Does this telescope work well (&amp; is clear to see the moon,etc) for an 8yr old novice?dont want a plastic toy butneither a telescope fit for an expert.
1765727
I gave this to my daughter when she was 10. It is simple to use, provides a very good view of the moon and really bright planets like Venus. It also comes with a program for your pc that lets you put in where you live and shows you what constellations and planets should be visible in the night skies in your area based on the time of year and direction you're looking.
1110500
an 8 yr. old has a lot to learn, and the scope would provide and excitement experience of seeing objects closeup. He or she would need some help ofcourse, if you would show how to use the scope, an 8 yr. oldwould appreciate the shared experience and a nice evening with the cooperation of Mother Nature also...
2032382
Sorry, I cannot respond. The telescope and accessories were a gift. I know nothing about the bits and pieces.
459590
After unpacking, reading the manual, and following the hands controller instructions when using, I was able to use it with no problem. This was my first telescope, and my first time out I brought Saturn into view within about fifteen minutes. The only difficult part is viewing nebulae and deeper space objects; they will show up very faintly with this one, mainly because it is powerful enough for objects within the solar system, but not so much for outside it. I'd definitely recommend this as a telescope with a minimal learning curve.
870849
I had bought it for my husband, but he said that he finds it hard to holding it steady while looking at a object. He said it's good to look at the moon and if he can hold it steady he may be able to see the 4 largest moons of Jupiter. He has enjoyed it. But I wish I would have gotten him a more expensive one. But I really think your 7 year old grandson will have some fun with, just looking at the moon and seeing the creators is something he'll enjoy as well. I hope this has helped you. Patricia C.
1025720
This scope is good for the price and you will not be able to see the planets as you might with the professional ones. It is great watching the land marks and the moon. I hope this helps.
891208
Yes, takes about 14 minutes. You'll or an adult will need to set it up though. It's not a toy, but it's not a super expensive telescope, easy to use. just be careful handling it and you should be fine. this is telescope I bulk purchased for kids to use at public astronomy events my group holds
890305
This is a nice telescope but due to the need to swap lens out and the relative flimsy nature of the unit, I'm not sure it would be durable enough for a four year old. With copious amounts of adult supervision though, it might work.
1795397
You truly need to be an experienced astronomer. If not this telescope is not for you It is difficult to set up use even with the computer attachment Customer service people are friendly but they they have day time hours which makes it extremely difficult to trouble shoot. Hope this info was helpful Nickyg
78396
Thank you for your response Darrell, this discussion board seems pretty much dead so I thought I would never get answered, but I did, and a great answer at that.I've been thinking about buying the Orion XT4.5 now, I'm aware the image will not be as great as the 8 inch but I'll still be able to see Saturn right? Would this be better than a refractor telescope? Sorry for all the questions! No more questions after this, I promise.
43651
I can't speak to the economics of it; but I was looking at the full moon last week and it was beautiful. I could certainly see details of the lunar landscape and stars are also clearly visible. I'm sure a telescope is more suitable for long term viewing; but for a 30 second look at the night sky, these will do the task. I would not buy binoculars for this purpose alone. I use them regularly for watching birds and took them to Africa where they were terrific for game watching.
1372259
Yes you could. I find it too short for my taste and my 11 yr old likes the height. I am a 6 ft tall guy and find myself kneeling on the ground to look through it with its legs stretched out as high as it will go. You have to remember, the best viewing is straight up where you have less atmosphere to look through. Great job getting the family into astronomy! I have found that you should really start with a "manual" scope then transition into a goto type scope. I have issues with my scope as far as the alignment does not work. I have not been able to use the goto feature at all on mine. Just use it for looking at what I know. Wishing you the best of luck and clear skies!
607338
This is a perfect starter telescope for your daughter. She will be able to see the moon-even the craters on the moon! There is a free online video that shows how to set the MoonScope up and use it for the first time.
2238328
I have a pair and use them almost every night since to gaze at the stars. The Moon will Fill up your view nicely. If you view say Jupiter with them it will appear quite small but if conditions are good you can actually make out Jupiter's moons even. Very good for starting Astronomy from a starter and will be used once I get a good scope also.
709356
It does well on the moon but not so good on planets. It also lacks a finder type tube to look through to locate the stars and finding the planets is challenging. It's not a bad question. I do use mine primarily for spotting when shooting.
85767
I'm pretty sure they are the same...the X2 "Shorty" Barlow...def worth it. The XT8 is a GREAT telescope.
989235
Not at all. It's as simple as it gets. Just point, focus, and enjoy. Just make sure the table you use as a base is steady. I think Orion also has a 6" table top for around $270. One thing I always enjoy is to slowly scan parts of the sky that appear empty. I'm always amazed at how much more I can see with a little help. Your best first target, IMHO, is the moon when it's not full. Look along the transition from shadow to light. The 3D effect will blow you away!