Introduction
Ever stood outside at night and wondered what it'd be like to actually see the craters on the moon—not just squint at a glowing disc in the sky? I did. For years, I'd tell myself I'd get a telescope "someday," but between the intimidating price tags and technical jargon, I kept putting it off. Then I stumbled across the Gskyer Telescope with its 70mm aperture and 400mm focal length, and honestly? The price point made me do a double-take. Could a telescope under $100 actually deliver decent views of the night sky, or was this just another disappointment waiting to happen?
I've now spent several weeks with this thing—hauling it to my backyard, a local park, and even on a weekend camping trip—and I've got thoughts. Real ones. Not the polished marketing copy you see everywhere, but actual insights from someone who fumbled with the setup, accidentally pointed it at a streetlight (don't do that), and gradually figured out what this telescope can and can't do. If you're a beginner or buying for a curious kid, you're probably asking the same questions I had. Let me walk you through what I learned.
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Unboxing and First Impressions
The Gskyer arrives in a surprisingly compact box considering you're getting a full telescope setup. Inside, you'll find the main tube, a tripod, two eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), a 3x Barlow lens, a finderscope, a phone adapter, a wireless remote, and a carry bag. Oh, and an instruction manual that's... well, let's just say it assumes you already know a bit about telescopes. 📦
What struck me first was the build quality. This isn't a toy, but it's also not the heavy, industrial equipment I imagined. The telescope tube has a smooth white finish with blue accents—kind of gives off those vintage NASA vibes—and everything feels solid enough without being overly heavy. The tripod is aluminum, which keeps the weight down but still feels sturdy once you've got it locked in place.
Assembly took me about 20 minutes the first time, mostly because I kept second-guessing myself. The instruction manual has diagrams, but they're small and a bit unclear. YouTube became my best friend here. Once you understand the basic concept (attach tube to mount, mount to tripod, insert eyepiece), it's actually pretty straightforward. The second time I set it up? Maybe five minutes.
Using It: The Learning Curve
Here's the thing nobody tells you about beginner telescopes: finding stuff in the sky is hard. 🌙
The first night, I spent probably 30 minutes just trying to locate the moon. The finderscope—that little scope on top that's supposed to help you aim—needs to be aligned first, and the manual barely explains how. I eventually figured it out by aiming at a distant object during daytime (a street sign worked perfectly) and adjusting the screws until both the finderscope and main scope showed the same view.
Once I got the hang of it though? Magic. Pure magic.
The moon was my first real target, and even with the basic 25mm eyepiece, I could make out craters and the terminator line (that's the shadow line between day and night on the moon's surface). Switching to the 10mm eyepiece brought me closer, and adding the 3x Barlow lens gave me even more magnification—though things got a bit shakier at that level.
Jupiter was next on my list. I could definitely see it as a disc rather than just a point of light, and on a particularly clear night, I think I made out a couple of its larger moons. Saturn's rings were visible but just barely—more like a fuzzy oval than the crisp Saturn you see in textbook photos. To be fair, that's about what you'd expect from a 70mm aperture telescope.
The Phone Adapter: A Game-Changer? 📱
One of the selling points here is the smartphone adapter and wireless remote. In theory, you can snap photos of what you're seeing through the telescope. In practice... it's trickier than it sounds.
The adapter itself is a spring-loaded clamp that holds your phone over the eyepiece. Getting it aligned properly takes patience—like, several minutes of tiny adjustments. And your phone's camera needs to be positioned exactly over the eyepiece lens, or you'll just get weird shadows and vignetting.
That said, once you nail the alignment, it's pretty cool. I managed to capture a surprisingly decent photo of the moon using my iPhone. It's not National Geographic quality, but it's way better than trying to hold your phone steady by hand. The wireless remote helps too, since you can trigger the shot without touching your phone and causing vibrations.
For kids especially, this feature is huge. My nephew was way more engaged when he could see the moon on his phone screen and take his own pictures to show his friends. It transformed the experience from "looking at space" to "capturing space," which felt more interactive and modern.
What Works Well
Let me break down what genuinely impressed me about this telescope:
The optics are solid for the price. The 70mm aperture with fully coated lenses produces bright, reasonably sharp images of the moon and brighter planets. Colors don't look weirdly tinted, and I didn't notice the kind of chromatic aberration (colored halos) that plagues some cheaper refractors.
It's genuinely portable. The carry bag isn't just marketing fluff—the whole setup actually fits inside, and it's light enough to sling over your shoulder. I brought it on a camping trip, and while it's not "throw it in your backpack" portable, it's definitely "toss it in the trunk" portable.
The tripod adjusts easily. You can change the height and angle without tools, and it locks firmly enough that I never worried about the telescope tipping over—even in mild wind.
Great first telescope for kids. If you're buying this for a young person interested in astronomy, it hits the sweet spot of being real enough to show actual celestial objects but simple enough not to overwhelm them. My 12-year-old nephew figured out the basics in one session.
What Could Be Better
But let's be real—this telescope isn't perfect, and you should know the limitations before buying.
The finderscope is finicky. Even after alignment, I found myself constantly readjusting it. It's also only 5x magnification, which sounds decent until you're actually trying to locate dimmer objects in a sky full of stars.
Stability at high magnification suffers. When you stack the 10mm eyepiece with the 3x Barlow lens for maximum magnification, any tiny vibration—a breeze, someone walking nearby, even touching the focus knob—causes the image to shake. This is partly just physics (higher magnification amplifies movement), but a slightly beefier tripod would help.
The manual is borderline useless. I'm not exaggerating when I say watching one YouTube tutorial taught me more than reading the included instructions three times. If you're truly a beginner with zero knowledge of telescopes, budget some extra time to watch videos online.
Limited deep-sky capability. Don't expect to see those colorful nebulae and galaxies you've seen in photos. You might spot the Orion Nebula as a fuzzy patch, and the Andromeda Galaxy as a smudge, but that's about it with a 70mm aperture. This is a moon-and-planets telescope, not a deep-space explorer.
Focus knob placement is awkward. It's located on the drawtube where the eyepiece goes in, which means you often have to reach around the telescope body to adjust focus. Minor annoyance, but noticeable.
📊 Pros & Cons
Pros:
- ✅ Excellent optics for the price point
- ✅ Complete starter package with accessories
- ✅ Portable and includes a decent carry bag
- ✅ Phone adapter adds modern functionality
- ✅ Good views of the moon and bright planets
- ✅ Sturdy enough for casual outdoor use
Cons:
- ❌ Finderscope requires patience to align and use
- ❌ Shaky at maximum magnification
- ❌ Poor instruction manual for true beginners
- ❌ Not suitable for deep-sky observation
- ❌ Phone adapter alignment is fiddly
- ❌ Focus knob awkwardly positioned
How It Compares
I looked at a few alternatives in this price range before buying, so here's how the Gskyer stacks up:
Gskyer vs. Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ: The PowerSeeker is similarly priced but uses lower-quality optics (single-coated instead of fully coated). I've read multiple reports of chromatic aberration being an issue. The Gskyer's fully coated lenses deliver clearer views. Edge: Gskyer.
Gskyer vs. Meade Infinity 70mm: The Meade comes with better included software and a red dot finderscope that's easier to use than Gskyer's optical finderscope. However, it's usually $20-30 more expensive and doesn't include a phone adapter. If you care about smartphone photography, stick with the Gskyer. If you want slightly better usability out of the box, the Meade might edge it out.
For a true beginner, I'd still lean toward the Gskyer because you're getting a complete package—phone adapter, wireless remote, carry bag—without spending extra. It's the better value.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can you see planets clearly with this telescope?
Yes, but "clearly" is relative. You'll see Jupiter as a disc with maybe some moons, and Saturn's rings will be visible but not super detailed. Don't expect Hubble-quality views—think more like "way better than binoculars."
Is this good for a 10-year-old?
Absolutely, with some parental help initially. The setup and alignment might frustrate a kid on their own, but once it's ready to go, they'll love exploring the moon and planets. The phone adapter is a huge engagement boost for that age group.
How much magnification does it actually have?
With the 25mm eyepiece: 16x. With the 10mm: 40x. Add the 3x Barlow lens, and you get 48x or 120x respectively. In practice, anything above 100x gets pretty shaky with this setup.
Can you use it during the day?
Technically yes—I used it to watch birds across a field—but it's not ideal for terrestrial viewing. The image is upside-down (that's normal for astronomical telescopes), which makes daytime use awkward.
Will it work in light-polluted areas?
The moon and bright planets will still be visible even in cities. Deep-sky objects require darker skies though, so if you live in a heavily light-polluted area, your viewing will be mostly limited to the moon and planets.
How long does setup take?
First time: 15-20 minutes. After you've done it once or twice: 5 minutes max.
Is it worth the price?
For a beginner or kid interested in astronomy, absolutely yes. For someone wanting serious deep-sky observation, no—you'll need a bigger aperture and more money.
Final Verdict
After several weeks of use, here's my honest take: the Gskyer 70mm telescope is an excellent entry point into amateur astronomy, especially if you're shopping for a kid or testing the waters yourself before investing in pricier equipment. 🌟
It won't blow your mind with stunning views of distant galaxies, and you'll definitely hit a few frustrating moments during setup. But for the price—usually under $100—you're getting optics that actually work, a complete accessory package, and the ability to genuinely see and photograph lunar craters and planetary details. That's not nothing.
Would I recommend it? Yes, with realistic expectations. If you understand this is a beginner instrument designed for moon, planets, and basic stargazing—not professional astrophotography—you'll probably be as pleasantly surprised as I was. It's taught me more about the night sky in a month than years of idle stargazing ever did.
The key is managing expectations and giving yourself permission to learn. Astronomy has a learning curve, and this telescope gives you a gentle on-ramp without breaking the bank. Plus, that moment when you first see the moon's craters in detail? Totally worth the occasional frustration with the finderscope.
If you're ready to stop squinting at the sky and start actually exploring it, this is a solid place to start. Just maybe watch a setup tutorial before your first night out. Trust me on that one. 🔭✨
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