bit-tech Shopping: Konus motor 70 Equatorial Refractor Telescope

The Konusmotor 70 equatorial refractor telescope may be the perfect size for the beginning astronomer. About the same size and weight as 60 millimeter starter scopes, and not much more expensive, the Konusmotor 70 delivers more light gathering power, sharper optics, and better eyepieces. This telescope comes with a very complete accessory package, including two plossl eyepieces (17 and 10 millimeters), an equatorial mount with a battery powered tracking motor, and even a large format Lunar map and moon filter.A number of deep space objects can be difficult to see with a 60mm scope, but show up well with the Konusmotor 70 . The double cluster in Perseus, for instance, is disappointing in a 60mm scope, but with the Konusmotor 70 the double cluster becomes a deep space highlight, filling the 17mm eyepiece edge to edge with tiny pinpoint stars. The planets also show up surprisingly well. With the 10mm plossl eyepiece (about 90x) I can see Jupiter's moons and major cloud bands, and it's easy to see Saturn's moon Titan orbiting outside the rings. When viewing conditions are just right, I can push the magnification to 150x with an optional 6mm plossl eyepiece. With high power I've been able to detect the Cassini division in Saturn's rings, and I've seen the tiny black shadow of one of Jupiter's moons passing in front of the planet!The Konus telescope package includes an equatorial mount and a motor drive powered by two 9-volt batteries. Simply point the polar axis at Polaris, the North Star, and the motor drive will allow the telescope to track stars and planets as the Earth rotates. In practice, the motor drive can be difficult to use because the motor and the slow motion control can not be used at the same time. I suggest using the telescope without the motor the first time or two until you get the hang of finding and tracking the moon or a planet manually.The plossl eyepieces included with the Konusmotor 70 are unusually good for a telescope in this price range. I'd add a low power 25mm plossl to take in the full view of deep space highlights like the Pleiades and the Andromeda Galaxy. The other essential accessory is a guide book like NightWatch by Terrence Dickinson or a subscription to Night Sky magazine. Once you own a telescope, you'll want to know where to look for the best views of planets and galaxies!