Edmund Astroscan

Table Top Newtonian Telescope

Note: This scope has a small collimation error but it works well up to about 30x for wide field viewing.

The Astroscan telescope is suitable for all ages. The package includes the telescope, a red circle refles sight (Rigel Quik Point) for aiming the scope, a cast-aluminum tabletop base that's padded to prevent scratches on sensitive surfaces, a user's manual, two eyepieces, and a carrying bag. The telescope is intended to be placed on a table and does not include a tripod.

The Astroscan has a focal length of 445mm and makes a great "grab and go" scope requiring virtually no setup. It is a good telescope to use with children. Unfortunately the telescope is slightly but permanently out of collimation and is not suitable for high power viewing, but it works well with the provided low power eyepieces. A 16x eyepiece provides a three degree angle true field of view. A 26x eyepiece is also provided. The Astroscan provides good views of large star clusters and nebula, such as the Double Cluster, the Andromeda galaxy, and the Great Nebula in Orion complex, all of which can be seen from the suburbs of Seattle. It will show Jupiter and it's moons but 26x magnification is not enough to resolve Saturn's ring system.