Celestron FirstScope 60 EQ Telescope

A previous review on this telescope was in error because the reviewer wrote about the wrong model telescope. There is a major difference between the Celestron Firstscope 60 and the Celestron Firstscope 60 EQ Deluxe model. While both telescopes are 60MM refractors, the EQ Deluxe comes with a equatorial mount with slow motion controls on both axis' and two better quality eyepieces than the standard Firstscope 60. The eyepieces are 1.25" Celestron SMA (Super Modified Achromats) in 20mm and 10mm focal lengths. These eyepieces are Kellner types and are far superior to the cheap eyepieces that come with the standard Firstscope 60. The other reviewer said he paid $60 for his telescope. The price for the Firstscope 60 EQ Deluxe, that I paid at a major telescope discounter, was $150.00. The focal ratio of the Firstscope 60 EQ deluxe is also longer than the standard model, being an f/15 resulting in a focal length of 900mm. It's simple..better mount, better optics, better performance. I gave this telescope a four star rating for a 60mm telescope. Its optical performance was surprisingly good with excellent detail and sharpness on Jupiter, Saturn, the moon and a few double stars. There was a slight color tinge on very bright views of the moon which is to be expected from an achromatic refractor. The two eyepieces that are supplied give a magnification power of 45x and 90x. The maximum magnification for a 60mm telescope should be 144x. If an additional eyepiece were to be used for maximum magnification, I would suggest a 7mm-6mm Plossel or Orthoscopic eyepiece from Orion or University Optics which would give 128x-150x. Assembly of the scope was easy and the instructions that came with the scope were adequate, however there was one small problem. The finder scope had too much play in the neck causing it to wobble. I fixed this by just wrapping scotch tape around the finder until it fit snugly in the neck of the holder. As of this date, 3/1/03, I checked the Celestron web site, and this model does not seem to be in the lineup any longer, although it may still be in stock at some dealers.