The Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ is a 90mm aperture refractor telescope from the Astro Master range which also includes the 90AZ, the AstroMaster 70EQ, the AstroMaster 76EQ and the larger aperture ones AstroMaster 114EQ and AstroMaster 130EQ.
Despite not being the telescope with the highest aperture from this AstroMaster range, it is in many ways a better telescope for a beginner than the rest of the range and it’s an excellent beginner telescope for viewing the moon. Now before I go into why that is let’s take a look at what comes in the box.
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Manufacturer - 9.9/10
9.9/10
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Optics - 9.8/10
9.8/10
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Value - 9.3/10
9.3/10
Summary
A great telescope for beginners with enough power to keep you entertained for years to come.
Pros
- Ease of use
- Equatorial Mount
- Aperture large enough to see the planets and even catch far away deep sky objects
Cons
- Can be considered a bit pricey to what it can do.
AstroMaster Range Comparison Table
The package contains the following items: the optical tube, the equatorial mount, tripod, two eye pieces and the SkyX astronomy software.
Then optical tube is rather lengthy at 36 in (914mm) which doesn’t make this telescope very portable, but it doesn’t have to be. When you take portability into consideration it’s often because you want to take it with you while traveling to a place with lower light pollution but this telescope it not that affected by such factors. Taking into consideration it’s aperture, focal length and focal ratio this telescope performs bets while viewing the moon and other near by astronomical objects like Jupiter and the other planets. And since these object tend to be more bright than other more distant and fainter objects on the night sky, then light pollution does not play just an important role. The optics are top quality and offer great views of the moon and the rest of the planets. More distant objects are visible as well with good views but the best images deliver by this telescope are for the moon and planets.
Like with any telescope build for astronomy it’s nice to have an equatorial mount just like this one has. It makes tracking the objects on the night sky much easier as they transit and you will be spending more time enjoying the views than trying to keep the image centered. Also keep in mind that the images are erect meaning that you see the correct position of the objects and not upside down which makes this telescope fit for terrestrial viewing as well.
The tripod is made from 1.25″ steel tube legs which confers a higher degree of stability. The tripod can be a weak point for some telescopes especially for those trying to go for more power than their capable of, but this isn’t the case with the 90EQ. The tripod is sturdy and also include an accessory tray in order to have all your different components and accessories close at hand and well organized.
The package also includes the SkyX astronomy software which includes very useful information for the beginner and intermediate astronomer.
Overall the AstroMaster 90EQ is a telescope with very good optics that can deliver great images of the moon and planets. In my opinion this telescope is best suited for the adult beginner astronomer as it is build well and is easy to setup and use. It offers better images then a 70EQ or smaller aperture telescopes from the same range and also being able to deliver better images for the moon and planets than the larger aperture telescopes from the same range. However this does affect the price point which is higher, but it shouldn’t be a factor if you know exactly what you want and that’s a telescope that can deliver some of the best images of the moon and planets within this price range. Also if you’re buying this as an adult beginner astronomer the Celestron AstroMaster Accessory Kit might the best addition possible making this telescope perfect for your needs.
The pros of the Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ:
- Good optics
- Great views of the moon and planets
- Sturdy tripod
- Easy to setup and use
- Best suited for an adult beginner astronomer
The cons of the Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ:
- A “StarPointer” finder scope that it’s that useful
Video Review
Full technical specifications:
Optical Design: Refractor
Aperture (mm): 90 mm (3.54 in)
Focal Length: 1000 mm (39 in)
Focal Ratio: 11
Focal Length of Eyepiece 1 (mm): 20 mm (0.79 in)
Magnification of Eyepiece 1: 50 x
Focal Length of Eyepiece 2 (mm): 10 mm (0.39 in)
Magnification of Eyepiece 2: 100 x
Finderscope: Built-on StarPointer
Star Diagonal: Erect Image Diagonal – 1.25″
Mount Type: CG-3 Equatorial
Tripod: 1.25″ steel tube legs
Highest Useful Magnification: 213 x
Lowest Useful Magnification: 13 x
Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 12.3
Resolution (Rayleigh): 1.55 arc seconds
Resolution (Dawes): 1.29 arc seconds
Light Gathering Power (Compared to human eye): 165 x
Apparent Field of View: 1 °
Linear Field of View (@1000 yds:) 53 ft (16 m)
Optical Coatings: Multi Coated
Optical Tube Length: 36 in (914 mm)
