Orion Skyline Green Laser Pointer and Bracket for SkyScout

There is a practical accessory on the market that makes the Celestron SkyScout even easier and more fun to use. Simply mount the SkyLine Green Laser Pointer to the side of the SkyScout and you will see exactly where SkyScout is pointed. No more craning your neck back and holding a tired arm over your head -just sight through the SkyScout with your eye glued to the lens. In fact, you won't have to view through the SkyScout at all! Instead, just hold it in any comfortable position and point the side-mounted SkyLine's 3-5 milliwatt green laser beam at the star or object you want to ID. Then hit the Target button and read the object's description from SkyScout's LCD panel. Easy!

The custom-designed, dual-ring ABS bracket threads with a single screw (included) into the socket on the side of the SkyScout. Thumbscrews and a spring-loaded X-Y adjustment on the bracket's rings allow quick alignment of the laser pointer with the SkyScout. This accessory will not interfere with the SkyScout's GPS system or pointing accuracy. And the Skyline pointer can be removed from the bracket at any time for use as a standalone pointer to show others what's up in the night sky.

The SkyScout by Celestron is the coolest astronomical gadget on the market today. Make it even cooler with the SkyLine Green Laser Pointer and Bracket! Great for individual or group use of the SkyScout.

Celestron SkyScout Protective Case

The Celestron SkyScout is a highly sensitive, fragile and expensive piece of equipment and needs to be handled with care when you use it.. That's just what it's makers had in mind while making the ScoutCase - Protective Case for Celestron SkyScout which is designed to protect your SkyScout from dust, dirt, moisture and accidental drops.

Made of top grade polyurethane material that looks and feels like leather, the ScoutCase - Protective Case for Celestron SkyScout has an excellent finish. The foam padded interior provides a snug fit and added protection. The comfortable hand grip and adjustable strap also ensures you don't accidentally drop the Celestron ScoutCase.

The Protective Case left on the Celestron SkyScout at all times so you can make full use of the SkyScout. All the buttons and the LCD screen are totally protected by a transparent plastic cover, completely visible in the dark and always fully accessible. A headphone slot at the rear end of the ScoutCase lets you connect the audio jack with absolute ease. What's more, the ScoutCase does not interfere with or block the GPS signals on which the SkyScout operates in any way. In fact, you will find it much easier to handle the SkyScout within the ScoutCase than without it.

The only time you will need to take the Celestron SkyScout out of the case is while changing batteries or connecting the SkyScout to a computer for updates. The case and the SkyScout also comfortably fit into the storage bag you get with the SkyScout.

More Features of the SkyScout

Let’s go into a bit more detail concerning the features of the SkyScout:

Tonight’s Must See List , Constellation Lessons, Updatable Software and Data and Sky Tour Content Cards (SD Card slots for extra content) and a built in field guide.

The field guide includes such topics as Introducion to Astronomy, Glossary of terms, text bios of great astronomers, text of man-made space objects (Hubble Telescope, Space Shuttle, Space Station) and an historic guide to popular comets.

You and your family could dehave a lot of fun with this device. It’s also extremely educational. Just make sure you have a fresh set of batteries standing by.

Click here to purchase the or to read more reviews.

SkySkyout Personal Planetarium cont’d

Galileo would probably be impressed.

So how does this cool hi-tech gadget work? The Celestron SkyScout locates objects two different ways. It can tell you what star or planet you are pointing at. It can also guide you to it using the viewfinder, by selecting the name of the star from a list. The database contains over 6,000 planets, constellations and stars. It also gives you some pretty impressive information about each one as well.

The science behind these functions works via a GPS receiver, which you probably know uses sattelites to locate your current position on earth. This is not exactly a new technology. It also uses a special type of software that can calculate where the stars and planets are at that particular moment and utilizes 3 “axix sensors” which act to measure earth’s gravitational and magnetic fields.

In the next blog, we will look at it’s features in a bit more detail.

You can click here for more opinions or to purchase the Celestron SkyScout personal planetarium.

Celestron

Celestron is known for being one of the top designers and manufacturers of high-quality optical goods. This includes telescopes (including computerized) as well as binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes plus accessories . Celestron is one of the largest telescope manufacturers in the world. Celestron is a well known brand among serious amateur astronomers for their superior optics and outstanding design. Celestron sells and markets its products all over the world. . Celestron is a privately held company with corporate offices and manufacturing facilities in Torrance, California

Throughout the world, Celestron telescopes have become the “telescope of choice” for the consumer that can differentiate between brands. Major colleges and universities worldwide use Celestron telescopes in their astronomy programs. Moreover, its solid and esteemed reputation in the scientific community has reached NASA, who selected Celestron’s C5 telescope as the telescope to be taken on several space shuttle research missions.

One of celestron’s newest and most innovative products is the SkyScout. It is a handheld viewing device that is used to identify and/or locate over 6,000 celestial objects. It was named the “Best of Innovations” in the personal electronics category for the annual showcase of new products at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2006.

SkyScout by Celestron

Quite a buzz was created one year ago when the a new gadget, the SkyScout from Celestron came on the market.
What exactly is this new gizmo , this so-called “personal planetarium”? Is it just a toy or does it offer something of value to the more serious stargazer? What are it’s main features and is it really worth the investment?

This review will touch on these questions as well as provide a simple “pros and cons” view of the Celestron SkyScout.

This device, about the size of your handheld camcorder, can identify over 6,000 stars, planets, galaxies and other heavenly bodies. You can point it directly at a star, for example, and it will identify that star using its lit up display. If you wish to find a particular star or planet or perhaps even the International Space Station, just select it from a list and it will guide you to it. If you want to take your learning a step further, there are audio information files available for 200 objects by use of headphones.

How does it accomplish all this? I’ll go into it more in my next post.

Here are a few features that I like:

• Very lightweight and easy to use. About the size of a handheld camcorder.
• It can identify over 6000 heavenly bodies, 88 constellations (only 200 celestial objects have audio files)
• It is equipped with audio controls and you can control adjustment of brightness in the viewfinder.
• Rugged feel to it, nice rubberized coating.

Here are some shortcomings:

• Goes through batteries (uses 2 AA) very quickly.
• GPS may take awhile to start working and its will be thrown off if the user is near metal.
• PC only. Not Mac compatible.

Anyone who has ever tried to use a star chart at night with a flashlight is probably going to appreciate and enjoy this intruguing new product.

Celestron is a well known and respected company and leader in the field of optics and a leader manufacturer of telescopes. Though the SkyScout personal planetarium may be used and appreciated even by children, the SkyScout is definately no toy.