Telescope Comparison
Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ vs Celestron Travel Scope 70
The specs are close. The experience isn't.
First light
Celestron · 70mm · £89
The simple alt-az visual scope
- 70mm refractor on a simple alt-az mount
- Good for: Moon, planets, bright open clusters
- No alignment required — quick to set up, intuitive to move
- Finding objects requires learning to star-hop: navigate with a finder scope and sky chart
- 4.9kg total — manageable to carry to dark-sky sites
Celestron · 70mm · £59
The simple alt-az visual scope
- 70mm refractor on a simple alt-az mount
- Good for: Moon, planets, bright open clusters
- No alignment required — quick to set up, intuitive to move
- Finding objects requires learning to star-hop: navigate with a finder scope and sky chart
- 1.6kg total — manageable to carry to dark-sky sites
The full picture
The numbers that separate these two scopes — and what they mean at the eyepiece.
Aperture
Equal light-gathering. Aperture won't settle this comparison — the mount, focal ratio, and observing experience are what differ.
Focal length
Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ's longer focal length reaches higher magnification with the same eyepiece — better reach for planetary detail. Celestron Travel Scope 70's shorter focal length gives a wider true field — better for large open clusters and extended nebulae.
Focal ratio
Celestron Travel Scope 70's faster f/5.7 delivers wider fields with any eyepiece — better for open clusters and large nebulae. Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ's f/12.86 provides more magnification per eyepiece — better for fine planetary detail.
Mount type
Same mount type — setup experience and ergonomics will be similar. Differences lie in build quality and included accessories.
Weight (OTA)
Similar optical tube weight. Any portability difference between these setups comes from the mount, not the tube itself.
Optical design
Both are refractors — no mirrors to collimate, good contrast, colour-free stars with ED or APO glass. The differences between them are in aperture, focal ratio, and glass quality.
At the eyepiece
Both scopes · same aperture
Both refractors share essentially the same aperture — views through each will be very similar on all standard targets. The hallmarks of good refractor optics are sharp stars and good contrast on planetary targets, with no false colour on ED or apochromatic glass. Saturn's rings are distinct from the disk; Jupiter shows two equatorial bands. The Orion Nebula (M42) is bright and well-defined. Open clusters are a strength — the Double Cluster in Perseus and the Pleiades look good at low power. The differences between these two scopes show up in focal ratio, focal length, and what they're optimised for, not in fundamental light-gathering capability.
The real tradeoff
Both scopes are capable. The question is which one fits the way you actually observe.
The Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ costs 51% more. The premium buys a more capable mount and better build quality, not larger optics. For a first telescope, the Celestron Travel Scope 70 is the smarter entry point. Return to the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ when you know from experience what you actually need.
The dark side
Every scope has a personality. Here’s where each one gets difficult.
Celestron
Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ
Finding faint objects from a light-polluted garden is genuinely hard
Star-hopping to a globular cluster or dim galaxy from a suburban sky requires learning. Users report a real demoralising phase in the first weeks — landing on the wrong star field, convincing yourself it's the target, then finding out later it wasn't. This improves rapidly with experience.
Celestron
Celestron Travel Scope 70
Finding faint objects from a light-polluted garden is genuinely hard
Star-hopping to a globular cluster or dim galaxy from a suburban sky requires learning. Users report a real demoralising phase in the first weeks — landing on the wrong star field, convincing yourself it's the target, then finding out later it wasn't. This improves rapidly with experience.
Which is right for you?
Two different buyers. Two different right answers.
The simple alt-az visual scope
Celestron · Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ
You’ll love this if…
- You want the fastest possible setup — no alignment, no polar alignment, just point and look
- Learning the sky by star-hopping feels like part of the appeal, not a barrier to it
- Portability matters — this mount is manageable to carry to a dark-sky site without a car full of equipment
This will frustrate you if…
- You try to find faint objects from a light-polluted garden and mostly fail — users report a real demoralising phase in the first weeks of star-hopping that improves quickly but is genuinely discouraging at the start
The simple alt-az visual scope
Celestron · Celestron Travel Scope 70
You’ll love this if…
- You want the fastest possible setup — no alignment, no polar alignment, just point and look
- Learning the sky by star-hopping feels like part of the appeal, not a barrier to it
- Portability matters — this mount is manageable to carry to a dark-sky site without a car full of equipment
This will frustrate you if…
- You try to find faint objects from a light-polluted garden and mostly fail — users report a real demoralising phase in the first weeks of star-hopping that improves quickly but is genuinely discouraging at the start
Our verdict
At £59 versus £89, the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ costs 51% more. The extra money buys a more capable mount and better build quality, not larger optics.
For most buyers starting out, the Celestron Travel Scope 70 is the sensible choice — put the savings into a better eyepiece. The Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ makes sense once you know exactly why you need what it offers. If I had to choose: the Celestron Travel Scope 70, and spend the difference on a quality eyepiece.
Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ
View Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ →Celestron Travel Scope 70
View Celestron Travel Scope 70 →Deep field: Full specifications
Every data point, for those who want to go further.
Full specifications
Fields highlighted in blue or amber indicate the better value for that spec. Data is manufacturer-stated and may vary.
How much can it see?
| Spec | Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ | Celestron Travel Scope 70 |
|---|---|---|
Aperture The most important spec — bigger = more light = better views | 70mm | 70mm |
Focal Length Longer = more magnification potential | 900mm | 400mm |
Focal Ratio Lower f-number = wider field of view; higher = more magnification per eyepiece | f/12.86 | f/5.7 |
Optical Design The type of optics — each design has different strengths | Refractor | Refractor |
Coatings Better coatings = more light transmission through the optics | Fully coated glass optics | Fully coated glass optics |
How do you point it?
| Spec | Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ | Celestron Travel Scope 70 |
|---|---|---|
Mount Type The mechanical system that holds and moves the telescope | Alt-Az | Alt-Az |
GoTo Computer-controlled pointing — finds any of thousands of objects automatically | ||
Tracking Motor keeps objects centred as the Earth rotates — essential for astrophotography |
The focuser
| Spec | Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ | Celestron Travel Scope 70 |
|---|---|---|
Focuser Size 2" accepts wider eyepieces and gives better low-power views | 1.25" | 1.25" |
Focuser Type Rack-and-pinion is standard; Crayford and dual-speed are smoother | Rack and pinion | Rack and pinion |
Size & weight
| Spec | Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ | Celestron Travel Scope 70 |
|---|---|---|
OTA Weightⓘ Optical tube only — useful for comparing mount load capacity | 1.8kg | 0.9kg |
Total Weightⓘ Full setup including mount — this is what you lug to the car | 4.9kg | 1.6kg |
Tube Length | 760mm | 400mm |
Tube Material | Aluminium | Aluminium |
What's in the box?
| Spec | Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ | Celestron Travel Scope 70 |
|---|---|---|
Eyepieces Included eyepieces — more is better, but quality matters more than quantity | 20mm and 10mm eyepieces | 20mm and 10mm eyepieces |
Finder Scope Helps you locate areas of the sky before switching to the main eyepiece | StarPointer red dot finder | — |
Diagonal Tilts the eyepiece 90° for comfortable viewing — useful on refractors |
Blue highlight: Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ advantage · Amber highlight: Celestron Travel Scope 70 advantage · Greyed cells: equal or subjective.