This is a review of the Gskyer 80 mm refractor telescope. I am not an employee of Gskyer, I am an astronomy hobbyist. I have 3
other telescopes and a spotting scope. My review is based on this background and is a fair and honest assessment of the package both for daytime use as a spotting scope and as a night time astronomical telescope.
This is an entry level 80 mm short focal length refractor telescope/spotting scope package. It includes the optical tube assembly (the telescope), a mount/tripod, three eyepieces and a 3X barlow. Based upon my tests, it works well during the day as a spotting scope and at night as an astronomical telescope. The simple operation and stable mount make it an good first scope. The included eyepieces and barlow give it a good range of magnifications. Its compact size would make it a good “grab and go” or travel scope for someone who has larger telescopes.
The Mount – This is a shining feature of this package. The tripod/mount of the Gskyer 80 mm is solid, stable, easy to direct and does a good job. Many entry level telescopes have flimsy and wobbly mounts/tripods making the telescope difficult to aim and resulting in a shaky image that is difficult to focus. The mount of the Gskyer 80 is an outstanding feature of this package. Note that it uses a dovetail attachment for the optical tube which means that the mount could be used with other optical tubes or other dovetail mounted accessories in the future. It also includes a standard 1/4 20 stud on top of the mounting rings which can be used to mount a camera or other accessories. The finder scope uses a standard dovetail mount so other finder scopes could be used. This is a level of flexibility you don’t typically see in a package at this price.
The Optical Tube Assembly – This is what you might normally think of as the telescope. The OTA works well and presents a good image. In side by side comparisons it compared well with my Meade 80 mm scope. The focuser is easy to use and includes a 45 degree correct image diagonal that presents the correct image that you would want when using this as a spotting scope during the day. This also works well at night when you are comparing the sky to a chart as things are in their correct positions in the eyepiece. The scope uses the 1.25” standard that is most commonly used for telescope eyepieces, diagonals and filters so you can easily add accessories in the future.
The included finder scope works well. The bracket is sturdy and provides ample adjustment so that you can align it with the optical tube assembly. Note that you will need to focus the finder when you first take it out of the package. This is done by turning the front black part. This is easy to do and will only need to be done once, but it is not mentioned on the assembly sheet.
You will have to align the finder with the optical tube. This is a normal procedure required on any telescope and is best done during the day. Find a target as far away as possible, but at least 500 feet away. I like to use the cross arm of a telephone or power pole. Using the 25 mm eyepiece, center the cross arm in the eyepiece of the telescope, not the finder. Now use the two black screws on the finder to move the cross hairs till the target is centered in the cross hairs. You are now aligned. This is very important for use during the day and at night. You may have to make a minor adjustment from time to time but that is normal.
Eyepieces – The included eyepieces present good images and are well matched to the scope. A nice touch is that they are threaded to accept standard astronomy filters which will help improve your view of the Moon, planets, nebula and other targets. The eyepieces, when combined with the included 3X barlow, provide 16X, 40X, 48X, 80X, 120X and 240X. For daytime spotting scope purposes, the 16X and 40X are good choices. If the air is very quiet the 80X works well too, but it is the atmosphere that will limit the magnification, not the scope. For night time use, typically an 80 mm scope will max out around 140X to 160X, but don’t hesitate to give 240X a try on the moon. Just remember that atmospheric transparency and turbulence will be the limiting factor rather than the scope. And, because the Gskyer 80 mm uses the popular 1.25” eyepiece size, you can add single focal length or zoom eyepieces, diagonals or filters of any brand.
What can you see with this package?
During the day I tested the scope by focusing on the leaves of a maple tree at about 150 feet, about half a football field. I was able to see the veins in the leaves without difficulty. I have not taken it to a shooting range but I would expect it would do well for target practice. At 800 feet I was easily able to resolve leaves on the top of a tree as well as a bird perched on a branch. Many spotting scopes use zoom eyepieces so I tested it with the included eyepieces as well as my 8-24 mm zoom eyepiece with good results.
As an astronomy telescope it did well compared to my other 80 mm scope. The mount is easy to direct and the focuser made focusing easy. It worked well on Mars, Saturn and the rings,the Moon and star clusters. I expect it to work well on Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and its moons, stars, star clusters and double stars. I have enjoyed the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades and other deep sky objects with an 80mm telescope.
To a large extent what you can see with any telescope will depend on your ground and sky light pollution levels. I live in a very light polluted suburb of NYC. Even under these challenging conditions, in addition to the Moon and the bright planets, there are hundreds of star clusters, asterisms and double stars within the capability of this telescope. At a darker site, the range of what you can see greatly expands. That would include galaxies and nebula that would be challenging from a light polluted location for any telescope. Don’t expect things to look like the pictures in magazines. Those are produced with long exposure astrophotography, often have false color added, and do not represent what you will see through the eyepiece of a telescope many times larger than this one.
In summary, if you are looking for a compact, easy to carry, easy to use scope that can serve as a spotting scope during the day and an astronomical scope at night, the Gskyer 80 mm refractor should serve you well. And since it uses the standard 1.25” eyepiece and diagonal size it will let you add eyepieces, filters, diagonals and other accessories in the future. You can also take photos or videos through the eyepiece. You can hold the phone up to the eyepiece but there are attachments made for “digiscoping” with 1.25” eyepieces that make this a lot easier. Or add an eyepiece webcam to project the image on a screen or enter into the world of planetary imaging.
If you are looking for a scope for a tween or teen that they can use on their own, this would work. A smaller child would need help setting this up but a 10 year old can likely handle it on their own.
You should have a lot of fun with this scope.
Gskyer Telescope, Telescopes for Adults, 80mm AZ Space Astronomical Refractor Telescope Kids, Adults Astronomy, German Techno
4.2 | 714 ratings
Price: 199.99
Last update: 12-23-2024
About this item
【Ultra-clear Refracting Telescope】With 400 mm focal length and 80 mm aperture to capture more light picture and optical glass coated for enhanced image brightness to protect your eyes.
【Optimum Magnification】Three replaceable eyepiece (16X, 40X, 80X) with a 3X Barlow lens. 6*30 finder scope with mounting bracket, erect-image diagonal make locating objects more easily.
【Adjustable Tripod】This telescope allows for many different viewing positions with a adjustable tripod. Adjustable full size tripod ensures a stable platform.
【Applicable Use】This telescope is quick and easy to set up even for the novice and will encourage kids to love learning about space, great gift idea for kids who love science and astronomy!
【Satisfaction Quality】Reliable and friendly customer service within a 24 hour time frame. 1-YEAR care for free replacement.
【Optimum Magnification】Three replaceable eyepiece (16X, 40X, 80X) with a 3X Barlow lens. 6*30 finder scope with mounting bracket, erect-image diagonal make locating objects more easily.
【Adjustable Tripod】This telescope allows for many different viewing positions with a adjustable tripod. Adjustable full size tripod ensures a stable platform.
【Applicable Use】This telescope is quick and easy to set up even for the novice and will encourage kids to love learning about space, great gift idea for kids who love science and astronomy!
【Satisfaction Quality】Reliable and friendly customer service within a 24 hour time frame. 1-YEAR care for free replacement.
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 40 x 13.3 x 9.3 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 7.9 pounds |
| ASIN | B00XQLV11M |
| Item model number | AZ80400 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars
714
4.2 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #86 in Camera & Photo Products (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo Products) #19 in Telescope Refractors |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | May 15, 2015 |
| Manufacturer | Gskyer |
Top reviews from the United States
A. AndersonA very good entry level scope that will fit in nicely with my other telescopes
A. Anderson
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2018
other telescopes and a spotting scope. My review is based on this background and is a fair and honest assessment of the package both for daytime use as a spotting scope and as a night time astronomical telescope.
This is an entry level 80 mm short focal length refractor telescope/spotting scope package. It includes the optical tube assembly (the telescope), a mount/tripod, three eyepieces and a 3X barlow. Based upon my tests, it works well during the day as a spotting scope and at night as an astronomical telescope. The simple operation and stable mount make it an good first scope. The included eyepieces and barlow give it a good range of magnifications. Its compact size would make it a good “grab and go” or travel scope for someone who has larger telescopes.
The Mount – This is a shining feature of this package. The tripod/mount of the Gskyer 80 mm is solid, stable, easy to direct and does a good job. Many entry level telescopes have flimsy and wobbly mounts/tripods making the telescope difficult to aim and resulting in a shaky image that is difficult to focus. The mount of the Gskyer 80 is an outstanding feature of this package. Note that it uses a dovetail attachment for the optical tube which means that the mount could be used with other optical tubes or other dovetail mounted accessories in the future. It also includes a standard 1/4 20 stud on top of the mounting rings which can be used to mount a camera or other accessories. The finder scope uses a standard dovetail mount so other finder scopes could be used. This is a level of flexibility you don’t typically see in a package at this price.
The Optical Tube Assembly – This is what you might normally think of as the telescope. The OTA works well and presents a good image. In side by side comparisons it compared well with my Meade 80 mm scope. The focuser is easy to use and includes a 45 degree correct image diagonal that presents the correct image that you would want when using this as a spotting scope during the day. This also works well at night when you are comparing the sky to a chart as things are in their correct positions in the eyepiece. The scope uses the 1.25” standard that is most commonly used for telescope eyepieces, diagonals and filters so you can easily add accessories in the future.
The included finder scope works well. The bracket is sturdy and provides ample adjustment so that you can align it with the optical tube assembly. Note that you will need to focus the finder when you first take it out of the package. This is done by turning the front black part. This is easy to do and will only need to be done once, but it is not mentioned on the assembly sheet.
You will have to align the finder with the optical tube. This is a normal procedure required on any telescope and is best done during the day. Find a target as far away as possible, but at least 500 feet away. I like to use the cross arm of a telephone or power pole. Using the 25 mm eyepiece, center the cross arm in the eyepiece of the telescope, not the finder. Now use the two black screws on the finder to move the cross hairs till the target is centered in the cross hairs. You are now aligned. This is very important for use during the day and at night. You may have to make a minor adjustment from time to time but that is normal.
Eyepieces – The included eyepieces present good images and are well matched to the scope. A nice touch is that they are threaded to accept standard astronomy filters which will help improve your view of the Moon, planets, nebula and other targets. The eyepieces, when combined with the included 3X barlow, provide 16X, 40X, 48X, 80X, 120X and 240X. For daytime spotting scope purposes, the 16X and 40X are good choices. If the air is very quiet the 80X works well too, but it is the atmosphere that will limit the magnification, not the scope. For night time use, typically an 80 mm scope will max out around 140X to 160X, but don’t hesitate to give 240X a try on the moon. Just remember that atmospheric transparency and turbulence will be the limiting factor rather than the scope. And, because the Gskyer 80 mm uses the popular 1.25” eyepiece size, you can add single focal length or zoom eyepieces, diagonals or filters of any brand.
What can you see with this package?
During the day I tested the scope by focusing on the leaves of a maple tree at about 150 feet, about half a football field. I was able to see the veins in the leaves without difficulty. I have not taken it to a shooting range but I would expect it would do well for target practice. At 800 feet I was easily able to resolve leaves on the top of a tree as well as a bird perched on a branch. Many spotting scopes use zoom eyepieces so I tested it with the included eyepieces as well as my 8-24 mm zoom eyepiece with good results.
As an astronomy telescope it did well compared to my other 80 mm scope. The mount is easy to direct and the focuser made focusing easy. It worked well on Mars, Saturn and the rings,the Moon and star clusters. I expect it to work well on Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and its moons, stars, star clusters and double stars. I have enjoyed the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades and other deep sky objects with an 80mm telescope.
To a large extent what you can see with any telescope will depend on your ground and sky light pollution levels. I live in a very light polluted suburb of NYC. Even under these challenging conditions, in addition to the Moon and the bright planets, there are hundreds of star clusters, asterisms and double stars within the capability of this telescope. At a darker site, the range of what you can see greatly expands. That would include galaxies and nebula that would be challenging from a light polluted location for any telescope. Don’t expect things to look like the pictures in magazines. Those are produced with long exposure astrophotography, often have false color added, and do not represent what you will see through the eyepiece of a telescope many times larger than this one.
In summary, if you are looking for a compact, easy to carry, easy to use scope that can serve as a spotting scope during the day and an astronomical scope at night, the Gskyer 80 mm refractor should serve you well. And since it uses the standard 1.25” eyepiece and diagonal size it will let you add eyepieces, filters, diagonals and other accessories in the future. You can also take photos or videos through the eyepiece. You can hold the phone up to the eyepiece but there are attachments made for “digiscoping” with 1.25” eyepieces that make this a lot easier. Or add an eyepiece webcam to project the image on a screen or enter into the world of planetary imaging.
If you are looking for a scope for a tween or teen that they can use on their own, this would work. A smaller child would need help setting this up but a 10 year old can likely handle it on their own.
You should have a lot of fun with this scope.
Images in this review
BrendaIt’s a good way to have fun with kids.
Brenda
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2018
Pains first: It is big! When my wife told me of about this, I thought it was a piece of little thing like a camera that could be carried in hands easily. The truth is that it is as long as the forearm, and it is really not something that you can easily carry with hands when traveling, especially when climbing. So, if you do want to take it when traveling, packing in a back bag is my suggestion. Fortunately, it is very easy to disassemble and assemble, and also not heavy at all. BTW, I guess all good telescope are big. So, no pain no gain :). Another pain is that it will take you a little time to explore the fascinating features. One example is that I still haven’t yet find out how to take a picture of the moon through this telescope.
Good: I have to say that this is a wonderful telescope. My kids all love it. Thanks to this telescope, I saw the moon so clearly for the first time of my life. I didn’t know there were so many threads-like things around the crater. Though we have seen the moon for numerous times either in the sky with naked eyes or in the media, it was “shocking” to see such a clear picture of the moon through the telescope. This is an outstanding feeling that can not be easily found in other places. If you get a telescope like this one, I believe you will agree with me that the views in it open your eyes. If you have kids, I strongly recommend this telescope to you. You will enjoy the kids' questions about the space… I feel lucky we chose this telescope because two important features out compete other telescopes: 1) it is a refractor telescope, so you can stand straight while using it. 2) It has a finderscope. If you have experience of using a telescope, you will find how important these features are. Star observing is a neck-hurting work. These features really save you lots of efforts in searching in the views.
Images in this review
Anne Hayes