If you need a decent telescope for a science project, you want to try stargazing but don’t want an expensive scope, or you just want something that can provide a great time for the family, we can definitely recommend the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ. It is a basic model that will give you great views of objects in space and the planets in our solar system. While there are a few aspects of it that could use some improvement, they are not major factors considering the price. Please share your thoughts on the PowerSeeker 70AZ with us in the next section.