The Optics are quite good for this type of scope (4.5" Newt). The accessories are worthless, which is how they keep the price low. The EQ mount is wobbly, and the focusser is stiff, causing images to dance around when foccussing (rather frustrating).

The instructions that come with it are useless. Go to Astromart.com, or Yahoo groups "Talking telescopes", or another site and ask questions about how to set up the mount.

The 20mm eyepeice (45X) is useable, but the FOV is narrow. The 4mm (225X) is junk, as is the 3X Barlow. Seriously, this scope won't handle 225X, but should handle 135 - 150X pretty well.

The finder is also substandard: I think it's a 5X24, and the images won't even focus. Also, it's only got one mounting bracket, so it gets misaligned quite easily.

The mount is somewhat rickety, (comes with an aluminum tripod) although tightening up every screw you can find helps matters somewhat. The slow motion controls are OK, though.

I added two Meade Plossls, (20mm and 10mm) which have improved the images considerably... I have seen a shadow transit of Io on Jupiter, plus the Great Pink Spot, three belts, and two polar regions, plus a very crisp view of Saturn at 135X, showing the Cassini division plus an equatorial belt, and M42 was breathtaking, clearly resolving 4 stars in the Trapezium. Views of the Moon are very crisp, and with the low-power eyepeice, it's so bright it hurts my night vision! So optically, there's nothing wrong with this scope. You could spend more money and not get optics as good.

So for under $100 US, I think I got a pretty good deal. The OTA alone is worth more than that. Plan to spend another $100 on accessories, but it's still a good value.

Overall Rating: 7
Optics:8 Mount:5 Ease of Use:7 Value:8
Weight: 5
Date: 03/29/2003 12:37:51 pm PST

Replies: 1