Push-To Air Review on Amazon US

The first review of Push-To Air has been published on Amazon US.
Since the review was written very accurately and professionally, we are sharing the version published on Amazon US.

👉 Click here for the Amazon US product link.

⭐ 5.0 / Out of 5 Stars

Great value if you understand its capabilities & limitations - written by an amateur astronomer

Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2025
Verified Purchase on Amazon

I’ve been an amateur astronomer for the better part of my life since the 1970s. Most ‘serious amateur astronomers do not buy their gear off Amazon (as evidenced by reviews that I read, many buyers here have no idea what they are buying based on their review ‘cons’).

As such, I’m writing this review in general terms for the lay person or more casual observer (to other serious amateurs, please don’t too harshly judge my crude explanations).

I’m doing this review here because currently, Amazon is the only U.S.A. retailer of this product (made in South Korea) as it is new to the U.S. marketplace. When I placed my order, there were zero reviews and the item had been listed on Amazon for only 125-days.

Explanation & Background

Digital Setting Circles (DSCs) have been around for years. In the old days, one would use manual setting circles on an Equatorial Mount, set Alt & Az coordinates (R.A. & Dec. for astronomers) and if properly aligned, you’d hit [or be close to] your target.

DSCs became popular for Dobsonian Telescopes (Dobs) with the computer age & advancements in low-cost technology as a ‘push-to’ system (NOT GoTo because GoTo requires a powered mount). To make push-to work (you manually move or ‘push’ your telescope to a designated position), you need two components in this system - a microcomputer consisting of Alt & Az ‘encoders’ combined with a ‘box’ that has a screen & menu (similar concept as a Celestron Hand Controller).

An alternate device is a Raspberry Pi Finder – or PiFinder for short. You can build your own IF one is adept or buy one from the only manufacturer. It consists of a relatively inexpensive Raspberry Pi computer board, add a screen, software, and combine it with a small camera (like a Celestron Star Sense where it uses a ‘picture’ to align your telescope). A PiFinder uses ‘plate solving’ (think matching the camera image to a star chart – this is a very simple explanation).

Review of this device - the Push-to-Air

The Push-to-Air has a compass (Az) & gyro (Alt). No camera. No encoders. No plate solving. No internal software (OS) – just Firmware (that can be updated).

You connect the Push-to-Air via Bluetooth to Android OS and WiFi to iOS. It is nowhere near as accurate of the first two devices that I’ve explained (I find DSCs more accurate than a PiFinder), however Push-to-Air is a one piece device at less than half the cost of DSCs & the PiFinder (the latter if purchased from the manufacturer).

Push-to-Air Advantage: It’s easy to move from mount to mount. The Push-to-Air uses the SkySafari app to replace an encoder You must purchase the ‘Pay” version to integrate SkySafari to your telescope, the ‘Free’ version doesn’t allow SkySafari to be connected to a telescope ( or in this case, to connect the Push-to-Air).

The company who manufactures the Push-to-Air clearly states this device ‘isn’t perfect’. They equate the device to ‘Star-hoping’ made easier. Because you align on nearby stars (1, 2 or 3) and manually move [push] the OTA – optical tube assembly aka telescope - to your object, it is like ‘star-hopping’. Electronically aided star-hopping at that.

Alignment of Push-to-Air is via the SkySafari app. You select a star(s) by touching your screen (in my case an iPad), move your telescope to center the star(s) in your eyepiece, then touch ALIGN on your SkySafari screen. BAM, done.

Once aligned, you know where to move the telescope (to find the object you wish to view) by looking at your SkySafari app & aligning the center of your bullseye Telrad circles within SkySafari to the object. The ‘bullseye’ moves through the sky as you move your telescope. Arrows direct your movement. Once you get close, zoom-in on the area to get the object into the bullseye’s center for greater accuracy.

Accuracy

One must use alignment star(s) (1, 2 or 3) in the sky near the object(s) you want to view (more on this in a moment). The manufacturer lists the error factor as +/-0.2° Altitude (Gyro) and +/- 1° Az (Compass). It is not an all-sky alignment like Celestron, Sky Watcher – or others - nor like a DSC/Encoder or a PiFinder.

Continuing the last paragraph’s theme: over time, you will experience ‘drift’ – meaning the error factor increases. After alignment you’ll start with the object within the eyepiece’s FOV – Field of View – but over time it’ll be outside the FOV or rather the accuracy will ‘drift’ (eastward in my experience) meaning the object will be outside your FOV but typically close enough to still easily find.

Since the Push-to-Air is not all-sky alignment and because it doesn’t have encoders, if for example you use alignment stars in the Eastern Sky to view objects in the East … you’ll need to do another alignment if you move your telescope towards another direction in the sky (e.g., West) to align stars in that region. But alignment is very quick & easy. I have multiple GoTo, computerized mounts by Celestron. On those mounts, I conduct an alignment process and all I need to do is push a button on my Hand Control and my telescope ‘slews’ (moves) to the object I wish to view.

So why did I buy this? I have multiple custom-made Alt-Az mounts for quick set-up, I have a Binocular Telescope, and several [large] binoculars that I use on a photo tripod. I can very quickly & easily connect the Push-to-Air to whatever is mounted to these mounts (note: you can connect the Push-to-Air to large binoculars - 80mm & larger - but you cannot connect them to smaller binoculars due to the small size of the binos – there is no place to strap the Push-to-Air).

In summary

At less than half the cost of a DSC/Encoder system and a professionally made PiFinder, it’s a great value. I live outside the city in a semi-rural area under assault from ‘urban creep’. For a quick observing session on an Alt-Az mount, I can find some ‘faint fuzzies’ - Deep Sky Objects (DSOs) - more quickly within the local light pollution that I experience. This is NOT a solution or a substitute for a GoTo mount, but the Push-to-Air is a new, valuable tool in my astronomical arsenal. It’s a great value if one understands & can accept its inherent limitations.

I have not been compensated. I did not receive this item free as a promotion or free via Vine. I am not a professional reviewer – I’m an amateur astronomer. I paid the suggested retail price minus a 5% off Amazon coupon (stressing: an Amazon coupon/discount, not a discount via the manufacturer). I hope everyone who considers buying this finds my very detailed review helpful.