Now this is interesting

http://www.highpointscientific.com/s...idProduct=3335

Joe S. wrote:
http://www.highpointscientific.com/s...idProduct=3335




It, the Celestron SkyScout, was discussed extensively when it was
announced in late Dec or early Jan .. without anyone expressing much
enthusiasm.

At $399 there are (for me!) better toys.

Phil

A Telrad and a good star chart will be cheaper, and more educational.

Sure, it's nice to be able to point at something and have everything
(dated) there is to know about it at your fingertips, but it doesn't
train your brain where to find it with a telescope so you can actually
see it.

Phil Wheeler wrote:
It, the Celestron SkyScout, was discussed extensively when it was
announced in late Dec or early Jan .. without anyone expressing much
enthusiasm.

At $399 there are (for me!) better toys.

I like the idea of it, and if it were well executed (it might be, I
don't know) and cost about $100 less, I'd buy it.

--
Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.html
(Location of these pages soon to change. Stay tuned for updates.)

Stephen Paul wrote:
A Telrad and a good star chart will be cheaper, and more educational.

Sure, it's nice to be able to point at something and have everything
(dated) there is to know about it at your fingertips, but it doesn't
train your brain where to find it with a telescope so you can actually
see it.



I do wonder what their target market is. My guess is that their new
SkyAlign for the Nexstar series uses at least some elements of this
technology.

Phil

Brian Tung wrote:
Phil Wheeler wrote:

It, the Celestron SkyScout, was discussed extensively when it was
announced in late Dec or early Jan .. without anyone expressing much
enthusiasm.

At $399 there are (for me!) better toys.


I like the idea of it, and if it were well executed (it might be, I
don't know) and cost about $100 less, I'd buy it.



Oddly enough, early on I heard that the price was to be $299 and I was
interested. Likely the price will come down .. perhaps by a lot (COSTCO
for $199?) if they move as slowly as I expect.

Phil

Phil Wheeler wrote:
Oddly enough, early on I heard that the price was to be $299 and I was
interested. Likely the price will come down .. perhaps by a lot (COSTCO
for $199?) if they move as slowly as I expect.

Yes, a number of us heard that. I think it was a misprint or a typo in
a press kit. Yes, if it comes down, I will buy it. Does anyone know
how much the thing weighs, really? Does the blurb say? I'm too lazy
to look it up. (No, I guess I'm not. It weighs about a pound, and it's
about the size of a medium-sized flashlight, the kind with a handle.)

--
Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.html
(Location of these pages soon to change. Stay tuned for updates.)

Joe S. wrote:
http://www.highpointscientific.com/s...idProduct=3335


I'm a Telrad/charts guy, but I still welcome this product, as it seems
like it might encourage naked-eye observing. I hope it's not another
example of something that encourages a greater fascination with the toy
than the night sky.

Tom

Joe S. wrote:

http://www.highpointscientific.com/s...idProduct=3335



What is the market for such a 399.00 device???

When you can do this!
$36.00 - Sky Atlas 2000

if you have a computer
$279.00 - theSky Pro. Edition
free - Carts du Ciel (Chart of the Sky)

$399.00 - Meade DS-2130LNT, 5" refelector/GOTO.

Steve