Main technical features
The Gskyer AZ70400 is a refracting telescope so it offers a way for beginners to discover not just the elements of the universe but the outdoors as well. This model comes with a 70mm aperture and a 400mm focal length, plus a focal ratio of f/5. It also comes with two eyepieces: 10mm and 25mm, to give you the exact magnification you need for your distant viewing application. The telescope is engineered for both sky and land viewing.
The telescope also ships with an altazimuth mount screw tripod made of aluminum alloy for support while viewing distant objects. In addition, the telescope ships with rack and pinion mechanism to assist the focuser in bringing distant objects closer for easy and detailed viewing. The slow motion lever enables you to track celestial objects in motion quite easily.
This model is easy to set up and assemble. You can depend on its performance and functionality without spending too much on your equipment. It is perfect for children, novice astronomers, stargazers and travelers. Enjoy instant image clarity and brightness with the fully coated glass optical components.The 3X Barlow lens enables easy viewing as well.
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In-depth information
The 25mm eyepiece provides a 16X magnification while the 10mm eyepiece delivers a 40X magnification. This model comes with a maximum magnification of 120 so you can really see faraway objects clearly and with amazing detail and brightness. The refracting telescope provides exceptional refracting power for every inch of aperture. Because of its rugged design, this type of telescope provides reliable performance in the most demanding conditions so images are kept steady, with no interferences or reflections on the path of light. There’s also less maintenance needed because of the virtually permanent optical alignment. You enjoy longer focus with the simpler eyepieces and the long focal ratio.
The altazimuth mount screw tripod is constructed of aluminum alloy to ensure durability and reliable functionality. The rack-and-pinion system makes it easy to get a crystal clear image in the focuser. You can easily track celestial objects in motion thanks to the slow motion lever. The aluminum tripod is supplemented with vibration pad to cushion possible wobble when moving the lever and the rack-and-pinion system.
Geared for use by beginners and stargazers, this model is quite easy to set up. The telescope goes smoothly onto the included mount while the fully coated glass optical components come with high transmission coatings for enhanced clarity of images with astounding brightness while keeping your eyes protected. The 3X resolution Barlow lens comes with antireflection blue film to ensure uninterrupted light path along with double the magnification power for every included eyepiece.
Known issues
One user has commented that the tripod is too low for an adult to use. That being said, this model is marketed as a great starter telescope suitable for children and novice astronomers who need something decent to start their journey of observing the stars or nature without spending too much on a novice astronomer starter kit. For advanced astronomy purposes, there are always pricier and more advanced alternatives. For the price, this model has been proven to be good enough for simple celestial and nature viewing.
How to choose the right telescope?
If you are looking at this Gskyer telescope model for your next purchase, you are not wrong to think that it will help you achieve the results you want. It’s a great alternative for night sky viewings, even if you are not that experienced when it comes to using telescopes, given that it offers the results you can expect from German technology.
However, since you are looking at scope reviews, you probably know that there are many different options that you can choose from to take a closer look at the planets or the Moon. With this being said, it’s important to know what these are so that you can pick the right one for your particular needs.
The first aspect to bear in mind is that there are three main categories when it comes to telescopes. The refractor one, such as the Gskyer model we are talking about in this review, features a familiar shape and uses a mirror placed in the back of the scope to obtain excellent viewing results.
The great part about these models is that they feature a sturdy design and, thanks to the sealed tube, the optics and lenses are kept safe, so there’s pretty much no maintenance necessary. Moreover, refractor telescopes are easy to use, and you can easily install a tripod as well, if you are trying to get a steady image as you look at the sky.
Reflector telescopes, on the other hand, work in a different way, given that they use the mirror placed at the end of the tube to gather light that is then sent to yet another mirror before reaching the eye piece. The lightweight and compact construction makes these scopes a good alternative, but they do tend to be pricier, and they also require regular maintenance.
For this reason, a refractor scope is a more suitable choice for those who are still learning how to handle and maintain such a device. There’s also a third alternative, namely the compound telescope, this type of device also being known as a catadioptric telescope. What makes it different is the fact that it comes with two mirrors, one in the front and one at the back, that work together to ensure clear images.
Even though compound models feature sealed optic tubes as well, they are a bit bulkier than other alternatives.
Key features of the Gskyer AZ70400
Given that now you can better understand the different options when it comes to telescopes, it’s important to take a closer look at Gskyer’s AZ70400 main features. Chances are that you will find everything you need in this handy model, especially if you are still at the beginning of your astronomical observation adventures, and you don’t want to spend a fortune on a new scope.
With the help of the AZ70400 model, you will have a great view of the night sky, especially since it comes with a handy tripod made of aluminum alloy that you will be able to use for a long time.
The installation part is fairly easy and it will take you between 15 and 30 minutes to be done with it and start using your scope. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have any experience regarding the installation of such a unit, as you can follow step-by-step guides that can be found online.
Of course, if you encounter any difficulty, you can always ask the manufacturer for some extra details, or you can do a bit of online research. However, there’s a very low chance of this being necessary. After all, the model we are looking at in this review is specially made for beginners.
Price is another key aspect to look at, especially given the accessories and features that this scope includes. While it’s true that you should never choose a product based solely on its price, if you take everything into account, including the benefits, then you will realize that this is an ideal option for beginners, that brings together both affordability and quality.
Along the same line, you also don’t want a product that is too complicated to use. As we all know very well, if that’s the case, it will end up stored somewhere in the house for a long time, without any of the family members enjoying it.
This is especially important if you are buying it for your kid. This Gskyer model that features versatile lenses that can be easily swapped, allows fine-tuning in order to obtain vibrant images and a clear view of the night sky. Plus, you will also get a convenient bag that you can use whenever you want to take your scope out in the wild on a warm night with a clear sky.
Since the entire kit needs to be portable as well, you will probably be relieved to know that it weighs not even 7 lbs. We’ve mentioned a lot of aspects of this product, so it’s probably pretty clear that you should try it out. Still, the most important one remains the unit’s performance in terms of optical capabilities.
With a magnification that goes up to x120 and lenses that feature multi-layered glass, as well as a green coating for enhanced views of celestial objects, there’s pretty much nothing to worry about, especially if you are buying it for a child or for someone who is still new at using such items.
On the other hand, the 10mm and 25mm eyepieces provide power for very good viewings, but they do come with some limitations as well. There are fine details on stars or planets that are far away that might not be visible using this device. In the end, the choice depends on your needs and preferences.
You can also take a look at the supplementary lenses and accessories that the manufacturer offers, given that they can work well to enhance the device’s viewing capabilities. This way, you may be able to obtain clear results without spending more money on another model.
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Bibliography:
1) Why do astronomers use telescopes?
3) Everything You Need to Know about telescopes
