Product Description

The PowerSeekers come with all coated glass optical components with for enhanced image brightness and clarity. The Newtonian reflectors offer larger aperture and greater light gathering power needed to resolve the faint detail of hundreds of deep-sky and other celestial objects.

All PowerSeekers come on either sturdy equatorial mounts for tracking the sky, or collapsible altazimuth mounts suitable for terrestrial viewing as well as astronomical use.

The PowerSeekers come with a full range of eyepieces plus a 3x Barlow lens, allowing an increase in viewing power hundreds of times greater than that of an unaided eye!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #141 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Celestron
• Model: 21041
• Dimensions: 29.50" h x 10.00" w x 16.50" l, 9.00 pounds

Features

• Affordable telescope for beginning astronomer; portable yet powerful
• All-glass optical components with high transmission coatings for enhanced image brightness and clarity
• Refractor optical design with a 60mm aperture and 700mm focal length
• Altazimuth mount suitable for terrestial viewing as well as astronomical use
• Includes 3x Barlow Lens (1.25"), 20mm eyepiece, 4mm eyepiece, aluminum tripod with accessory tray

Amazon.com Review
Celestron's value priced Powerseeker 60 telescope takes a basic "just the facts" approach to affordable entry level telescopes. The package includes an adjustable aluminum tripod with an alt-azimuth mount and stabilizer, a Kellner type K20 eyepiece, a Ramsden type SR4 eyepiece, a 3x barlow lens, and a 5 power cross-hair finder scope.

The Powerseeker 60 comes disassembled in a compact box, but it won't take long to put everything together. Go ahead and try it out in the daytime, that's the best time to align the finder scope while looking at a distant tree or telephone pole.

My first view of Saturn's rings and star cluster M13 in Hercules came with a 60mm telescope, and I enjoy celestial viewing with the Powerseeker 60 to this day. The secret is to use the low power K20 eyepiece and only extend the tripod legs half-way. This gives me sharp and steady views, whether I'm looking at nearby hills, craters on the Moon, the Double Cluster in Perseus, or even the Andromeda Galaxy!

With a 1.25" focuser and diagonal mirror, it's easy to add better eyepieces. The Kellner type K20 eyepiece yields a 1.1 degree true field of view, better than the Huygens or H-type eyepieces still found in many beginner scopes. Adding an optional Celestron 25mm E-Lux eyepiece is better still. With nearly 2 degrees true field of view, the 25mm E-lux makes it much easier to find objects, either on land or in deep space. The SR4 eyepiece is less impressive; it's like peeking through a pin-hole. Adding the 3x barlow to the SR4 to get that 525x proclaimed on the box is peeking through a dim, fuzzy pin-hole.

I'm surprised that a telescope this inexpensive can be this good. It's good enough to show me Saturn's rings at night or a Steller's Jay at 100 yards during the day. In my opinion, the Powerseeker 60 would be an even better bargain if it came with a K10 eyepiece in place of the 3x barlow and the SR4 eyepiece. Also take a look at Celestron's Firstscope 60AZ; it's only a little more expensive, but it includes two useable eyepieces, a red-dot finder, and planetarium software for your computer. –Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Low cost
• Decent optics
• Accepts 1.25" eyepieces

• Too small for serious astronomy
• Only one good eyepiece

From the Manufacturer
PowerSeeker 60 AZ - General Features

• Quick and easy no-tool setup
• Slow motion controls for smooth tracking
• Erect image optics - Ideal for terrestrial and astronomical use
• Fully coated glass optical components with high transmission coatings for enhanced image brightness and clarity
• 3x Barlow lens triples the magnifying power of each eyepiece
• Accessory tray for convenient storage of accessories
• "The Sky" Level 1 planetarium software with 10,000 object database and enhanced images

Celestron PowerSeeker telescopes are a great way to open up the wonders of the Universe to the aspiring astronomer. The PowerSeeker series is designed to give the first-time telescope user the perfect combination of quality, value, features and power.

Amateur astronomy is a great family hobby that can be enjoyed year round, and Celestron’s PowerSeekers are the ideal choice for families looking for an affordable and high quality telescope that will provide many hours of enjoyment for children and adults alike.

PowerSeekers are quick and easy to set up – even for the novice. No tools are required for assembly!

Their sturdy equatorial mounts are perfect for tracking objects in the night sky, and the collapsible alt-azimuth mounts are perfectly suited for terrestrial (land) viewing as well as astronomical use.

All of Celestron’s PowerSeekers include a full range of eyepieces plus a 3x Barlow lens that provides an increase in viewing power hundreds of times greater than that of the unaided eye!

PowerSeekers are designed and manufactured using all fully coated glass optical components with high transmission coatings for enhanced image brightness and clarity.

Erect Image Optics are ideal for terretrial (land) and astronomical (sky) use.

Locate and identify thousands of celestial objects on your laptop or PC with “The Sky” Level 1 software included FREE with every PowerSeeker model.

• Optical Design: Refractor
• Aperture: 60 mm (2.36 in)
• Focal Length: 700 mm (27.56 in)
• Focal Ratio: 11.67
• Eyepiece 1: 20 mm (0.79 in)
• Magnification 1: 35 x
• Eyepiece 2: 4 mm (0.16 in)
• Magnification 2: 175 x
• Barlow Lens: 3 x
• Finderscope: 5x24
• Star Diagonal: 1.25" Erect Image Diagonal
• Mount: Altazimuth
• Tripod: Aluminum
• Accessory Tray: No-Tool Tray with Eyepiece holder
• CD ROM: "The Sky" Level 1
• Weight: 7 lb (3.18 kg)
• Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 11.4
• Resolution (Rayleigh): 2.32 arcsec
• Resolution (Dawes): 1.93 arcsec
• Photographic Resolution: 171 line/mm
• Light Gathering Power: 73 x
• Angular Field of View: 1.2 °
• Linear Field of View (@1000 yds): 61 ft (18.59 m)
• Optical Coatings: Fully-Coated
• Optical Tube Length: 28 in (711.2 mm)

2-year Telescope Warranty

CELESTRON TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

A. Celestron warrants your telescope to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years. Celestron will repair or replace such product or part thereof which, upon inspection by Celestron, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship. As a condition to the obligation of Celestron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to Celestron together with proof-of-purchase satisfactory to Celestron.

B. The Proper Return Authorization Number must be obtained from Celestron in advance of return. Call Celestron at (310) 328-9560 to receive the number to be displayed on the outside of your shipping container.

All returns must be accompanied by a written statement setting forth the name, address, and daytime telephone number of the owner, together with a brief description of any claimed defects. Parts or product for which replacement is made shall become the property of Celestron.

The customer shall be responsible for all costs of transportation and insurance, both to and from the factory of Celestron, and shall be required to prepay such costs.

Celestron shall use reasonable efforts to repair or replace any telescope covered by this warranty within thirty days of receipt. In the event repair or replacement shall require more than thirty days, Celestron shall notify the customer accordingly. Celestron reserves the right to replace any product which has been discontinued from its product line with a new product of comparable value and function.

This warranty shall be void and of no force of effect in the event a covered product has been modified in design or function, or subjected to abuse, misuse, mishandling or unauthorized repair. Further, product malfunction or deterioration due to normal wear is not covered by this warranty.

CELESTRON DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN. THE SOLE OBLIGATION OF CELESTRON UNDER THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE COVERED PRODUCT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH HEREIN. CELESTRON EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY LOST PROFITS, GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY, OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY CELESTRON PRODUCT. ANY WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED AND WHICH CANNOT BE DISCLAIMED SHALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO A TERM OF TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASE.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Celestron reserves the right to modify or discontinue, without prior notice to you, any model or style telescope.

If warranty problems arise, or if you need assistance in using your telescope contact:

Celestron
Customer Service Department
2835 Columbia Street
Torrance, CA 90503
Tel. (310) 328-9560
Fax. (310) 212-5835

Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST

NOTE: This warranty is valid to U.S.A. and Canadian customers who have purchased this product from an authorized Celestron dealer in the U.S.A. or Canada. Warranty outside the U.S.A. and Canada is valid only to customers who purchased from a Celestron's International Distributor or Authorized Celestron Dealer in the specific country. Please contact them for any warranty service.

Customer Reviews

Great starter telescope
I am pleasantly surprised by the telescope I got for the price. It was intended for casual observing and I am getting a lot of enjoyment out of it. It has all the accessories needed for viewing. High powered eyepiece, low powered eyepiece, adjustable tripod (stable for this size) and fine adjustment control for easy panning. I have shopped telescopes before and noticed that the tripods and eyepieces aren't too good in quality. But this one is different. I love the way it is easy to use for land viewing and gives nice views of the moon and its craters, specially when I use the high powered eyepiece. Its pretty lightweight so I can take it outside easily. It assembles easily and in my opinion is a very easy to use telescope. Overall, a nice telescope at a great price.

Too Small, Poor Mount, Useless for Astronomy
This scope is not a good starter scope for anyone interested in astronomy. Here's why:

1. The objective is too small, only 60 mm, 2.36 inches, so it is too small to bring in the light necessary for even a beginning look at the universe. I suppose it is adequate for the moon, but that is it. The planets will appear as very small disks. One will be able to see Saturn's rings, but the image will be very small. Forget it for deep sky objects, clusters, galaxies, etc.

2. The mount is an altazimuth, which will not follow the celestial object in the sky. The earth is rotating, and anyone focusing on a star or moon will quickly find the object drifting out of the field of vision. A better mount is an equatorial mount which makes it much easier to track objects.

3. The 4mm eyepiece is too powerful for this scope. The observer will find it hard to look through (very small eye opening), and will in most cases cause blurred images. The 20 mm eyepiece is the only functional eyepiece. The barlow is a 3x, which again is too poweerful for this scope.

4. The mount will vibrate when touched, which will cause the image in the eyepiece to "shiver", which is very frustrating.

Even for the low price, don't be enticed by this scope; it has too many flaws. Save your money for a larger scope with a better mount. I suggest the following: Orion SpaceProbe 130ST EQ Telescope; Orion Observer 70mm EQ Refractor Telescope

konedog

Stay away from this scope
This is a good example of the kind of scope astronomers warn beginners away from.

The first red flag is the ridiculously high advertised magnification of "600x." Do you know what you will see at 600x in this scope? Nothing but a dim blur. Note that the objective (main) lens is 60mm. All telescope optics have inherent limitations; maximum useful magnification per millimeter of aperture is about 2x. Therefore, with any attempt to use this scope at magnification of over 120-140x, the increase in image size will be more than offset by breakdown, and that's even assuming the quality of the objective lens is any good.

The finder is useless; a 6x30 is barely adequate, and this is not even that big. Finding any object other than the moon will be an exercise in frustration. the 1 1/4" size of the eyepiece is creditable, but too high a mignification for this scope. And the field of view is in doubt, and don't even think of using the barlow. Buy this scope, and after a few outings, it will most likely sit in the attic. The review immediately before mine is correct. This is no way to get started in astronomy.

In a way, it is hard to fault Celestron for making and marketing this scope. Their upper-tier instruments are quite good, but the big money appears to be made on mass market toys like this. In one sense the sale of these scopes subsidizes their good models. Just make sure, gentle reader, to stay away from the toys.

Using an astronomical telescope is not like playing an MP3 file and but rather like playing a guitar. It is a learned skill. And you must do a lot of homework before you buy a telescope. Buying without prior experience is like buying a car without knowing anything about driving. If you want to see the wonders of the sky, contact your local astronomy club and attend one of their star parties. The members love sharing their hobby and can set you straight as to how to get started. The best way is to learn the sky with the unaided eye and 10x50 binoculars (decent ones are available on this website), then graduate to something along the lines of a 150-200mm (6-8") Dobsonian; Celestron's own 6" Starhopper can be found on Amazon for under $290.

For more information on buying telescopes, see my encyclopedic guide on Amazon: "So you want to buy a telescope."