This is the best First Scope for anyone getting into Astronomy. It blows my 127ETX right out of the water. Better views, easier set up. Lighter weight/more portable. The 1" extra apeture makes a world of difference, yet the scope is light and easy to set up. This along with this great price makes this the best scope on the market now. It gives views almost as good as my 8" Celestron, but is much easier to set up. This has become my favorite scope. Looking for a first scope, a portable scope, a back up scope, this is the best out there, and I've tried quite a few different scopes. Way more resolution than the 4-5" scopes. Much easier and lighter than any 8" scope, this will become your favorite scope too. Excellant value and quality.