BRESSER Telescope Lyra 70/900 EQ3

BRESSER Lyra 70/900 EQ3 – versatile beginner telescope for the Moon, planets and Sun

The BRESSER Lyra 70/900 EQ3 is an achromatic Fraunhofer refractor with a 70 mm aperture and 900 mm focal length. The complete set combines the closed refractor tube with an equatorial EQ3 mount and a broad range of accessories. Its long focal length and f/12.9 focal ratio support high-contrast views of the Moon and bright planets. The refractor is straightforward to use and does not require regular mirror collimation like a Newtonian telescope.

Observing with a 70 mm aperture

The Moon is a rewarding target: craters, mountain ranges and shadows along the terminator stand out clearly. In steady conditions, Jupiter’s brightest cloud belts and four Galilean moons can be observed, as can Saturn’s ring system. Bright double stars and open clusters add variety. The aperture is limited on faint galaxies and nebulae, which will not show the detail visible in a significantly larger telescope. The long focal length is well suited to the Moon and planets, while very wide star fields appear smaller.

Magnification and included accessories

The 20 mm eyepiece gives 45× and is useful for locating objects and getting an overview. The 4 mm eyepiece calculates to 225×. The included 3× Barlow lens gives 135× with the 20 mm eyepiece and a theoretical 675× with the 4 mm eyepiece. BRESSER recommends a maximum of about 140× for this 70 mm telescope. The 20 mm eyepiece with Barlow, at 135×, is already close to that recommended limit; 225× and especially 675× are not practically useful magnifications for this set. A steady, sharp view at 45× or 135× often shows more than excessive magnification. Actual sharpness also depends on atmospheric conditions.

The 90° diagonal makes viewing comfortable when the telescope points high in the sky. It produces an upright but laterally reversed image. The refractor can therefore also be used for terrestrial viewing if the reversed orientation is acceptable. The LED red-dot finder helps aim the telescope. The smartphone adapter allows simple afocal snapshots through the eyepiece, for example of the Moon; it is not a tracking system or long-exposure astrophotography setup.

EQ3 mount and tripod

Before observing, the equatorial mount is roughly aligned with the celestial pole. The apparent daily movement of celestial objects can then be followed mainly on the right-ascension axis. Flexible slow-motion controls on both axes help centre and track objects. The mount is manual; a motor and GoTo control are not included. A suitable tracking motor is available separately. The height-adjustable aluminium tripod includes an accessory tray and provides a complete observing setup.

What is included and buying advice

The set includes the 70/900 mm refractor, equatorial EQ3 mount, height-adjustable aluminium tripod with tray, LED red-dot finder, 90° diagonal, 20 mm and 4 mm eyepieces, a 3× Barlow lens, smartphone camera adapter, solar filter and downloadable astronomy software. The focuser accepts 1.25-inch accessories.

Solar observing: A suitable solar filter is included. Before every solar session, check that it is undamaged and securely fitted over the front aperture. Never look at the Sun through the telescope without this filter; the diagonal, eyepieces and Barlow lens do not provide solar protection.

Who is the Lyra for? This set suits beginners and families looking for a complete telescope for the Moon and planets, with the option of solar observing using the proper front-aperture filter. The equatorial mount takes a little more setup than an alt-azimuth mount, but once aligned it allows tracking mainly on one axis. It can also show brighter deep-sky objects; for faint nebulae or serious long-exposure astrophotography, choose a larger aperture or a motorised imaging mount.

Technical specifications