Comments on: The Celestron "FirstScope" Telescope: Official Product of International Year of Astronomy http://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/ Space and astronomy news Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:02:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tostatihttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-66046 Tostati Sat, 09 May 2009 20:21:49 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=29996#comment-66046 I have one since few days. As an italian amateur astronomer, i must have a "souvenir" of this IYA... hehehe... it is for my 7 years old kid, Gabriele... tomorrow we'll start observing together... it seems to be quite cute, but it's remain nothing more than a kid's scope... a f/3.95 is "too hard" for a cheep scope... not good for Moon and Planets, i's really funny in Rich Field, with a small WA eyepiece, of course, like a 20mm SWA, made in China, obviously... ;) I have one since few days.
As an italian amateur astronomer, i must have a "souvenir" of this IYA… hehehe…
it is for my 7 years old kid, Gabriele…
tomorrow we'll start observing together…
it seems to be quite cute, but it's remain nothing more than a kid's scope…
a f/3.95 is "too hard" for a cheep scope…
not good for Moon and Planets, i's really funny in Rich Field,
with a small WA eyepiece, of course, like a 20mm SWA, made in China, obviously… ;)

]]> By: Jon Hanfordhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-65480 Jon Hanford Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:16:05 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=29996#comment-65480 Properly mounted, 2 of these scopes provide a cheap alternative to conventional binoculars, and 3 inches of aperature at f/4 with a choice of eyepieces and filters makes this combo all the more attractive. Adapt 2 to a Go-To mount. A Skyscout, or heck, a wireless palmtop with installed astrosoftware, go hog wild. 1 1/4 inch field flatteners may be needed to properly utilize narrowband filters, but just think of the views. Wide stereo panoramas of crowded galaxy fields in Virgo, Coma Bernices, and Leo or starclouds of Sagittarius, Scutum, Cygnus, sign me up. Thanks for a great eye-opener, Tammy. Properly mounted, 2 of these scopes provide a cheap alternative to conventional binoculars, and 3 inches of aperature at f/4 with a choice of eyepieces and filters makes this combo all the more attractive. Adapt 2 to a Go-To mount. A Skyscout, or heck, a wireless palmtop with installed astrosoftware, go hog wild. 1 1/4 inch field flatteners may be needed to properly utilize narrowband filters, but just think of the views. Wide stereo panoramas of crowded galaxy fields in Virgo, Coma Bernices, and Leo or starclouds of Sagittarius, Scutum, Cygnus, sign me up. Thanks for a great eye-opener, Tammy.

]]> By: Tammy Plotnerhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-65436 Tammy Plotner Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:47:53 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=29996#comment-65436 wow... i never thought about pairing them up for binocular scopes! what a great idea...and then my mind starting thinking - what if i connected the celestron skyscout and the speakers to them, too?;) wow… i never thought about pairing them up for binocular scopes! what a great idea…

and then my mind starting thinking – what if i connected the celestron skyscout and the speakers to them, too?

;)

]]> By: Jon Hanfordhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-65404 Jon Hanford Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:42:44 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=29996#comment-65404 Tammy, thanks on behalf of stargazers everywhere for your direct involvement with the OPT-UT readership discounts! Even though I have a fast 4.25 inch reflector, I'm considering purchasing 2 of the scopes to remount them as a 3 inch f/3.95 binocular telescope. For low power sky sweeps, this combination of fast optics and a wide field of view at low magnifications is ideal for picking up large, faint MW nebulae (e.g. "California Nebula", "Rosette Nebula", "North American" & "Pelican Nebula", etc) I'm glad to see some company (I love Celestron reviving the long-forgotten 'richest field telescope' design meant to be used at low power for sweeping the sky.) manufacture these optics inexpensively. Tammy, thanks on behalf of stargazers everywhere for your direct involvement with the OPT-UT readership discounts! Even though I have a fast 4.25 inch reflector, I'm considering purchasing 2 of the scopes to remount them as a 3 inch f/3.95 binocular telescope. For low power sky sweeps, this combination of fast optics and a wide field of view at low magnifications is ideal for picking up large, faint MW nebulae (e.g. "California Nebula", "Rosette Nebula", "North American" & "Pelican Nebula", etc) I'm glad to see some company (I love Celestron reviving the long-forgotten 'richest field telescope' design meant to be used at low power for sweeping the sky.) manufacture these optics inexpensively.

]]> By: Tammy Plotnerhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-65388 Tammy Plotner Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:00:02 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=29996#comment-65388 thanks for posting, open file! i wanted to be fair to all the companies who are premier celestron dealers - because all of them will offer the Celestron FirstScope and the accessory kit at exactly the same price. but i also know a long time ago i went way out on a limb to get OPT to accept us as an astronomy club so our readers could get a club discount, and even 2% is appreciated these days.i want to tell you how much i admire your IYA 2009 spirit by providing your friends with telescopes - because the Celestron FirstScope is so very easy to use and so very easy to set up and carry around, it will become a treasured friend - just like you. thanks for posting, open file! i wanted to be fair to all the companies who are premier celestron dealers – because all of them will offer the Celestron FirstScope and the accessory kit at exactly the same price. but i also know a long time ago i went way out on a limb to get OPT to accept us as an astronomy club so our readers could get a club discount, and even 2% is appreciated these days.

i want to tell you how much i admire your IYA 2009 spirit by providing your friends with telescopes – because the Celestron FirstScope is so very easy to use and so very easy to set up and carry around, it will become a treasured friend – just like you.

]]> By: The Open Filehttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-65383 The Open File Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:02:12 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=29996#comment-65383 I just ordered 4 of these little scopes from OPT, and as indicated in your review, by mentioning that I was a member of Universe Today, I received a 2% discount on my order (not including shipping).Many thanks for your review. This will be the perfect gift for my friends, all who love the sky but never wanted to spend what they considered a lot of money for a nice starter 'scope. I just ordered 4 of these little scopes from OPT, and as indicated in your review, by mentioning that I was a member of Universe Today, I received a 2% discount on my order (not including shipping).

Many thanks for your review. This will be the perfect gift for my friends, all who love the sky but never wanted to spend what they considered a lot of money for a nice starter 'scope.

]]> By: HelloBozoshttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/27/the-celestron-firstscope-telescope-official-product-of-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-65367 HelloBozos Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:50:38 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=29996#comment-65367 Thats neat looking little scope..i use a celestron8SE,first year with it's been amazing,bought it apirl 08..i use it offen Thats neat looking little scope..i use a celestron8SE,first year with it's been amazing,bought it apirl 08..i use it offen

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