Celestron FirstScope 76/300 Dobson

Small size, big fun: the most affordable real telescope

The Celestron FirstScope is the most accessible real telescope there is. The 76 mm mirror with a 300 mm focal length collects over a hundred times more light than the naked eye: lunar craters, the rings of Saturn, Jupiter's moons, and the Orion Nebula are within reach. Fully pre-assembled, weighing about 2 kg, and ready to use in under a minute.

As intended

The table dobsonian mount moves smoothly horizontally and vertically: intuitively aim at the Moon or a bright star and focus with the 1.25 inch rack-and-pinion focuser. No alignment and no tools needed. The 20mm eyepiece (15x) provides a wide field of view for the lunar disk and star fields, the 4mm eyepiece (75x) tackles higher magnification of bright objects.

For whom yes, for whom no

As a first telescope for a child, as a travel scope, or as a gift that really works; its striking design even looks good on a desk or bookshelf. Not for: those who want serious detail of the planets right away; the Cometron version has a better eyepiece set and a finder scope, and a Heritage-100P has greater light-gathering capability. A 10mm eyepiece is the first sensible upgrade for the FirstScope.

What's in the box?

• Optical tube with 76 mm mirror (300 mm focal length)
• Table-top mounting
• 20 mm and 4 mm eyepieces (1.25 inch)
• 1.25 inch rack-and-pinion focuser

Recommended accessory

• A moon filter (1.25 inch) dim the bright moonlight: the Moon is target number one for this viewer.

Still unsure about the right model? Our Buyer's guide for beginners and the telescope selection aid help you step by step. Also check out all the Dobson telescopes or the full range on the Celestron merk Page. You can read more background information about the merk in the Celestron merk Guide.