Celestron Travel Scope 70 Review

When you’re shopping for a new telescope, chances are you’ve staked out a good pitch for your stargazing, whether that is in your back garden, on top of a local hill, or somewhere nearby that you know is good for watching the heavens.

But what about for those trips where you are staying in an unfamiliar place, happen to glance up and see perfect clear skies and great conditions? You’re wishing you brought your scope, aren’t you?

But the downside about many of the big, sophisticated telescopes that we love because of their great viewing capabilities is that they are large, cumbersome and not easy to transport. If you are looking for a great “travel” scope, you’ve just found it!

Celestron Travel Scope 70 Review

What are you buying?

The Celestron Travel Scope 70 is not quite pocket sized, but it is small and portable, making it perfect to take out and about with you. You are buying a refractor telescope that is suitable for both terrestrial and celestial viewing, and it’s small enough to pack up and go places to get the best sights.

It is a 70mm telescope, with fully coated glass optics and a lightweight aluminium frame for added portability. The tripod’s height is adjustable for if you find yourself on uneven surfaces, and the pan handle Alt-Az control has a clutch for ease of use.

How easy is it to use?

As easy set ups go, the Celestron Travel Scope 70 is right up there with the simplest. It really is a case of stick the scope on the stand and away you go!

Its simplicity makes it ideal not only for stargazing trips away or just for use as a good portable telescope, but also makes it great for a child’s first scope. You don’t need any tools or specialist equipment to set it up, which means that you can use it just about anywhere in no time at all.

What accessories do you get?

This scope comes with an extremely handy backpack, into which the entire kit can be packed away for ease of storage and transport.

It is small enough to be stowed into your car for a camping trip, or even to be classed as hand luggage on a plane (even though it’s cheap, if it’s your only scope on holiday you don’t want it jumped on by clumsy baggage handlers!)

You will also receive two eyepieces, 20mm and 10mm, a 45 degree erect image diagonal and 5×24 finderscope. The adjustable tripod is also a great addition to the overall package.

Celestron Travel Scope 70 Pros and cons!

Pros:

• Won’t set you back too much – Price is a factor if you are looking for a telescope that is transportable and easy to take around with you as there is always the possibility of damage.
• Very easy to use – Another great feature adding to the portability is the ease of set up and use.
• Very good optics for the price – If you’re spending a small amount you may expect rubbish viewing capabilities, but this scope offers more.
• Good for terrestrial viewing – Unlike some other scopes, this one won’t present the image upside down without the need for additional lenses.

Cons:

• The tripod may be a little flimsy – As I set it up my first thought was that I would need a better tripod for long term use.
• Spotter scope can take a while to focus things – Even locating the moon can be a bit tricky if this is your first time stargazing.

Anything else?

This is a great telescope for travelling around, taking on specific stargazing trips or just throwing in the back of the car for some opportunistic heavens-watching while on a camping holiday.

It is ideal for those just starting out on their astronomy journey, or for kids who have expressed an interest but, understandably, you don’t want to splash out hundreds in case it turn out to be a once in a blue moon hobby.

The fact that is so easily transportable, with its own designated backpack, is a massive selling point.

To conclude…

If you are looking for a simple, easy to use telescope that you can take around with you then this is the one for you. The tripod can be improved by not extending the legs fully, or hanging weights from the central section, so you can get around any issues it may have if that is putting you off.

It is so simple to use, and so easily transportable, that it will make your travelling stargazing so much easier and more fun.

Where to buy?

• Amazon UK: >>Click here to check today’s price