This telescope has a fantastic folding optical assembly that uses a combination of mirrors and lenses to pack an incredible 1200mm focal length in a compact 12.5 inch optical assembly. As a result, this telescope is ideal for both day and night viewing. Images in this telescope are shown right-side up. With a powerful magnification 155x when using the 9mm eyepiece, this telescope is great for bird watching or as a wildlife spotting scope. For backyard astronomy, the big magnification will give you jaw dropping views of the moon. With planets you can see the Rings of Saturn and the Moons of Jupiter and great views of Mars. In dark skies you can see distant nebulae and galaxies as well. The aluminum tripod is fully adjustable and allows even taller people to observe the stars without having to crouch down in an uncomfortable position. A handy accessory tray on the tripod makes it easy to keep track of extra eyepieces. With the altazimuth mounting, the telescope is designed for beginners and children. There is nothing to it. This is a true "point-and-shoot" telescope. The mount makes it simple to aim and move the telescope, you don't need to learn about complex Polar Alignment or stellar coordinates -- just aim the telescope at what you want to see and have a look.