National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope Review- The mystery of outer space is something that hardly fails to fascinate a person. The dark matter, the Fermi paradox, black holes, or the big bang; all these mind-blowing facts and terms start with one common thing – stars.
Perhaps, as a child, you were first driven towards the immensity of the galaxy by counting stars of the night sky or looking for a fallen one. I bet your child is no exception.
So, if you find the young mind developing some sort of curiosity about the night sky, then it’s high time you encourage him to the world of astronomy. And a telescope can certainly spread the skyline beyond his imagination.
However, telescopes are expensive. They are fragile too. This could be some of the key reasons to make you less confident to hand him a telescope at an early age.
But what if the future astronomer is mesmerized, and wants to explore more in the outer spiral arm of our Milky Way galaxy, where Mercury, Venus, Mars, or Jupiter spin around with their marveling mysteries?
Well, we have you covered. Because today we are doing the National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope review. It’s specially meant for kids. And trust me, it’s a good one.
So, let’s read along and find out what this one has in store for us.
What makes the National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope Special?
There are hundreds of kids’ telescopes out there. But this one is our best pick. There must be some reason behind it, right?
Yeah, let’s get this straight away – the viewing efficiency of the National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope against its price seemed more than justified to us.
Being a kid-friendly device, the telescope is very easy to operate. Your kid will need very little or no supervision at all to explore the night sky with ease.
On top of that, it comes with a 2x Barlow lens and 350mm focal length to let your kid inspect stars more closely and get lost in the mysteries of the interplanetary world.
Well, there are a bunch of other interesting features on this telescope to relish the pleasure of stargazing at its best. So, we better break them down one by one, shall we?
What follows are the standouts of the National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope.
1. It’s a Beginner Friendly Dobsonian Telescope
Dobsonian telescopes are widely popular for their ease of access. It’s basically the same Newtonian telescope that comes with a two-axis mount that supports and rotates the device simultaneously.
The benefit of an alt-azimuth telescope is the simplicity of its mechanical design. On top of that, it comes with an easily understandable guide. So, your kid should figure out everything within seconds.
It comes fully assembled right off the package – a big favor for parents who don’t want to take the extra burden of assembling it every time their kids are done with sky gazing.
2. Compact and Portable
It’s a compact device, a great addition for people with less counter space. The dimension of 8.66 x 12.6 x 14.96 inches combined with a weight of merely 2 kilograms.
Besides, being an alt-azimuth telescope it becomes a great source of mobile entertainment. I mean, you can place it on your table or on the rooftop and start exploring the outer universe right away.
3. Comes In Plastic Housing, Yet Looks Solid
I liked the premium sleek finish of the device. It’s really a good quality product despite the low cost. For instance, you will find the telescope’s plastic parts are not too shiny to make it look cheap.
On top of that, delicate star alignments on the surface of the telescope’s tube add charm to the device and increase excitement to another level. However, if you are looking for something real sturdy for your kids, then we highly recommend this.
4. 76mm Main Objective Lens Is Enough to Entertain Your Child
The main objective lens or primary mirror is one of the main components of your telescope. It collects the light from the distant world and brings the image to the pupil of your eyes.
As a matter of fact, the higher the main objective diameter, the greater the area it covers, and the more light your telescope collects and brings to focus.
From that point of view, a 76mm primary lens is not that bad for a beginner to start with.
Fine, you want to know its efficiency in one sentence, right?
Well, your kid will be able to look beyond the moon with this telescope.
If lucky enough, the rings of Saturn are no big deal! Fast forward, it should also let him get some view of luminous deep-space star clusters providing a cloud-free sky – chew on that.
5. 350mm Focal Length
The focal length of the telescope is the distance from the main lens to the image it forms. You can say it’s sort of the length of your telescope’s tube. A short focal length is good for offering a wider field of view.
So, 350 mm is not a bad number for a telescope for a kid. On top of that, it gets even better when combined with the magnification system.
6. 18x-117x Magnification with Two Eyepieces
Telescopes need eyepieces to make you look through them. It basically magnifies the image shaped by the main objective lens and guides the reflected light to your eyes.
Among the other standouts of the gadget, the two eyepieces of 6mm and 20mm are certainly the best ones. I mean, there are numerous telescopes out there within the same sort of price, yet fail to offer such effective features,
The maximum effective magnification available for the telescope is 117x. Magnification is real fun in this device. Two different knobs are dedicated to adjusting your preferences. The lowest effective zoom is 18x to enjoy a wide view of the night sky.
However, when you use full amplification, images seem to appear blurry and shaky. Because the magnification system is not utterly for the primary lens. Rather, it just zooms in the objects to appear a bit larger than usual.
7. 2x Barlow Lens Offers Better Efficiency
A Barlow lens is something that no one wants to miss out on. It literally keeps on giving! I mean, it’s the real power of the National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope.
It lets you get the double magnification instantly with your eyepiece on. And that’s where it stands out. For instance, if you put the eyepiece of 6mm over the Barlow lens, then the focal length of the telescope is technically 3mm! That’s really insane given the price of the telescope.
8. Built-In Compass
To sort out moons and stars as quickly as possible, the telescope comes with a built-in compass mounted on it. Also, detailed alignment numbering comes very handy at positioning the telescope to pinpoint perfection.
9. No Maintenance Required
If I say it takes absolutely no maintenance, then it would be a lie. But the highest maintenance effort you need to put on this telescope is to clean the lenses and eyepieces in regular intervals.
That’s it. Your device is set to give you service for years.
Shortcomings of the National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope
You would really feel like making a bad comment on this device. I mean, it’s almost impossible to get a telescope of this kind that offers such a great view straight out of the box – with zero assemblies required.
So, I want to complement it on a positive note, that is, with all the existing features and ease of access, this masterpiece from National Geographic is worth the money.
Yet, you may miss one or two supplementary features on this device that could possibly take the proficiency of the telescope out of the world. (Well, it does take you out of this world anyway)
So, check them out below.
1. No-Finder Scope
It’s a matter of great regret that the telescope, despite being a classic of its kind, doesn’t come with a finder scope. The finder scope is an essential and useful device for navigating the night sky.
That being said, it might get a bit tricky to align your telescope with the target you are wishing for. And the worst part is it might frustrate your kid.
However, you may add a red dot finder to simply hop between the starts and make it easier for the young minds.
2. Colors Seem to Fade Around the Luminous Objects
Though most of the closer planets like Jupiter and Saturn look stunning, the telescope seems to fail to detect a great deal of color emitting around the chosen targets with the 20mm eyepiece on.
However, the issue is particularly present while tracking down the luminous objects. Nevertheless, it doesn’t spoil the overall splendid sky-gazing experience of the device.
The National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope
Pros
- Great View
- 2x Barlow Lens
- Two Eyepieces
- Navigational Guide
- Fully Assembled
- Built-in Compass
- Durable Stand Mount
- Affordable
Cons
- No Finder Scope
- Color Fringing Around Luminous Objects
FAQ
1. Which is more efficient – a refractor or a reflector telescope?
Answer: To be honest, the efficiency of a telescope is determined by the collective effort of different components of the device. However, reflectors are produced with larger apertures and are good at offering plenty of lights. If both the types are of the same size, reflectors are always preferable.
2. What is the best telescope brand for kids?
Answer: There are several good telescope brands that are specialized in making beginner-level telescopes. Of course, National Geography is one of them. Besides, Celestron, Orion, and Meade are some of the best names in this market.
3. When is the best time to observe the moon?
Answer: You should know that the moon is better observed when it’s not at its prime. The chances are high to end up viewing nothing but a big fuzzy white ball instead of the full moon. So, you better stop blaming the telescope and try when it’s half and not so bright.
Final Note
Nothing beats the sensation of exploring a night sky through a telescope. It makes us aware of how small we individually are, yet how stunning our collective excellency is.
You have taken a good move by longing for a telescope for your youngster. Who knows, this one small step for your kid could potentially become the next giant leap for mankind.
Well, we hope the National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector Telescope review has helped you sort out a few important things about the device and make the final call.
And lastly, it might seem like a tempting idea, but here is a friendly reminder not to peep through your telescope to the sun. Happy Parenting!
