The Alt-Azimuth tripod included with the Tasco Luminova package is light and easy to use, but it doesn't track stars and planets as the Earth rotates. It's best to use the low power 25mm eyepiece to find your target, then use a high power lens to zoom in for a closer look. While "more power" is a good advertising slogan, I have more fun with this little telescope by keeping the power down. In fact, the best upgrade for this telescope is a low power Celestron 25mm E-Lux eyepiece (about 32x). The Celestron E-lux eyepiece has a much wider field of view than the standard equipment H25 eyepiece. A wider view means the Moon remains visible nearly twice as long, I see more than twice as many Milky Way stars at one time, and it's easier to find deep space objects like the Orion Nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy! As a general rule, 60mm telescopes perform best at magnifications of 120x or less. With a 6mm E-Lux eyepiece (133x) for example, I can actually see Saturn's rings or the pine needles on a distant tree branch more clearly than I can using Tasco's economy-grade high power eyepieces and barlows. The high power 400x and 660x images are basically useless because they are dim, fuzzy and hard to focus. Overall the Tasco Luminova 660x is a good beginners telescope with a generous accessory package. One of its virtues is that it can be easily upgraded with better eyepieces. For a little more money, the Nexstar 60 GT is a 60mm telescope complete with a computerized tracking system. In this price range, also take a look at Celestron's Firstscope 60AZ and Orion's Spaceprobe 3 Altaz, which come with better eyepieces right out of the box. -Jeff Phillips Pros: Low cost Lots of accessories Easy to add better 1. 25-inch eyepieces Cons: Does not track stars and planets Narrow field eyepieces.

51 In) / Near Focus - 15 Ft (4. 57 M) Optical Coatings - Fully Coated Weight 3. 5 Lb (1. 59 Kg) Camera Resolution 3. 1 Mp (2048 X 1536) / Chip CMOS Memory 32 Mb Internal, SD Card Slot Magnification (Low Power) 7 X / Magnification (High Power) 24 X Angular Field Of View (Low Power) 5. 6 degrees (High Power) 2 degrees Digital Zoom 6 X / Focus Assist - Sharp Focus Meter /Exposure - Auto TV Out Preview - NTSC / PAL Hi-Res Images 38 @ 3. 0mp Fine / Lo-Res Images 600 @ 0. 3mp Econ Continuous Video (VGA) 30 Sec / Continuous Video (CIF) 4. 5 Min Batteries Two AA Alkaline (Not Included) Celestron 2 Year Warranty.

13 3/4", 1 3/4 lb. ; Never be let down by a 2nd-rate spotter again! Order Today! Barska 20-60x60 mm Waterproof Naturescape Spotting Scope.

Neither of these processes, mirror-reflectivity or lens-transmission, is, however, perfect; light loss occurs in each instance where light is reflected or transmitted. Uncoated glass, for example, reflects about 4% of the light impacting it; in the case of an uncoated lens 4% of the light is lost at entrance to and at exit from the lens, for a total light loss of about 8%. Meade standard mirror and lens coatings equal or exceed the reflectivity and transmission, respectively, of virtually any optical coatings currently offered in the commercial telescope industry. Ultra-High Transmission coatings (UHTC), recently developed at the Meade Irvine coatings facility, however, have permitted the vacuum-deposition of a series of exotic optical coatings precisely tuned to optimize the visual, photographic, and CCD imaging performance of Meade telescopes. This telescope includes primary and secondary mirrors coated with aluminum enhanced with a complex stack of multi-layer coatings of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide. The thickness of each coating layer is precisely controlled to within 1% of optimal thickness. The result is a dramatic increase in mirror reflectivity across the entire visible spectrum; at the important hydrogen-alpha wavelength of 656nm. - the predominant wavelength of emission nebulae - reflectivity is increased from 89% to over 97%. This telescope presents dramatically brighter images on the full range of celestial objects — from emission and planetary nebulae such as M8, M20, and M57 to star clusters and galaxies such as M3, M13, and M101. Observations of the Moon and planets, since they are observed in reflected (white) sunlight, benefit in image brightness from the full spectrum of increased transmission. And more The computer-driven Autostar controller makes it easy to find 30,000 celestial objects. Just plug the Autostar into the telescope's HBX port in place of the standard-equipment electronic controller, do a quick telescope alignment, and you're ready to observe any object in the Autostar's 30,000-object database. ETX optical systems include a Maksutov meniscus corrector lens of Grade-A BK7 optical glass. High-transmission magnesium fluoride (MgF2) coatings on both sides of the correcting lens, as well as aluminum-silicon monoxide coatings on the primary and secondary mirrors, are provided as standard equipment. Use the standard pushbutton electronic controller at any of four dual-axis speeds: 8x sidereal for image centering in the main telescope at high power; 32x for image centering at lower powers or for pushbutton object tracking in the altazimuth mode; slow mode for image centering in the viewfinder or for terrestrial tracking of nature and sightseeing; or medium speed for fast slewing across the sky. The observer can instantly select any of these speeds simply by depressing the speed button on the controller. The telescope’s ultraportable design allows the viewer to view from any flat surface, be it a window sill, car hood, or picnic table. The optional tripod can raise the telescope to any comfortable height. The Nuts and Bolts 1. Eyepiece 2. Viewfinder 3. Eyepiece Holder Thumbscrew - Tightens the eyepiece in place. 4. 90° Eyepiece Holder - Holds the eyepiece upright for easy viewing. 5. Optical Tube - The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and brings this light to a focus for examination with the eyepiece. 6. Vertical Lock - Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope. 7. Fork Arms - Hold the optical tube in place. 8. Focus Knob - Moves the telescope’s optical tube in a finely-controlled motion to achieve precise image focus. 9. Horizontal Lock - Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the telescope. 10. Computer Control Panel A. ON/OFF Switch. B. Auxiliary Ports - Provide connection for current and future Meade accessories. C. Handbox (HBX) Port - for the Electronic Controller or the optional Autostar handbox. D. The 12v connector, designed to accept an external power supply such as the optional AC Adapter or Power Cord. E. LED power indicator light. 11. Base Housing - Supports the telescope for placement on a flat, level surface, such as a tabletop or optional tripod. 12. Holes for Optional Tripod - See your tripod’s instruction sheet for mounting information. 13. Right Ascension (R. A. ) Setting Circle. 14. Flip-Mirror and Flip-Mirror Control Knobs - ETX telescopes include an internal mirror. With the flipmirror control in the "up" position, light is diverted to the eyepiece. With the flipmirror control in the "down" position, as shown in Fig. 2b, light proceeds straight out the photo port for photography. 15. Photo Port - Attach any 35mm camera with a removable lens to this port using an optional adapter. 16. Declination Setting Circle (on left fork arm). 17. Viewfinder Alignment Screws - adjust these screws to align the viewfinder. 18. Viewfinder Alignment Bracket. 19. Dust Cap 20. Battery Compartment (not shown, underneath base).

It also would make a terrific "grab-and-go" second telescope for more experienced stargazers. Teflon bearings and adjustable altitude tension on the base ensure smooth maneuvering of the StarBlast 6. Keep the included Sirius Plossl eyepieces at the ready in the convenient three-hole eyepiece rack. Two handle cutouts in the base allow easy lifting and transporting of the telescope. Set it on the ground or even on a small table or the hood of your car, and enjoy the view! The Orion StarBlast 6 isn't just a masterfully engineered, uncomplicated, and affordable telescope for all ages. It's also a blast! One-year limited warranty.