# Where can I find this kind of telescope? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579 "2009-07-28T19:37:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/1 "2009-07-28T19:37:33Z")
My nephew’s birthday is coming up, and I know he’s big into looking at stars right now. What I was hoping to get him is a small telescope that you point at a place in the sky, and it outlines and identifies what constellations are in the field of view. I recall reading that J.J. Abrams gave this as a gift to the cast of the new Star Trek movie, so I know they exist, but I’m having trouble searching for it. I also don’t want to pay a ridiculous amount of money for something like this, seeing as how he could be moving on to dinosaurs next week. Any help appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/2 "2009-07-28T19:46:15Z")
Celestron’s [SkyScout](http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?CatID=57&ProdID=394)? ($199, might find better prices elsewhere though.) > [@](#): > > Constellation Lessons: if the star you identify or locate is part of a constellation or an asterism like the Big Dipper, you can actually take a guided tour through all the stars in that constellation and even see an onscreen map of the constellation CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/3 "2009-07-28T19:46:34Z")
[http://www.meade.com/mysky/features.html](http://www.meade.com/mysky/features.html) ? ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/4 "2009-07-28T19:47:33Z")
Is [this](http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3038104) the kind of thing you’re looking for? It’s simple and not too expensive. There’s also [the Meade MySky](http://www.meade.com/mysky/index.html) and [Celestron’s SkyScout](http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?CatID=57&ProdID=394), which look really cool, but are a couple hundred dollars, and maybe a little complicated for a little kid. I don’t think any of them are actually telescopes, just instruments for identifying objects in the sky. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/5 "2009-07-28T22:50:31Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > Is [this](http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3038104) the kind of thing you’re looking for? It’s simple and not too expensive. That looksmore like what I’m looking for. Has anyone used anything like this? Does it actually work? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/6 "2009-07-29T18:01:26Z")
::exercises one bump rule:: ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/7 "2009-07-29T18:05:06Z")
I had one of those. It’s NOT a telescope. It’s pretty meh. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/8 "2009-07-29T19:22:38Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > Is [this](http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3038104) the kind of thing you’re looking for? It’s simple and not too expensive. I think that’s just a [planisphere](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planisphere) mounted inside a tube. It’d probably be better to get a conventional planisphere. Meade, Celestron, Vixen, etc. all make computerized telescopes. They don’t let you slew the telescope by hand though. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-this-kind-of-telescope/504579/9 "2009-08-01T16:27:00Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > … Has anyone used anything like this? Does it actually work? I’ve got one. It works, sorta. In theory you could look through it while looking at the sky and match-up what your seeing through it vs your view of the sky. In practice there’s a big problem, you need a light source to use it. Indoors, no problem, but outside (where ya actually need it) it becomes a frustrating juggling act. It in one hand, flashlight in the other, try to aim the light at the back of it without shining the light in your eyes … I’ll second getting him a planisphere, a good plastic not cardboard one! This [one](http://www.davidchandler.com/nightsky.htm) (the large one) actually, for all the reason given on the site. [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_sq_top?ie=UTF8&keywords=night%20sky%20planisphere&index=blended&pf_rd_p=304485901&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0961320753&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0685574GBDX9W5936TR0) has both the 30°-40° and the 40°-50° N hemisphere ones and an E-Mail to [billie@DavidChandler.com](mailto:billie@DavidChandler.com) should get you to where you can buy the 20°-30°, 50°-60°, & Southern hemisphere ones (not knowing exactly where 123 Fake Street is ;)). The other thing he’d really need is a red, preferably LED, flashlight. The [Photon Freedom Micro](http://www.photonlight.com/Photon-Freedom-Micro-Keychain-LED-Flashlights-p/fm-led-keychain-flashlight.htm) covert model is the light of choice. The “covert” sleeve (covers the sides of the LED so you don’t see the bulb) and the adjustable brightness do as much to protect your night vision as the red bulb does. But any similar red LED keychain light will work, if it’s too bright you can “frost” the LED with steel wool, electrical tape/shrink-wrap tubing/black paint on the side of the LED gets rid of the side-spill light. Do get/make a lanyard for it (the hole in the planisphere is a great place to attach it). Dropping one of them at night, in grass, is NO fun! CMC fnord!