It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to claim that astronomy is one of the most, if not the most, exciting fields of science. The feeling of laying your eyes on the celestial bodies neighboring our planet and the solar system is always awe-inspiring. If you are fresh into your stargazing days and looking to buy your first telescope, then you might find our Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ review helpful.

You wouldn’t be the first person to call it quits too soon trying to take up astronomy. Your first experience is the ultimate selling point, and if you don’t feel intrigued by that, chances are you will never find it fascinating in the future.

That’s why choosing the right telescope is very important when you want to relish the authentic experience of space watching at your first glance. In this article, I will explain why Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ could be the ideal beginner’s pick.

Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ: A General Overview

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 A Newtonian Reflector

Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ models a Newtonian reflector telescope, meaning the telescope mechanism relies on mirrors to relay the light from object to viewer through reflection. As a result, these telescopes don’t require lenses, which gives them a substantial advantage in terms of pricing.

Mirrors are relatively easier and cheaper to produce than lenses, so reflector telescopes cost much less than their refracting and catadioptric (which require both lens and mirror).

That doesn’t mean that reflector telescopes are necessarily inferior. On the contrary, the larger the aperture of a telescope, the better your vision would be. Think of it as a bucket; the larger the aperture is, the greater amounts of photons it can obtain and construct a clearer image of the extraterrestrial object. That means a Newtonian reflector delivers a higher value considering per inch of aperture.

Optics


In Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ, we get a 127mm (5 inches) aperture, which is perfect for primary to intermediate use. To put it in perspective, you can observe the lunar surface in great detail and catch a spectacular glimpse of the nearby planets, nebulas, and galaxies.

However, the aperture is meaningless unless you back it up with proper supporting elements. The optical components of Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ are manufactured using top-quality glass and aluminum to ensure a flawless light transmission. The resulting optics offer excellent definition and sharpness.

You get two eyepieces with this telescope-a 4mm one and a 20mm one. The 4mm eyepiece is a bit too strong for this scope, as it boasts a whopping 250x magnification capacity. The 20mm piece, on the other hand, comes with a more practical 50x magnification power. A 3x Barlow lens is also there to accommodate a threefold increase in magnification for each of your eyepieces.

The Powerseeker 127 EQ uses a spherical primary mirror, making the scope more optical aberration prone than parabolic mirrors. But there is also a plus side of using a spherical mirror as it allows the focal length of the scope (1000mm) to be longer than the body of the telescope (508mm). This enhances the telescope’s capacity to view distant objects.

What Can You See With Celestron Powerseeker 127 EQ

As you continue to navigate the night sky, you’ll discover you are rarely using high magnification. Most of the time, you’d be able to see your targets precisely without more than 150x magnification. You would only need the help of high magnification gear when trying to observe a shining object or use your telescope in bright daylight.

In a darker environment, Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ can show you a remarkable range of astronomical objects, including the entire collection of Messier objects. You can also identify the phases of Mercury, cloud belts surrounding Jupiter and its orbiting moons, lunar cavities, and more.

Mount

If you are new to astronomy, you probably won’t know that the “EQ” alphabets in the model name have a specific meaning. It indicates the scope comes with an equatorial mount. Equatorial mounts nullify the effect of earth’s rotation as they have a rotational axis parallel to our planet’s axis of rotation. So, an equatorial mount guarantees you don’t lose vision of the object because of the earth’s rotation.

Once you lock your sight on an object in the night sky, you must move the scope left or right to follow it smoothly. In non-equatorial mounts like an alt-az mount, you will have difficulty following the stars as they move along. In addition, you would need to adjust two different controls frequently to keep the stars in your eyepiece, which can be a real burden.

The equatorial mount features large slow-mo control knobs so that you can follow the moving space bodies in a breeze, even when wearing gloves. The aluminum tripod along the scope is lightweight but provides ample stability to reduce vibration and facilitates effortless movement along the axis. There’s also an accessory tray to store your accessories.

Features

  • Easy operation and set up: The Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ is very easy to set up and operate; hence, it is pretty appealing to amateur telescope users. It also offers excellent functionality to meet the needs of an intermediate space watcher.
  • Equatorial mount: The equatorial mount helps you to compensate for the earth’s rotational movements and keep the viewing objects within your eyesight. Pick the ideal height of the tripod by adjusting the altitude rod and position the scope at your desired angle by securing the other knob.
  • Portable:  We started our Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ review by saying this is a model for entry-level astronomy hobbyists. So, this telescope incorporates a design that makes it suitable for users of all age groups. It’s small, lightweight, and mobile. So, you can take it to your backyard or your favorite stargazing spot outdoors, where you can enjoy a sky full of stars and even catch a few meteor showers.
  • Includes: Two different eyepieces accompany the telescope. The 20mm one offers up to 50x magnification, while the 4mm eyepiece can zoom the target imagery as much as 250 times its original size. The 3x Barlow lens can increase the power of each of these eyepieces. In addition, the low magnification 5x finderscope can be attached to the main scope to pinpoint the target. Upon purchasing the Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ, you will also get access to Celestron’s premium Starry Night app, which has 3D renderings of more than 36,000 celestial objects and information on available, viewable objects around your locality.
  • Affordability: Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ packs some powerful features but is available at a surprisingly modest rate. You can buy this item for less than $200. The pricing reaffirms Celestron’s commitment to providing an all-action telescope to aspiring astronomers well within their budget.
  • Warranty: You will get a 2-year warranty after buying this telescope. If you face any technical problems or need to replace any defective component within your warranty period, Celestron’s customer care and technical support team will be at your service 24/7.

Specifications

  • Weight: 16.98lbs
  • Telescope class: Newtonian reflector
  • Telescope aperture: 127mm
  • Focal ratio: f/7.9
  • Telescope focal length: 1000mm
  • Eyepiece barrel diameter: 1.25’’
  • Number of eyepieces included: 2
  • Eyepiece focal length: 20mm, 4mm
  • Mount type: equatorial mount
  • Finderscope type: finderscope 5x
  • Objective lens diameter: 24mm

Pros

  • Sturdy build.
  • The equatorial mount facilitates the effortless following of moving target objects.
  • The optics construct clear images of the observed body and delivers similar results throughout the telescope’s lifespan.
  • It comes to mount ready. The setup procedure is very simple and doesn’t require the involvement of additional tools.
  • The compact size of the telescope makes it travel-friendly.
  • The eyepieces can deliver up to 300x magnification combined. You can triple this magnification power using the Barlow lens.
  • The Starry Night app provides a great guideline for locating and viewing interstellar objects.
  • Affordable price.
  • 2-years warranty.

Cons

  • The collimation process could be a bit tricky for new users.
  • The spherical mirror occasionally leads to some amount of aberration.

How to set up Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ?

  • Take out the tripod and open it. Spread the legs to their maximum length and press the center leg brace downward.
  • Place the accessory tray on the central leg brace hole. Find the screw on the accessory tray and tighten it to attach the tray firmly to the tripod.
  • Place the base of the equatorial mount on the mounting platform. The mounting platform is the hole you will see at the top of the tripod. After placing the mount, use the side screw on the platform to keep it stable.
  • The latitude adjustment screw will go inside the threaded hole behind the equatorial mount.
  • Take the counterweight bar and the counterweight. Insert the counterweight bar into the counterweight through the hole and lock it halfway using the detent pin.
  • Find the DEC axis of the equatorial mount and insert the threaded end of the counterweight bar into it. Lock it in place.
  • Slide the slow-motion control cables into the equatorial mount gear shaft. Loosen the screw at the chrome end of the control cable before attempting to attach it to the shaft. Tighten it afterward to secure the cable.
  • Remove the knobs securing the telescope tube before mounting it.
  • Place the tube holders on top of the mount. Align the tube screws with the mounting holes. Tighten the knobs to keep hold of the tube.
  • Remove the plastic cap from the finderscope lens.
  • Secure the findspot over the telescope tube using the knurled nuts on the main telescope body.
  • Remove the plastic cap from the focuser and insert the eyepiece you want to use.
  • If you want to use the Barlow lens for superior magnification, insert the Barlow lens inside the focuser instead of the eyepiece. The eyepiece will go inside the Barlow lens.

How to use Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ?

Observing The Moon:

It’s hard to resist the temptation of looking at the full moon. However, it’s challenging to have a look at this time since the lunar surface is too radiant, and the light is blindingly intense. A polarizing filter would help dilute the brightness and bring out a better view of the moon at its full glory.

It’s more comfortable to look at the moon while it undergoes its partial phases. This is because the shadows expose a significant amount of space on the lunar surface to our eyes during such periods. You will see most of the lunar disk using the low magnification 20mm eyepiece. To zoom in on a specified area, switch to the 4mm piece.

Observing The Planets:

Planets visible to the naked eye also reveal great detail in this scope. For example, you can see the various moonlike phases of Venus, the sanguine surface of Mars and glimpses of its polar caps, and also the ring of Jupiter. 

The visibility of these planets primarily depends on weather conditions and their position in the sky. To get the best view, avoid watching the planets while they are low on the horizon and use Celestron filters to brush up the details.

Observing The Sun:

If you want to look at the celestial ball of fire that is the sun, make sure you have a proper solar filter. Without one, the sunlight can be so overpowering that you might damage your eyes and the scope. 

Looking at the sun when the heat is less intense is best. So, morning and late afternoons are ideal solar watch periods.

Observing Deep Sky Objects:

Deep-sky objects are space bodies that lie beyond the extent of our solar system. These include constellations, distant planets, nebula, and alien galaxies. 

These objects are so far from us that the scope will only show them to us as black and white objects. Their surface brightness is very dim, so these objects should be observed under a dark sky.

These objects commonly have a huge angular shape. So, you can view them using low to midrange magnification gear. The 20mm eyepiece combined with the Barlow lens could deliver excellent results, while you can resort to the 4mm glass if you need higher magnification.

You can use a light pollution reduction filter in urban areas for a better viewing experience.

Why can’t I see anything with my Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ?

You read all these raving Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ reviews, but now that you got one, you find out it’s a useless piece of junk that doesn’t show anything. So is it a subpar telescope, or are you doing something wrong?

When the telescope arrives, the mirrors will not come aligned. Therefore, you will have to collimate the scope and line up the finderscope before viewing anything. Please consult the instruction manual with the telescope to find out how you can collimate the telescope.

Once the telescope is correctly collimated, you won’t have visual problems like those you faced beforehand.

Where can you buy a Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ?

You can buy this retail in any telescope shop in the United States. It’s also a common sight in scientific stores outside the US. But, Amazon has the best deals for this equipment, and you should buy it from here if you want it delivered right to your doorstep.

Final Thoughts

To summarize my Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ review, I will reiterate what I said initially; this is the ideal telescope to start your astronomy journey. The price gives excellent value for the features it has to offer, making it a fantastic choice for intermediate stargazers as well.

You will find another telescope with similar attributes digging up within this price bracket challenge. With two quality eyepieces and a Barlow lens, 1000mm focal length, 5-inch aperture, and equatorial mount, Powerseeker 127EQ presents a tough-to-beat package at this price.

The optics are good enough to give you refined, high-definition imagery of the target objects. Thanks to the eyepieces and the Barlow lens, you can get a maximum of 750x magnification from this setup. However, it works better at lower magnification scales and facilitates the ideal observation of various stellar and interstellar objects.

That said, you need to be aware of the limitations of this model. You will be frustrated buying this piece if you want to indulge yourself in a more comprehensive journey of the cosmos. This is an entry-level telescope, so don’t expect it to compete with premium models.

I hope my Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ review has helped you decide if you are considering buying a beginner-level scope. Wishing you all the best on your stargazing journey!

Last update on 2024-04-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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