58 replies to this topic

[Savvynix]

I bought this scope used.. not too bad of a deal, my wife and I are enjoying time with each other and viewing objects in the night sky. She loves the moon, captured Jupiter with ours and also saw a very faint Orion Nebula with it. The mount is horrible, I am learning how to get around it. I am a problem solver. so figuring out ways around the products flaws is kind of worth it. Yes I do intend to upgrade. However as a first scope if something happens by all means no real great loss. However I am learning how to use the mount, I am learning how to focus, Learning how to align the finder scope, how to change eyepieces. we had a very good session with it. I have a log in the beginners forum here.

 

The scope is what it is. I am learning how to manipulate it and get it to work for what it is.

 

I intend to upgrade the mount, then see if the experience is better with the better mount, of course I will be upgrading the telescope next.

 

Regards

 

Savvynix

 

Clear Skies

[Cat Fish]

There is so much hate with this scope. I picked one up for $50. I couldn't pass it up for some reason or another. The equatorial mount did seem loose. There is a glued on plastic cap that need to be removed and you will find a nut that needs tighter just a bit. That fixes that issue of shaking. The finder scope is trash. Thats needed an upgrade. If you already have other eye pieces, are fine with the collimation process. There is nothing wrong with it. It's a tad heavy. I can see the same things as one of my more expensive scopes. Other than the issues I seen, it's a fine scope. And yes, I do use it. I usually set up 2 scopes at night. Plus, I did have what the scope needed for improvements. And it was $50. 

 

[RichA]

Before you throw it away, save the scope rings. They are worth more than the entire scope.

And sometimes, sizes are no longer available. 

[Bob W4]

An acquantice picked one up for 10 bucks at a garage sale.  When he showed it to me and asked for my opinion after an examination, I truly felt bad for telling him he got screwed out of 10 bucks.  What a P.O.S. optically and mechanically !!!  It is ironic that Celestron was sued for price fixing the good stuff, but is legally allowed to sell this S@&÷ to the unsepectipid consumer.

Edited by Bob W4, 16 June 2024 - 09:42 PM.

[sunrag]

I don't know why you are so negative about this. It is good enough if you can get it for under $50. Try making a telescope yourself, you will be shocked at the cost of parts. Even basic hardware (screws, nuts) will cost you more than $10. 

[ASTRORECRE]

Do not give up!

 

If you already have the infamous PowerSeeker 127EQ try replacing the focuser (with the "correcting" lens included).

There is a guy on eBay manufacturing an Helical Focuser replacement for this pseudo Birds-Jones, maybe it works.

 

The focus of the spherical 127mm mirror is near the exit of the OTA, so you will need a short focuser if you want to obtain an image and use it without the barlow lens included in the original focuser. Of course, the result will be an f/3.7 scope and I am not pretty sure how bad the spherical aberrations will be, but anything will be better than that awfull "Barlow".

 

Also, replace the included eyepieces (that weird 20mm "erector", the useless Ramsden 4mm, and that plastic Barlow) with a couple of new eyepieces with a short Field Stop and/or a low Apparent Field of View (AFOV), lets say below 43° (thay way, you will not see some sperical aberrations at the edge of the image due to the spherical 127mm mirror).

 

I do not guarantee you will get pristine images, but if well collimated, the hated 127EQ can give you clear views...

 

Best, 

Tony

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[Cat Fish]

I have a celestron powerseeker 127eq as one of my scopes. Bought it for $50. I find no major issues with it. It's not my go to scope. This is a replacement focuser. The scope is still a bird jones. These are fine tuning focusers. I would only replace it with this if mine was broke. To replace the focuser, and all the other lenses, the scope is not worth that. 

[RookiDoc]

My wife got me the 127 about 3 years ago. I jumped right in, sighted the finder scope, and saw Saturn that night. Then Jupiter. Then.....I started spending $ trying to make it better. Yes, it was a waste of #. But I eventually mastered the thing, and it got me into the hobby. Thank God for YouTube and Cloudy Nights. It also got me up to the local observatory to find out more about telescopes. Now I'm a docent there and know better. Not everything, just better. BTW...I found Andromeda last night in my 127 just for fun. Yes, it took a while. Yes, it was frustrating with a poor view. But I found it. 

 

I do what I know to do, until I know better, then I try to do better. 10" Dobs is now appreciated so much, bc I know better. The C11 is next. 

 

I am happy to know I was not alone in the 127 battel for the stars.  I still works well on planets/moon. Either way, sounds like I'll be keeping the rings.

[MarcETX60]

Seduced by arpeture fever (oohh! 127mm! ohh! Coatings! ohhh! less CA! ohh! affordable!) and past positive experiences with Celestron, I was sorely disappointed by everything about the Celestron Profit$queaker 127, and when I returned it, I bought a Meade Infinity 80mm f/5 refractor which was a jewel in comparison optically under 80x, which was fine for a f/5. I already had some good plossils, and the alt-az mount was much less wobbly than the Celestrons. The Meade supplied MAs and barlow stayed in the box (why not just one good low power ep, Meade?). I kept that one for a long time because it was so much easier to use than my old '80s era C-100 f/10 alt-az which weighed like 25 - 30 pounds all told and was a chore to set up and pack in the car. The experience drove me away from Celestron and now they're the default affordable choice in '25. Le Sigh.

 

Don't these companies understand that quality products create repeat business??? Morons, all of them.

Edited by MarcETX60, 13 January 2025 - 06:16 PM.