Celestron Astromaster 114eq Review For New Stargazers

As a stargazing enthusiast, I have always been keen to observe the rings of Saturn, the craters of the moon and other planets visible from the Earth. Then one day, my dream came true as I had a telescope in my hand, and it enabled me to get a clear and amazing view of the sky. If you are a beginner stargazer just like I was, this celestron astromaster 114 review is for you. This telescope can be the right choice if you are a newbie who has just begun gazing at the night sky to see some Celestial & Terrestrial magic.

Celestron 31042 AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope comes with Permanently mounted StarPointer finderscope that offers sharp, detailed views of the night sky. You may go for a high-end model if you want to see galaxies and nebulae. But, for the novice astronomy enthusiast, this one has the features to be considered a topnotch telescope. Continue reading to find out how much it really can offer.

Key Features of Celestron Astromaster 114eq

The key features of a product help it perform well and gain popularity to the users. Go through the following section to know the key features of this telescope.

1. Slow Motion Controls

This telescope has two slow-motion control knobs to make fine pointing adjustment for both Right Ascension and Declination axes which are also termed as RA and DEC. this couple of slow-motion control knobs assist the telescope in achieving more stability.

2. The Erect Image Diagonal

Erect image optics have the ability to make this telescope ideal for astronomical and terrestrial uses. It provides with a more comfortable viewing position. The erect image diagonal produces correctly oriented images avoiding inverted or flipped views.

3. Two Eyepieces

It comes with two eyepieces. The 20mm eyepiece will give a moderately wide field view with low magnification, and the 10mm eyepiece will produce comparatively narrower field views with higher magnification.

4. The AstroMaster Equatorial Mount

The AstroMaster equatorial mount uses an effective mechanism to move in two directions based on the celestial coordinate system. It works on the basis of two axis RA and DEC. RA axis comes into play to move the telescope in the East/West direction. And, DEC does the same while moving it in the North/South direction.

5. The StarPointer Finderscope

A StarPointer red-dot finderscope works as a sighting tool while aiming at the telescope at the desired target. It is a reflex sight that functions using a red LED to project a superimposed red dot on your target. Align the finderscope with the main optics of the telescope before using it.

Specifications

Pros

• Quick and easy to set up
• Pre-assembled tripod
• Quick release dovetail attachment
• Accurate tracking
• Clear and crisp images
• Free Starry Night astronomy software.

Cons

• The red-dot finderscope feature isn’t satisfactory.

Our Findings

It has been a few couples of years I am into stargazing. But, I was searching for a budget telescope ideal for the beginners. This telescope has come up as a result of my quest for the perfect telescope for the novice stargazer. Keep reading to know what I have found.

1. Performance

It took me almost one hour to put it together to look through the telescope. The tripod is fairly sturdy providing a stable position. The mount is good enough to make it movable around your house or in the outdoors. After the installation process, I put this celestron astromaster telescope to the test. I used the 20mm eyepiece to focus on the target at first. Once the object is centered, the 10mm eyepiece did magic to zoom in the plants closer for me. I had a very pleasant experience while delving into the realm of stargazing. I was able to see the moon in detail with the craters, Saturn with rings, Jupiter along with its moons, Mars, Venus, and some distant stars. This device performed really well to see planets, but not to see the galaxies.

2. Ease of use

The use of a telescope is somewhat complex as it deals with many things simultaneously. you are going to watch planets and stars, so it calls for the required expertise to find and see them correctly. Before that, make sure that the assembly is done perfectly. This isn’t a simple monocular, so take the help of an expert if anytime seems confusing.

3. Price

This telescope is a great telescope in terms of the price and performance. It is a big bang for the buck as it comes with excellent features at a comparatively low price. So, price-wise, I have found it as a great purchase.

How to Use and Maintain Celestron Astromaster Reflector Telescope?

The toughest challenge of using a telescope lies in its assembly process. Once you have assembled it correctly, learn how to use and care for this telescope from the remaining part of this celestron astromaster 114 review.

1. How to use it?

You have to use the telescope differently to see different objects. Watching the moon is the easiest. You will know the rest if you continue watching the stars. Let’s know how to watch the moon with this telescope.

• Ensure that the sky is clear and set up the telescope with 20mm eyepiece.
• Find the red dot by using the finderscope.
• Keep moving the telescope until the red dot is centered to the moon.
• Gently adjust the focus knobs to get a sharp and clear image.

The clarity of the views depends on some sky conditions such as steadiness of the air, transparency of the air, sky brightness, etc.

2. How to maintain it?

Your telescope may catch dust and/or moisture very often you should do the following things to ensure the device performs at its best.

• Remove the larger particles simply using a camel hair brush gently.
• You can use a photographer’s squeeze bulb to blow away the debris if any.
• Mix distilled water and of over-the-counter isopropyl in the same ratio to clean the optics.
• Apply the above-mentioned solution to an unscented tissue and gently rub it from the center of the lens (or mirror) to the outer portion in straight lines
• Keep it in a well-protected cool and dry place.

Whom is Celestron 31042 AstroMaste Ideal For?

This product is ideal for newbie stargazing enthusiasts who love to observe the night sky to enjoy stellar views. One can also use this for birdwatching and whale-watching if he/she wants. This isn’t ideal for advanced astronomy. You have to spend more on a telescope of a larger aperture model if you want to delve into the beauty of galaxies and nebulae.

Customers’ Feedbacks

This telescope has earned an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars according to more than 350 reviews. Most of the customers are happy with its performance while a few of them have complaints about the efficacy of the red dot finderscope.

Our Final Thoughts

This is a great telescope for the novice stargazers who want to see the beauty of a starry night. You may need an advanced telescope to watch the deep-sky objects such as the distant planets and the galaxies. We recommend using this telescope if you don’t want to spend more on your telescope. This telescope is a great inclusion in the leagues of the budget telescope. Hoe you will make an educated decision while making a purchase after reading this Celestron Astromaster 114 Review.

FAQ

Question : Can I take photos using my DSL with this telescope?
Answer : Yes, but you have to buy some add-on kits such as a T-adapter and a T-ring. Besides, the ISO and the shutter speed of your camera need to be adjusted manually.

Question : How long does the tripod extend?
Answer : The tripod extends to 1.40 meter or 4 feet approximately.