I remember my first time looking through a proper telescope. It wasn’t a powerful, observatory-grade behemoth, but a simple refractor pointed at the moon from my back garden. The moment those familiar grey smudges resolved into sharp-edged craters and vast, dark maria, a switch flipped. The universe suddenly felt tangible, accessible. That feeling of awe is what many of us chase when we first consider buying a telescope. The problem? The market is a bewildering galaxy of specifications, types, and price points. For a beginner, terms like “aperture,” “focal length,” and “altazimuth mount” can feel like a foreign language, creating a barrier to entry that prevents many from ever starting. The fear of choosing the wrong instrument—one that’s too complicated, too weak, or simply poor value—is real. This is precisely the dilemma the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope aims to solve, positioning itself as an all-in-one, user-friendly package for aspiring astronomers of all ages.
- 🔭 Great Telescope for Kids & Adults Beginners -- The telescope meets all the needs of astronomy beginners, the adults & kids’ astronomical journey begins from here! Equipped with 3X/1.5X Barlow...
- 🔭 Easy to Assemble & Dismount -- No tools requirement, only need a few minutes finish assemble. With detailed manual, kids and beginners can easily learn how to operate and focus. Astronomical...
What to Consider Before Buying Your First Telescope
A telescope is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for unlocking a deeper connection with the universe and a powerful educational tool. It’s an investment in curiosity, designed to bridge the vast distances of space and bring celestial wonders into focus. For families, it offers a unique way to spend time together, learning about planets, stars, and constellations. For students, it transforms abstract astronomical concepts into observable reality. The main benefit is its ability to gather far more light than the human eye, revealing faint objects and fine details that are otherwise completely invisible. It solves the fundamental problem of human limitation, opening up a new dimension of the natural world for exploration right from your own home.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the initial hurdle of starting a new hobby. This includes families looking for an engaging educational activity for their children, adults seeking a casual, relaxing way to explore the night sky, or students needing a practical tool for their science projects. They value simplicity, an all-inclusive kit, and an affordable price point. Conversely, this type of telescope might not be suitable for those who are already intermediate or advanced hobbyists. A seasoned astronomer would likely be frustrated by the limitations of the lightweight tripod and basic optics, and would be better served by a larger, more powerful instrument like a Dobsonian or a telescope with a sturdy equatorial mount for long-exposure astrophotography.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Aperture & Optics: The most important specification of any telescope is its aperture—the diameter of its main lens or mirror. This determines how much light the telescope can collect. The Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope has a 70mm aperture, which is a solid starting point for viewing the Moon, bright planets, and some star clusters. More aperture means brighter, clearer images, so a 130mm telescope will always outperform a 70mm one on faint objects.
- Magnification & Eyepieces: Manufacturers often advertise incredibly high magnification numbers like “150X,” but this can be misleading. “Useful” magnification is limited by the telescope’s aperture and atmospheric conditions. Pushing magnification too high results in a dim, blurry image. It’s far better to have a sharp, clear view at 50X than a fuzzy, unusable one at 150X. The quality of the included eyepieces (like the H20mm for low power and H6mm for high power) is what dictates your viewing experience.
- Mount & Tripod: A telescope is only as good as its mount. A wobbly, unstable tripod will render even the best optics useless, as the slightest vibration will shake the image. The Esoldnic uses an Altazimuth mount, which moves up-down and left-right, making it very intuitive for beginners. However, the trade-off is often a lightweight tripod that can be prone to shaking, especially in windy conditions.
- Ease of Use & Portability: If a telescope is too complicated to set up, you won’t use it. Refractor telescopes like this one are generally low-maintenance and easy to assemble. Its compact size and light weight make it highly portable, perfect for taking on camping trips or just moving it easily into the garden. With these factors in mind, let’s see how the Esoldnic 150X holds up to detailed scrutiny.
While the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope is an excellent choice for beginners, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- High quality optics: Our F30070 astronomical refracting telescope with Phone Adapter an aperture of 70mmand a focal length of 300mm,and a large objective lens plus multi-layer broadband coating, can...
- 🌕🌕 EXPAND YOUR FIELD of VIEW 🌕🌕 The astronomical telescope has a 70mm aperture and a 400mm focal length, which provides a wider and clearer field of view than 60mm/50mm focal lengths....
- Beginner telescope: Explore the Moon's craters and star clusters in vivid detail with a 70 mm glass lens, sparking curiosity and enhancing every stargazing moment.
Unboxing the Esoldnic 150X: First Impressions and Core Features
Our Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope arrived in a surprisingly compact and lightweight box, a clear indicator of its portable design. Upon opening it, we found all the components neatly packed and protected. The main optical tube, finished in a clean silver, felt solid enough for its purpose, though primarily constructed from lightweight metals and plastics. The assembly process lived up to its “no tools required” claim. We had the tripod set up, the optical tube mounted, and the finderscope attached in under 15 minutes, following the reasonably clear instructions. The adjustable aluminium tripod extends to a decent height for both kids and seated adults, but it immediately struck us as the instrument’s weakest point—it’s very light and has some flex. The accessory tray, which doubles as a tripod spreader, adds a little rigidity but not enough to eliminate vibrations entirely. The included accessories are what make this a compelling starter kit: a 5×24 finderscope, two eyepieces (H20mm and H6mm), a 3X Barlow lens, a moon filter, and a smartphone adapter. It’s an impressive bundle for a beginner’s telescope, which you can confirm by checking the full kit contents here.
What We Like
- Excellent All-in-One Starter Kit: Comes with everything a beginner needs to start observing immediately, including multiple eyepieces, a Barlow lens, and a phone adapter.
- Simple, Tool-Free Assembly: We found the setup process to be incredibly quick and straightforward, making it perfect for families and impatient young astronomers.
- Intuitive for Beginners: The Altazimuth mount is simple to operate—just point and view—with no complex alignment procedures required.
- Decent Lunar and Planetary Views: The 70mm multi-coated lens provides surprisingly sharp and clear images of the Moon and bright planets like Jupiter and Saturn.
What We Didn’t Like
- Unstable Tripod: The lightweight aluminium tripod is prone to vibrations, which can be frustrating, especially at higher magnifications.
- Misleading Maximum Magnification: The advertised 150X is technically achievable but practically unusable, resulting in a dim and blurry image.
Putting the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope to the Test: A Detailed Performance Analysis
A telescope’s true worth is revealed not on a spec sheet, but under a dark, clear sky. We spent several nights putting the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope through its paces, evaluating everything from its setup and optical quality to its stability and bonus features. Our goal was to understand exactly what a beginner can expect from this instrument and where its real-world performance shines—and where it falls short.
Assembly and Setup: From Box to Backyard in Minutes?
The promise of a “quick and easy” setup is a major selling point for any beginner-focused product, and in this regard, Esoldnic delivers. As mentioned, the entire process from unboxing to being ready-to-observe took us less than 15 minutes. The tripod legs unfold and lock into place with simple thumb screws. The main optical tube assembly (OTA) attaches to the altazimuth mount head with a single, large hand-tightened bolt, which feels secure enough. The accessories, including the finderscope, diagonal, and eyepieces, all slide into place and are held by small thumbscrews. The process is genuinely tool-free and intuitive enough that an older child could likely manage it with minimal supervision.
However, we must address a crucial point regarding quality control. While our review unit contained all the necessary parts, we noted feedback from one user who reported a missing item required to attach the finderscope. This would be a show-stopping problem, as aligning the telescope without a functioning finderscope is an exercise in pure frustration. This suggests that while the design is simple, manufacturing consistency may vary. We strongly advise anyone purchasing this telescope to carefully inventory all parts against the manual immediately upon arrival to ensure their kit is complete. Assuming all parts are present, the initial setup is a breeze, but the alignment of the finderscope—a critical step—does require some patience. You must aim the main telescope at a distant daytime object (like a treetop or telephone pole), then adjust the small screws on the finderscope until its crosshairs are centered on the very same object. Once done, you’re ready for the stars.
Optical Performance: A 70mm Window to the Universe
With its 70mm aperture and 300mm focal length, the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope is what’s known as a “fast” refractor, offering a wide field of view. This makes it particularly good for sweeping across the Milky Way or observing large star clusters. We started with the most rewarding target for any small telescope: the Moon. Using the low-power H20mm eyepiece (which provides 15X magnification), the view was bright and expansive, showing the entire lunar disc with room to spare. Cranking up the power with the H6mm eyepiece (50X) brought the lunar surface to life. We could easily distinguish major craters like Copernicus and Tycho, their ray systems sprawling across the landscape. The dark, smooth “seas” or maria stood in stark contrast to the cratered highlands. The included moon filter is a thoughtful addition that makes lunar viewing much more comfortable, cutting down the intense glare, especially during a full moon—a feature often missing in budget kits.
Next, we turned to the planets. Jupiter was a brilliant, small disc. At 50X, we could clearly see its four Galilean moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—lined up like tiny diamonds on either side of the planet. While we could just barely hint at the planet’s main cloud bands, expecting to see the Great Red Spot with a 70mm telescope is unrealistic. Saturn was another delight. Even at 50X, its iconic rings were visible, though they appeared as a single, solid structure encircling the planet rather than distinct, separate rings. Seeing them at all, however, is a magical experience for any first-time observer.
A word of caution about magnification: the kit allows for a theoretical maximum of 150X (H6mm eyepiece + 3X Barlow). In our tests, this was “empty magnification.” The image became incredibly dim, difficult to focus, and extremely susceptible to shaking from the tripod. The view was far superior and more satisfying at 50X. Our expert advice is to largely ignore the 3X Barlow lens for visual use and stick to the 15X and 50X magnifications provided by the eyepieces alone for the best and sharpest views.
The Altazimuth Mount and Tripod: Stability Meets Simplicity
For a beginner, the beauty of the Altazimuth mount cannot be overstated. Its simple, intuitive motion—left, right, up, down—is exactly how you would naturally point at something. There’s no need for polar alignment or understanding complex celestial coordinates, which is a major advantage over the more advanced Equatorial mounts. The slow-motion control rod for altitude (up-down) is a nice touch, allowing for fine adjustments when tracking an object as it drifts across the sky due to the Earth’s rotation. This made keeping the Moon or a planet centered in the eyepiece much easier than with a mount that lacks such controls.
Unfortunately, the mount is attached to the telescope’s Achilles’ heel: the tripod. While its lightweight nature is a plus for portability, it comes at the significant cost of stability. We found that even on a solid patio, a slight breeze was enough to cause noticeable vibrations in the eyepiece, especially at 50X magnification. Focusing the telescope also induced a “wobble” that took a few seconds to settle down. This is a common compromise in almost all entry-level telescope kits. There are ways to mitigate this: avoid extending the legs to their maximum height, hang a weight (like a small bag of sand) from the center of the tripod, and ensure you’re set up on a solid, level surface. Despite its shortcomings, the tripod is functional, but users must be gentle and patient to get the most out of their viewing sessions.
Astrophotography for Beginners: Using the Smartphone Adapter
The inclusion of a smartphone adapter is a fantastic way to introduce beginners to the concept of astrophotography. The device is a simple plastic bracket that clamps onto the eyepiece, with an adjustable holder for your phone. The goal is to align your phone’s camera lens perfectly with the center of the eyepiece lens. In practice, this is a fiddly and patience-testing process. It took us a good five minutes of tiny adjustments to get the bright circle of light from the eyepiece perfectly centered on the phone screen.
Once aligned, however, the results on bright objects are genuinely rewarding. We were able to capture some surprisingly detailed photos of the Moon’s craters. The key is to use your phone’s camera timer or a remote shutter to avoid touching the screen, which would introduce vibrations and blur the shot. Taking a photo of Jupiter was also possible, though it appeared as a small, bright star with its fainter moons visible. Don’t expect to capture nebulae or galaxies; this setup is strictly for the brightest objects in our solar system. While it takes patience, the results can be rewarding for a first-timer, making the phone adapter a surprisingly fun bonus that allows you to capture and share your first cosmic discoveries.
What Other Stargazers Are Saying
Our hands-on testing provides an expert perspective, but we also believe in looking at the broader user experience. The general sentiment for the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope among new users is largely positive, with many praising its ease of assembly and the thrill of seeing the moon’s craters for the first time. It is often highlighted as a fantastic gift for curious children and families.
However, this is balanced by some criticism that mirrors our own findings. The most significant concern, which we thankfully did not experience, is the potential for missing parts. We noted one user reported a crucial item missing that was needed to attach the finderscope, which would effectively halt the setup process. This highlights a potential inconsistency in quality control, and we reiterate our advice to buyers to inspect all components thoroughly upon unboxing. For those who receive a complete kit, the value proposition is clear, as you can see in the many positive user experiences available online.
How Does the Esoldnic 150X Compare to the Competition?
The beginner telescope market is competitive, and while the Esoldnic 150X has its merits, it’s essential to see how it stacks up against some popular alternatives. Each offers a different set of features and may be better suited to different types of aspiring astronomers.
1. SOLOMARK 130EQ Newtonian Reflector Telescope Adults
- 【130mm Large Aperture】Large aperture 130mm telescope, high resolution, good light collecting ability, imaging brighter, more suitable for the observation of deep space celestial objective.
- 【High Quality Optics】The telescope adopts a sturdy and light fram structure, the carbon fiber was covering on the telescope surface, sophisticated technology. Objective lens features fully-coated...
The SOLOMARK 130EQ represents a significant step up in capability. As a Newtonian reflector with a large 130mm aperture, it can gather nearly four times more light than the Esoldnic’s 70mm lens. This translates to much brighter and more detailed views of fainter objects like nebulae and galaxies. Its equatorial (EQ) mount, while more complex to learn, is designed to track the apparent motion of stars with the turn of a single knob, making it far superior for sustained observation. This telescope is the better choice for a slightly more committed beginner who is willing to invest time in learning the EQ mount in exchange for significantly greater optical power.
2. Celestron Travel Scope 80mm Refractor Telescope
- ALL-IN-ONE TELESCOPE KIT: The Celestron 80mm Travel Scope features fully-coated glass optics, a potent 80mm objective lens, and a lightweight frame
- POWERFUL EYEPIECES FOR UP-CLOSE VIEWING: Our telescope for astronomy beginners is equipped with two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm) that provide low- and high-power views, which means you can observe...
Coming from Celestron, one of the most respected names in consumer telescopes, the Travel Scope 80 offers brand recognition and reliability. It features a slightly larger 80mm aperture than the Esoldnic, giving it a modest edge in light-gathering ability. As its name implies, its primary design focus is portability. It comes with a custom backpack and a very lightweight photo-style tripod, making it even easier to transport than the Esoldnic. It’s an ideal choice for observers on the go, hikers, or anyone who needs a “grab-and-go” scope for both terrestrial and astronomical viewing. You trade some stability for ultimate portability.
3. EACONN 80mm Refractor Telescope for Astronomy Beginners
- 80mm Large Aperture - EACONN astronomical telescopes have a true 80mm aperture and a fully coated green optics glass lens. The big aperture can capture more light, the high transmission optics lens...
- Using Rough Adjustment and Positioning Gimbal - EACONN telescope is equipped with a rough adjustment and positioning gimbal with scale, it can help you easy to adjust the altitude and azimuth. That...
The EACONN 80mm is a direct and formidable competitor to the Esoldnic. It boasts a larger 80mm aperture and a much longer 600mm focal length. This combination results in higher native magnification without needing a Barlow lens, which generally leads to better planetary views. Like the Celestron, it emphasizes portability by including a backpack for the telescope and all its accessories. For a beginner whose main interest is viewing the Moon and planets, the EACONN’s specifications suggest it may offer slightly sharper and more magnified images, making it a very compelling alternative in the same category.
Final Verdict: Is the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope Your Ticket to the Stars?
After extensive testing, we can confidently say that the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope is a well-conceived entry point into the world of amateur astronomy. Its greatest strength lies in its all-inclusive, incredibly user-friendly package. For a family with young children or an individual who wants to test the waters of stargazing without a hefty investment or a steep learning curve, it’s an excellent choice. It delivers genuinely breathtaking views of the Moon, will reveal the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter, and is simple enough to set up on a whim.
You must, however, accept its compromises. The tripod is shaky, and the 150X maximum magnification is marketing hype rather than a practical feature. But when used within its realistic capabilities (up to 50X-75X), it performs admirably for its price point. It successfully removes the initial barriers to the hobby, offering a package that prioritizes accessibility and immediate results over raw power. If you’re ready to start your astronomical journey with an easy-to-use and affordable package that will open up a new world of cosmic discovery, you can check the latest price and order the Esoldnic 150X Refractor Telescope today.
Last update on 2025-11-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API