The Easiest Programmable Tabletop Telescope

This portable telescope can find objects in space automatically thanks to its unique handheld computer controller which requires only the entry of your ZIP code for complete automatic bearing and alignment calculation. The controller has a database of over 30,000 celestial objects, including stars, galaxies, planets, and nebulae, and can also be programmed with new data entered by hand or by Internet download. Finding a cosmic object is as simple as selecting it on the keypad and touching a button. A "Guided Tour" option finds the best objects within the visible hemisphere, providing astronomical coordinates, size, and brightness information on the controller's backlit LCD screen. A motorized dual-axis drive system and nine-speed servo motors track quickly and fluidly. Manufactured by Meade, the telescope comes with a sturdy field tripod, but at 8 lbs. the telescope can also be used on a tabletop and is easily transported. Though its automated features make the telescope an ideal choice for weekend stargazers, the optics are formidable enough for the most discerning astronomer: a Maksutov-Cassegrain design makes the most of available light to deliver crisper, cleaner images than many telescopes of larger aperture (a traditional refractor would need to weigh twice as much to get as much power as this telescope). Precision optics incorporate BK-7 glass and an oversized Pyrex primary mirror. Serial input/output port allows connection to a PC. Requires eight AA batteries. 8 1/2"H x 7 1/4" W x 15" L. (8 lbs.)