The Celestron Astromaster LT 76AZ telescope is a high-quality scope that doesn’t sacrifice power for price. It’s lightweight and designed to travel; it can be completely assembled and disassembled without any tools. With a reasonable aperture and unusually long focal length, it has greater magnifying power and clarity than smaller scopes, but is still straightforward to use for beginning stargazers. It is perfect for novices just beginning to practice their skills, and for more experienced astronomers looking for a scope to take on the road. Below, you will find a detailed Celestron Astromaster LT 76AZ telescope review.
What Is the Celestron Astromaster LT 76AZ telescope?
This telescope is a unique combination of size and power. It’s incredibly inexpensive, given its capabilities. Typically, telescopes of this size are much heavier and much more expensive, but the decrease in cost and weight is not due to a decrease in quality.
The long focal length (700mm) gives you lots of depth to play with at higher magnifications, allowing you to produce beautifully clear images that smaller scopes can’t match. The altazimuth (AZ) mount isn’t always ideal for getting the scope into position, and the included tripod, though sturdy, is a little short for some stargazers. An adapter allows for easy astrophotography with either a smartphone or regular camera.
Product Information
| Dimensions | Weight | Batteries | Aperture | Focal Length | Software |
| 40 x 13 x 10 inches | 15 lbs. | 1 Lithium battery required | 76mm | 700mm | SkyX – First Light Edition |
Pros & Cons to Using the Celestron Astromaster LT 76AZ Telescope
Pros
- Very budget friendly
- Lightweight and portable
- Tool-free assembly
- Easy to use
- Pre-mounted finder scope
- Suitable for astrophotography
- Quick release dovetail attachment
- Pan handle Alt-Az control for accurate and smooth pointing
- The tripod provides a stable and rigid platform
- Deluxe accessory tray
Cons
- Altazimuth mount makes adjustments awkward
- Included tripod is a bit short
- Built-on finderscope is not interchangeable
- Minimal accessories included
Where to Find the Celestron Astromaster LT 76AZ Telescope
You can purchase this telescope from a range of online retailers, including Amazon and directly from Celestron. Both are relatively close in price, though one or the other may be less on any given day; check both before finalizing your purchase.
This telescope is also available from a variety of brick-and-mortar retailers, so if you want to try it before you buy it, check out the list on the Celestron website and see if there’s a retailer near you!
Telescope Performance
This telescope offers surprisingly good performance, due in part to its size. The built-on Starpointer finderscope is less flexible as an option than interchangeable finderscopes, but does cut down on setup time and complexity, which makes this a great telescope for travel.
Another travel-friendly feature is this scope’s weight. Despite its size, it’s still easy to pack up and carry without risking damage, and the included steel tripod provides a sturdy base for the optical tube and its altazimuth mount. The high degree of magnification, and the clarity possible at those levels, makes it excellent for viewing distant star clusters, as well as details of nearer celestial bodies.
You can observe the Moon, a variety of planets, the moons and belts of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, as well as some deep space objects that are brighter, like nebulae and galaxies.
Extra Info
The biggest drawback to this scope is the manual altazimuth mount. This means it’s great for star-hopping, but makes it challenging to track objects through the sky over time.
Maintenance Advice
Telescopes are delicate instruments, and it’s important to maintain them well if you want high quality viewing. Some of these care tips are obvious: don’t handle the scope roughly, or use it outdoors during wet weather.
You should also avoid allowing it to undergo extreme temperature fluctuations, such as leaving it in an overheated car, or storing it in an overheated garage. This can cause flexing of materials inside the scope, and move them out of alignment, or allow condensation to develop, which can fog your view. If condensation does develop, leave your telescope out in a dry place indoors to allow the moisture to evaporate. Do not attempt to disassemble the telescope or clean its interior mechanisms. These are extremely sensitive and require expert care.
Another potential source of damage is dust. When your scope is not in use, or when you’re transporting it, try to keep it safely covered. A padded carrying case is best, since it provides protection against both bumps and debris.
Accessories
Included:
- 20mm eyepiece (35x magnification)
- 10mm eyepiece (70x magnification)
- Built-on Starpointer Finderscope
- Stainless Steel Tripod
- Downloadable 10,000 object Astronomy Database – SkyX First Light Edition astronomy software
Optional:
- Additional eyepieces are available
- A range of filters for viewing different objects is available
Warranty and Guarantee Information
On this particular scope, Celestron offers a two-year limited warranty certifying all parts and workmanship free of defects. Other Celestron products may have a limited lifetime warranty, so additional accessories purchased for this telescope may have even more protection.
Our Recommendation
This truly is a unique telescope. It’s very rare to find a scope for such a modest price without making major compromises in quality and capability. Not only does Celestron offer a high-quality product, they back it with easily accessible support, including downloadable instruction manuals and references, and a two year warranty. For stargazers who are ready for something that can look a bit further afield, but want the simplicity of an easily portable scope, this is one of your very best options.
Have a question or comment to share? Have you ever used the Celestron Astromaster LT 76AZ telescope? Let us know in the comments!
Recommended Read: Celestron 21061 AstroMaster 70 AZ Refractor Telescope Review
Last update on 2023-09-27 at 19:13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Looking to improve my scope you’ve reviewed . Is there anything you’d recommend in its focal length ? Thinking of Barlow lens & more eye pieces .