The quality and durability won't win any awards, but with care, you shouldn't have any problems using this for plenty of skywatching enjoyment. With telescopes, you usually get what you pay for, which rings true with the Celestron AstroFi 102. The AstroFi 102 is a good telescope for a child or beginner who wants to look at the moon and some planets, but it would be a struggle for those that want to take it further with additional accessories to achieve what they need. Should you buy the Celestron Astro Fi 102 telescope? It's fiddly to change the battery, so it's best to have to do it as little as possible. We should also mention that once you've finished using the finderscope, turn it off to preserve power. That or a more robust connection, perhaps sealed or supported by heat-shrink plastic would help avoid this problem. More advanced models have overcome this problem by having a robust jack port, external inputs and battery bank built into a stationary section of the mount which stops cables from being over-stretched or twisted. The power cable can become twisted around the mount when the scope is slewing and the copper cables are easily pulled out of the basic crimped connections. One slight oversight we found is the build quality of the battery pack, which we plugged into a 12V DC port. It seems a little unnecessary, but it might be a useful tool for people who put their phone down between uses and are prone to forgetting where they have left it. The Celestron Astro Fi 102 comes with an integrated smartphone holder in the form of some simple elastic straps built into the lens cap. Large database of celestial objects on SkyPortal.We'd like it if the cable connection was a little more robust. The battery pack requires 8 AA batteries. Celestron Astro Fi 102 telescope: Performance It slides onto the tube as easily as the tube does onto the single fork arm CG-5 dovetail mount - with minimal fuss. As standard with red dot finderscopes, its bright red illumination can be dimmed via the controlling knob on the side to suit whatever observing situation you're in, whether it's just after dusk in a city or a fully dark night sky reserve in the middle of nowhere. The finderscope is very helpful in aiding the alignment and location of stars. The adjustable tripod is pretty flimsy, although the accessories tray which holds the eyepieces and any other miscellaneous accessories is quite handy to stabilize the tripod legs. While astronomers don't tend to head out in a rain storm to view the stars, the odd passing shower does come from nowhere sometimes so those wanting to grab this telescope will want to cover it before it starts raining. A little manipulation of the single fork arm base and you can virtually peer into the motor housing, viewing wires and more. The plastic casing is acceptable but we don't think it could survive a substantial knock or a soaking from a passing shower as the seals aren't great, unlike some of the hardier, fully-sealed telescopes available. The optical tube assembly is 38.1cm long and 11.7cm in diameter. Celestron Astro Fi 102mm (Black) at Amazon for $500.57.We have taken a closer look to help you decide whether this is the beginner scope for you. However, we do think this telescope is worth scoping out which is why we've included it in our buying guide for the best beginner telescopes. Similarly, we'd recommend it for those without the desire to push their astronomy knowledge beyond the basics, as the opportunity for this with the Astro Fi 102 is limited. Alternatively, this would suit someone interested in astronomy that wants to observe celestial objects without learning to navigate the night sky themselves. Despite this, we'd recommend it as a beginner telescope. The image is pleasing, with some expected (at this price point) image fall-off around the edge of the field of view. Mount type: Computerized Alt-Azimuth Single Fork Arm
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