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Orion has made the difficult decision to close our warehouse facility in the Netherlands. With the continuing supply chain/logistics challenges and slowness in the economy we have found that it is not economically feasible to maintain operations in the UK and Europe.

We have therefore stopped taking orders on this website. We apologize for any inconvenience.

We will continue to have Orion dealers in Europe to meet the needs of Orion consumers. We will also continue to honor the 30-Day product return period as well as honoring the Orion warranty for purchases made in the UK and Europe.

Our US-based Customer Service Representatives are here to help. Contact them via email at support@telescope.com or in the United Kingdom, via phone at 0-800-041-8146 (Monday-Friday between the hours of 1300 and 2400 GMT).

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Orion Telescopes
Beginner
Orion Observer 70mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope
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This product is no longer available for purchase.
  • A great entry-level 70mm refractor telescope at a very affordable price
  • Reveals detailed views of the Moon and bright planets such as Jupiter and Saturn
  • 70mm (2.75") aperture and 700mm focal length telescope provides great views of bright night-sky objects such as star clusters and cloudy nebulas
  • Includes sturdy tripod and equatorial (EQ) mount for convenient manual slow-motion tracking of celestial objects as they appear to migrate across the night sky
  • Includes two 1.25" telescope eyepieces, EZ Finder II aiming sight, smooth rack and pinion focuser, 90-degree mirror diagonal for comfortable viewing, Starry Night astronomy software download, and more!


Learn more
Item #  09882u

For beginning stargazers who want a starter telescope capable of providing more oomph, more performance than a traditional 60mm refractor, we present the Orion Observer 70mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope. Compared to a 60mm refractor, the Observer 70 EQ can reveal an even greater variety of stellar gems and provide greater resolution of old favorites like the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Orion Nebula. The Observer 70 Equatorial Refractor is easy for anyone in the family to operate, and its affordable price makes it a great telescope to start with as you discover the rewarding hobby of amateur astronomy.

The Orion Observer 70 EQ Refractor Telescope features a multi-coated, achromatic glass objective lens that's 70mm in diameter, with a focal length of 700mm (f/10). This glass lens takes in 36% more light than a 60mm lens for brighter, clearer views. Bottom line: you'll see more than you would through telescope with a smaller aperture.

The refractor telescope optical tube is crafted from black-enameled aluminum and outfitted with a smooth-action, 1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser on one end and a dew cap/glare shield on the other. The telescope tube is held in quick-releasing tube rings on the Orion EQ-1 equatorial mount. Also made of aluminum, the EQ-1 mount supports the telescope and mimics the rotational axes of the Earth, which in turn allows you to manually "track" celestial objects with the Observer 70 refractor using slow-motion controls. For added convenience, an optional EQ-1M electronic drive (sold separately) can be installed to provide automatic, hands-free tracking.  

The telescope tube and equatorial mount are supported on a sturdy aluminum tripod that adjusts to a comfortable height for virtually any observer. This telescope looks so good; you'll want to keep your Observer 70mm refractor on display when you're not using it!

The Observer 70mm Telescope comes with everything you need to start observing the night sky right away:

Includes two quality telescope eyepieces: a 25mm Kellner eyepiece for 28x views and a 10mm Kellner eyepiece for higher magnification, 70x views.

The included telescope eyepieces provide two different magnification options right out of the box! We recommend starting with the 25mm ocular to obtain wide, 28x views. Then for closer looks, you can boost the power all the way up to 70x by using the 10mm telescope eyepiece. An included accessory tray for the tripod provides a convenient spot to keep your eyepieces ready for action.

The included Orion EZ Finder II red-dot sight makes aiming the telescope nice and easy.

Following a simple alignment procedure that parents can help with, you can use the EZ Finder II sight to accurately aim the Observer 70mm telescope at objects in the sky like the Moon and bright planets. Once aligned with the telescope, just turn on the EZ Finder II and peer through the sight's small circular viewing window so you see the red dot, and move the telescope until the red dot is on the object you want to see. Look in the telescope, and it's there!

A 90° mirror diagonal is included for comfortable nighttime viewing.

A diagonal bends the light path of a telescope so you can view the sky comfortably. Without a diagonal, you'd have to look straight-through the telescope, which can be tricky and downright uncomfortable when looking at certain areas of the sky. Bending the light collected by the Observer 70mm telescope at a 90° angle lets you look down into the eyepiece so you can relax and enjoy the view.

Learn about the night sky with the included Starry Night Special Edition software

Explore starry skies anytime - even when it's cloudy! The SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian telescope includes a FREE Special Edition of Starry Night astronomy software. With realistic sky simulations and a many useful features including telescope control, the user-friendly Starry Night Special Edition software will help you plan your observations and understand what you see. Requires PC running Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8. Requires Macintosh running OS X 10.4 or higher.

This Observer 70mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope is a great choice for those just getting started in astronomy. It is lightweight and compact so it's easy to carry to your observing location, be it out on the lawn or an hour's drive into the hills. The telescope offers optical performance that will keep any observer entranced, evening after evening. Get in on the fun and get an Orion Observer 70mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope today!  



Warranty

Limited Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship for one year from date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. For complete warranty details contact us at sales-eu@telescope.com

Product Support
Visit our product support section for instruction manuals and more
  • Best for viewing
    Lunar & planetary
  • Best for imaging
    Lunar & planetary
  • User level
    Beginner
  • Optical design
    Refractor
  • Optical diameter
    70mm
  • Focal length
    700mm
  • Focal ratio
    f/10.0
  • Coatings
    Coated
  • Optics type
    Air-spaced doublet
  • Glass material
    Crown/Flint
  • Eyepieces
    Explorer II 25.0mm,10.0mm (1.25")
  • Magnification with included eyepieces
    28x, 70x
  • Resolving power
    1.65arc*sec
  • Lowest useful magnification
    10x
  • Highest useful magnification
    140x
  • Highest theoretical magnification
    140x
  • Limiting stellar magnitude
    11.9
  • Optical quality
    Diffraction limited
  • Finder scope
    EZ Finder II
  • Focuser
    1.25" Rack-and-pinion
  • Diagonal degrees
    1.25" 90° Mirror Star
  • Mirror coatings/over-coatings
    Magnesium Flouride
  • Mount type
    Equatorial
  • Astro-imaging capability
    Lunar & planetary
  • Dovetail bar system
    No
  • Motor drive compatibility
    Clock drive sold separately
  • Computerized compatibility
    Not compatible
  • Bearing material
    Friction bearings
  • Latitude range
    14-70
  • Setting circles
    Yes
  • Polar-axis scope
    Not available
  • Counterweights
    One 2.2kg
  • Tube material
    Aluminum
  • Tripod material
    Aluminum
  • Counterweight bar length
    20cm
  • Diameter of counterweight shaft
    12mm
  • Height range of mount
    0.83m - 1.39m
  • Length of optical tube
    70.4cm
  • Weight, optical tube
    1.6kg
  • Weight, mount/tripod
    5.4kg
  • Weight, fully assembled
    7.0kg
  • Additional included accessories
    Included accessories may vary for 2nds, Substitutions may be made
  • Other features
    2nds are covered by Orion's Satisfaction Guarantee
  • Warranty
    One year

Orders received by 5pm UTC for in-stock items ship the next business day. When an item is not in-stock we will ship it as soon as it becomes available. Typically in-stock items will ship first and backordered items will follow as soon as they are available. You have the option in check out to request that your order ship complete, if you'd prefer.

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