My boots crunched on the frost-covered field, the dawn painting the eastern sky in bruised purples and faded oranges. Another astronomy club outing. Another deluge of budget telescopes. This time, however, my attention was snagged by a bright little tube: the Celestron 70mm Travel Scope.

The word “travel” in the name is the key. Think portability. Think ease. This isn’t designed for deep-sky behemoths; its 70mm objective lens, while perfectly adequate for lunar observation and planetary viewing, wouldn’t pull in the same light as a scope with a larger aperture. Don’t be fooled though, its compact design holds an advantage.

Setting it up took mere minutes. I’ve seen novices wrestle with complex equatorial mounts for hours, cursing the constellations. This one, with its simple alt-azimuth mount and pan handle control, is intuitive. The tripod, while not rock-solid in high winds (a minor quibble, honestly), is surprisingly stable for its size and material. Its steel legs provide a good foundation for viewing. I noticed the 1.25-inch focuser accepts a wide variety of eyepieces too – that’s a nice bonus.

My friend, a veteran of several astronomy club meetings, also had one set up, and was using it to observe the moon. I knew he’d tried out the older version. He grumbled something about the older version’s flimsy plastic and the newer model’s improvements.

This telescope makes the perfect starter kit for a beginner. You won’t need a degree in astrophysics. The images are clear, bright, and a heck of a lot of fun. The moon is easily observed, and the rings of Saturn are surprisingly distinct.

The biggest challenge? Trying to keep the tripod legs from sinking in softer ground. I suggest bringing a small piece of plywood or a wider base if you plan to set it up on a grassy surface. Not a deal-breaker, not by a long shot.

So, who’s this scope for? Families looking for a weekend stargazing adventure, students needing a compact tool for educational purposes, or even those who just want to dabble in a new hobby. Get one. You’ll be gazing at the cosmos sooner than you think. Now, go find a dark sky. You won’t regret it.