Celestron 21063 AstroMaster 90 AZ Refractor Telescope Review
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Celestron 21063 AstroMaster 90 AZ Refractor Telescope Feature
- Model Number: 90AZ
- Magnification: 50
- Weight: 20 Pounds
- Focal Ratio: 11.11
Celestron’s Astromaster 90AZ refractor telescope is a good choice for anyone who wants a dual purpose telescope. With more than double the light gathering power of 60mm starter scopes, it’s a great introduction to astronomy and it can double as a long range spotting scope. Bigger and more impressive than it looks in pictures, the Astromaster 90AZ is an adult size telescope that stands nearly five feet high and weighs about 20 pounds. With it’s fully illustrated quick set up guide, the telescope is easy to assemble, and the package includes an erect image prism, high and low power eyepieces, and astronomy software for your PC.
Refractors are known for their crisp, high contrast views of the Moon and planets and the Astromaster 90 delivers sharp views right out of the box. The low power 20mm eyepiece (50X magnification) nicely frames the moon, while the high power 10mm eyepiece (100X magnification) delivers a crisp close up image full of detail. The sharp Achromatic optics of the Astromaster 90AZ show me memorable views night after night. On a moonless night I like the way the 20mm eyepiece frames the ghostly glow of the Orion Nebula. Zooming in with the 10mm eyepiece, I can easily pick out all four stars of the Orion Nebula’s embedded quadruple star the Trapezium.
The AstroMaster 90 AZ also features a newly designed Alt-Azimuth mount and tripod. The tripod comes fully assembled, and the telescope simply clamps into a standard dovetail. This new tripod seems reasonably solid, I had no trouble focusing on the Moon and stars even with the high power eyepiece. An Alt-azimuth mount, of course, is best used at low to medium powers because it does not track the motion of the stars. As soon as you get the Moon centered in the eyepiece, it starts drifting toward the edge-this is caused by rotation of the Earth. Celestial objects will stay in the low power field of view for three or four minutes, but with a high power eyepiece they may disappear in a minute or less.
Celestron’s AstroMaster 90 AZ is one entry level telescope that offers great views during the daytime as well as at night. The sharp optics produce a right side up image, the mount is easy to use, and the included planetarium software helps you find planets in the night sky. --Jeff Phillips
Pros:
- Crisp clear views both day and night
- Rugged refractor design
- Quick and easy no-tool set up
- Erect image prism and two eyepieces included
Cons:- Alt-Azimuth mount doesn’t track stars and planets
- Star pointer not so easy to use
Quarter Moon shot at 50X with a powershot camera. | 
Moon as seen at 100X, shot with powershot camera. |
Moon as seen at 200X, shot with a powershot camera. | 
Finches shot at 50X at a distance of 20 yards.
| Finch shot at 100X at a distance of 20 yards. |
If you're looking for a great dual-purpose telescope appropriate for both terrestrial and celestial viewing, then the Celestron AstroMaster Series is for you. Each AstroMaster model is capable of giving image correct views of land and sky. With its time tested durability and high quality optics at an affordable price, the Celestron Astro Master makes a great first telescope! As a bonus, Celestron has included a nice selection of accessories for your new telescope with this purchase, which means you will be observing the same day you unpack the box. Accessories include two full-sized eyepieces, a Star Pointer finderscope for easy location of objects you wish to observe, and even software for your PC. "The Sky - Level 1" will let you study and print star charts from your computer screen... and that's just the beginning!
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Jul 18, 2011 17:20:00
