• CELESTRON

This 70mm refractor on an equatorial mount is highly suitable for a beginner who wants detailed views of the Moon, to see Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons and the brighter deep-sky objects. All the Messier objects (including galaxies, nebulae and star clusters) are within its range.

Recommended for young people and adults who want to take their first steps in astronomy.

• APERTURE: 70 mm (2.76 in)
• FOCAL LENGTH: 900 mm
• EYEPIECES: 10mm and 20mm
• MAGNIFICATION: 45x and 90x
• MOUNT: CG-2 Equatorial
• WEIGHT: 8kg

• SKY WATCHER

114mm (4.5") f/1000 Catadioptric Newtonian Reflector

A 4.5" reflecting telescope is perhaps the most popular choice for a beginner wanting a telescope to observe the Moon and bright planets as well as explore the brighter deep-space objects. It will show the rings around Saturn, the Galilean moons of Jupiter and lots of details on our Moon.

It is also powerful enough to show the amateur's favourite target list, the Messier Objects. This list of over 100 objects includes examples of all the main deep sky categories such as galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

This telescope has an internal lens that allows the tube to be shorter than usual making the telescope more compact and easier to handle. The equatorial mount makes tracking objects easy.

An ideal first telescope

• SKY Watcher

• Magnifications (with eyepieces supplied): x30, x60, x75, x150
• Highest Practical Power (Potential): x300
• Diameter of Primary Mirror: 150mm
• Telescope Focal Length: 750mm (f/5)
• Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
• X2 Deluxe Barlow Lens 1.25" (with Camera Adaptor)
• Parabolic Primary Mirror
• 0.5mm Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports
• 6x30 Finderscope
• Direct SLR Camera Connection
• EQ3-2 Deluxe Equatorial Mount
• Built-in Polar Alignment Scope Holder
• Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
• 33% more Light Gathering than 130mm

• SKY WATCHER

The SkyHawk 1145P is a 4.5-inch Newtonian reflector with a parabolic primary mirror and a short, 500mm focal length. This makes it compact for easy handling and provides bright, high-quality images with no colour aberration.

It is a very cost-effective way of getting a bigger aperture which makes deep-sky objects appear brighter, and its built-in computer control will ensure you find all the best objectts with ease.