Telescopes...?

[Tay D]

For my entire life I have been interested in astronomy... But I have finally made the decision to go out and buy a telescope.

I have come across one that is not to expensive… I want to know if the specs are good. or if anyone has any recommendations for other telescopes.

Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope

Recommended Usage: Astrophotography , Viewing Galaxies/Star Clusters , Viewing Nebulae , Viewing the Moon , Viewing the Planets
Warranty: 2-Year Limited
Brand: Celestron
Usage: For the Beginner
Weight Complete: 17 lbs.
Finderscope: Fixed StarPointer
Lens Coating: Aluminum
GPS: No
GoTo: No
Good for Astrophotography: Yes
Telescopes Series: AstroMaster Series Telescopes
Optical Design: Reflector
Aperture: 114mm
Focal Length: 1000mm
Focal Ratio: f/9
Mount Design: CG-2 Equatorial
Eyepiece 1: 20mm (50x)
Eyepiece 2: 10mm (100x)
Highest Useful Magnification: 200
Star Diagonal: 1.25 Inch
User Level: beginer

[Michael Steen]

I'd recommend you go to a lot of reviews of this and similar products on the web.
I don't know what you plan to pay for it, but the aperture seems a little small to keep you happy for a long time.
The equatorial mount adds a lot of $$ to the scope, and at 17 lbs., it doesn't sound as if it will be a very sturdy mount. You'll probably get some shaking at higher magnifications.
If I were you, I'd check out a 6" on a Dobsonian mount from Meade or Orion.
You'll get more aperture for the $$.
However, Celestron is known for making nice scopes, and it's definitely not a cheapo department store item.