Gskyer 70mm AZ Refractor Review 2026

Unboxing: First Impressions

The Gskyer 70mm arrives in a padded, zippered carry case with a shoulder strap rather than a plain cardboard box — a small touch that sets it apart from most telescopes at this price. Inside the case: the 70mm optical tube, an aluminium tripod, an alt-azimuth mount head with an accessory tray, a 5x24 finderscope, two eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), a 3x Barlow lens, a phone adapter, a wireless Bluetooth remote, and a printed quick-setup guide. Assembly took us under ten minutes with no tools beyond what's in the box — the tripod legs, accessory tray, and optical tube all attach with thumbscrews, and the finderscope simply slots into its bracket.

Gskyer 70mm AZ Refractor (AZ70400) Specifications

Optical Performance: Lunar and Planetary Views

The Gskyer 70mm uses an achromatic doublet objective lens with a 400mm focal length at f/5.7. On the Moon, this telescope performs respectably for its class. With the included 25mm eyepiece (16x magnification), the full lunar disc fits comfortably in the field of view, with major maria (the dark plains), crater clusters, and ray systems clearly visible. The terminator region — where lunar day meets lunar night — reveals the three-dimensional structure of crater walls and mountain ranges. Craters like Copernicus, Tycho, and Kepler show their distinctive ray patterns under favourable lighting. The 10mm eyepiece provides 40x magnification for closer looks at specific crater fields, though the image softens noticeably at this magnification. The included 3x Barlow lens pushes the 25mm eyepiece to 48x and the 10mm to 120x — but at 120x the chromatic aberration (purple fringing around bright edges) becomes distracting, and the mount's vibration makes focusing difficult.

For planets, Jupiter shows as a small bright disc with its four Galilean moons visible as distinct points of light. On nights of good seeing, subtle cloud banding is detectable but not sharply defined. Saturn's ring is visible as a slight elongation — a recognisable Saturn shape but without the fine detail of larger apertures. Venus shows a clear crescent phase. The Orion Nebula (M42) appears as a small hazy patch. These are legitimate observations for a first telescope, and the Gskyer 70mm delivers views that will satisfy a beginner's curiosity. However, the 70mm aperture is fundamentally limited — it gathers roughly half the light of a 100mm telescope and cannot resolve fine planetary detail or show deep-sky objects with any structure beyond a faint glow.

Chromatic aberration is present at all magnifications, as expected from an achromatic f/5.7 refractor at this price point. The purple fringing around the Moon's bright limb is noticeable but does not ruin the view. At higher magnifications through the Barlow, the colour fringing becomes more prominent. The 70mm aperture also limits the maximum useful magnification to approximately 140x under ideal conditions — beyond this, the image simply dims and blurs without revealing additional detail. For a beginner's first views of the Moon and bright planets, the optical performance is adequate for its price class. For context on how this compares with other entry-level telescopes, see our best telescopes for beginners guide.

Best Targets for the Gskyer 70mm

The Moon is this telescope's primary target. Observe along the terminator — the line between lunar day and night — where crater walls cast dramatic shadows that reveal the Moon's three-dimensional topography. First-quarter and third-quarter phases show the most detail. Jupiter's four Galilean moons are visible as distinct points of light. Saturn's ring is detectable as an elongation at 40x. Venus shows a clear crescent. The Orion Nebula appears as a small hazy patch. The Pleiades cluster shows a compact group of stars. Brighter double stars like Albireo (gold and blue components) are excellent targets. The telescope works as a daytime spotting scope for birdwatching and distant scenery using the erecting eyepiece. Faint galaxies, most nebulae, and globular clusters beyond the brightest few are not visible through 70mm — as hundreds of Amazon reviewers note, "manage your expectations for deep-sky." For a full list of targets suitable for small telescopes, see our what you can see with a telescope guide.

Mount Stability: The Main Limitation

The alt-azimuth mount is the Gskyer 70mm's most significant weakness. The mount uses an aluminium tripod with 1-inch diameter legs and a plastic mount head with slow-motion control cables. For visual observing at low magnifications (16x with the 25mm eyepiece), the mount is adequate. The slow-motion controls allow smooth tracking once you locate a target, and the tripod's spreader and accessory tray add some rigidity. However, at higher magnifications — especially when using the 3x Barlow — the mount's shortcomings become apparent. A light breeze or even the act of focusing causes visible vibration that takes several seconds to dampen. The plastic mount head has noticeable play in the altitude axis, making fine adjustments imprecise.

The most significant issue arises when using the included phone adapter for smartphone astrophotography. The phone adapter attaches to the eyepiece and holds a smartphone over the lens. The combined weight of the phone and adapter — typically 250-350 grams — shifts the telescope's centre of gravity and causes the mount to drift, especially in altitude. The slow-motion controls can compensate for this drift during visual observation, but maintaining precise framing while adjusting focus becomes a frustrating exercise in compromise — adjusting the focus shifts the image, correcting the mount shifts focus, and the cycle repeats. This specific issue is the telescope's most significant practical limitation for beginners hoping to capture the images they see through the eyepiece.

For users focused on visual observation, the mount's limitations are manageable. Placing the tripod on a stable surface, keeping legs fully extended only when necessary, and avoiding high winds all help. Adding weight to the accessory tray — a water bottle or a bag of sand — improves stability noticeably. For users who want to pursue smartphone astrophotography, a sturdier tripod with a better fluid head is a worthwhile upgrade. For a comparison of mount types and stability considerations, see our how to choose a telescope mount guide.

Phone Adapter and Wireless Remote: Real-World Testing

The Gskyer 70mm includes a plastic phone adapter that clamps onto the eyepiece and holds a smartphone over the lens, plus a wireless Bluetooth remote for shutter release. In theory, this combination allows anyone to capture smartphone images of the Moon. In practice, the results depend heavily on your expectations and patience. The phone adapter works best with smaller smartphones and the included 25mm eyepiece. The adapter's clamping mechanism holds the phone securely, but aligning the phone's camera lens with the eyepiece requires careful adjustment — the phone must be centred precisely, at the correct distance, and parallel to the eyepiece. Even a slight misalignment produces vignetting or off-axis blurring.

The wireless remote reliably triggers the shutter without shaking the telescope — this is the one accessory that works as advertised. However, the mount's instability under the phone's weight means that by the time you have framed the target, focused, and triggered the remote, the image has often drifted out of centre. The focuser's slight play adds another variable — the act of focusing shifts the image, requiring mount readjustment. For the determined user, usable full-Moon shots are achievable after multiple attempts. For casual use, the frustration level can be high. A stronger tripod and a more rigid phone adapter (such as the Celestron NexYZ →) significantly improve the experience.

For beginners who specifically want to capture smartphone images of the Moon, a better approach is to invest in a tabletop Dobsonian like the Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P with a higher-quality universal phone adapter. The Heritage 130P's Dobsonian mount is inherently more stable under payload, and its parabolic mirror delivers sharper images that photograph better. For a full comparison of beginner telescopes suited for smartphone photography, see our best telescopes for beginners guide.

Pros and Cons

Final Verdict

The Gskyer 70mm AZ is a functional first telescope for visual Moon and planetary observation, but its mount limitations make smartphone astrophotography frustrating and its short tripod makes adult use uncomfortable. It earns a 6.8/10 because it delivers on its core promise — showing the Moon to a beginner for under $100 — while falling short on the phone imaging capability that its marketing highlights. The accessory kit is genuinely generous: the wireless remote, phone adapter, Barlow lens, and carry bag provide everything a beginner needs to get started.

If your goal is visual observation of the Moon and bright planets with a child, and you have a sturdy table or a willingness to hunch over, the Gskyer 70mm is a reasonable entry point. If your goal is consistent smartphone astrophotography, or if you are an adult who wants comfortable standing use, budget for the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ (better tripod) or the Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P (dramatically better optics and stability). For a broader perspective, see our telescope buying guide and best telescopes for beginners guide.

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