I became interested in astronomy a few years ago, having always been fascinated by the night sky. My enthusiasm didn't extend to wanting to splash out on a load of expensive gear, however, and I certainly wasn't passionate enough to invest in a proper telescope. But this little National Geographic one caught my eye in Sainsburys a couple of years ago, and, at just £10, I couldn't resist buying it. For the price, I wasn't expecting miracles, just to see the night sky in a little more detail than I could with the naked eye.

This little telescope measures just 38cm in length when extended, and has a 30mm objective lens. It is extremely light- perfect for carrying around with you. It comes with a small, collapsible tripod, also very portable, which can be easily set on a tabletop for more stable viewing. The telescope slots neatly onto the tripod, from which point it can be swivelled round 360 degrees, and also pivoted forwards and backwards. All in all, it's a very simple setup, which would be perfect for children to use. The box states that the telescope is suitable for ages 8 plus, and I think it would make a great present for a curious child! It looks good too, and not overtly kiddy- the telescope is an attractive yellow colour, which contrasts nicely with the black trimmings around its ends, and the silver of the tripod.

Focusing the telescope is very simple- the eyepiece at the end can be pulled in or out, depending on the distance of the object you're looking at. Again, this would be easy enough for even a young child to do by themselves. However, I found that the focus wasn't very sharp at all, making it difficult to see things in detail by day or night. This is a 30x magnification telescope, so it should, in theory, reveal more than your average pair of binoculars. But I found this wasn't the case, largely due to the focusing problems. Looking at the night sky through this did reveal a fair few stars I wasn't able to see with the naked eye, but even with the tripod to steady the image, it still didn't provide the clarity I was hoping for.

Despite obviously being designed as a scientific toy for older children, I had been expecting a little more from this telescope. While it's well presented, durable and very easy to use, it doesn't reveal as much as I'd expected from its 30x magnification- you could get a much clearer image with a pair of binoculars. That said, I think that for the price (currently £14.95 on Amazon), it would make an interesting present for a budding young astronomer (with the added advantage that you can pretend you're a pirate while using it!).