Good for someone who is just learning--but know what you're buying - Konus Konusmotor Electronic 500 Newton 114mm Telescope

I have owned an older model of this telescope for over 5 years (since winter 2005). It has been a good beginner scope given the price and quality; however with that said, there are a few points to consider before purchasing this telescope. First, the tripod is acceptable, but the equatorial mount leaves a great deal of room for improvement. The OTA (optical tube assembly) is not properly balanced with the included counterweight. This makes the system top-heavy and wears on the gear system. In particular, I find the RA axis loose, which means the OTA feels less stable and requires rather hard tightening (and additional wear) of the clutch screws. Second, the motor is a variable drive, meaning that a knob must be adjusted manually each time the motor drive is used. This is not an accurate way to track. With patience, the user can adapt, but it will take time if youre not used to making these types of adjustments. Regarding the scope, for a 4.5 Newtonian, I find its very adequate. Images are clear and contrast is fair. Deep sky is almost impossible to see for any 4.5, so thats no fault of the scope. The OTA is exceptional, IMHO, given the price. It just needs a better mount. If you want to get into astronomy and learn about equatorial mounts, this is a great place to start without allot of money. If youre a beginner, be sure to look at all your options--learn all you can before investing anything into a scope.
Pros: Good optics for 4.5" reflector; lightweight and easy to move in and out of the house
Cons: Unbalanced; loose mount; learning curv (beginners will need to learn about equatorial mounts and polar alignment)

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.