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Lamb0
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/25/07
Posts: 668
Loc: Fairbury, Nebraska
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 The 4.5" Dob or Starblast are fine choices, however, a SpaceProbe 3 Altaz Reflector is still more than a toy. It doesn't have the TFoV of a StarBlast, the aperture or magnification of the full sized Dob, yet it will still do well on planets, the moon, and brighter objects, has a 1.25" focuser, and is little more than half the price. If the StarBlast would be more of a family scope, my choice would be between the 3" Altaz, or the (preferred) SkyQuest XT4.5 Dobsonian Reflector (like Dad's). 
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Zel
member
Reged: 11/07/07
Posts: 75
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I just checked this out per suggestion. c65
Jeez, $38 and free shipping. I'd kind of decided to just get him a cheapie toy scope (considering that's probably what it will end up being), so maybe I should get him one that we can take hiking. Probably won't be much for astro use, but he could look at the moon.
It's a thought.
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Zhumell 8" f5.9 Dob
EPs:
6mm BO/TMB Planetary
MIA: 9mm BO/TMB Planetary
9mm Zhumell
26mm 2" Zhumell
Zhumell 2" Barlow
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Lamb0
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/25/07
Posts: 668
Loc: Fairbury, Nebraska
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 Cool! Toy priced inexpensive and still useful!
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Protheus
Vaguely offended
Reged: 09/01/07
Posts: 4664
Loc: Illinois, US
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I have a C65, and actually quite like it. Get a really sturdy camera tripod, and it will work ok. One thing I will say is that you probably want to mount a finder to it. The included eyepiece only goes _down_ to 30x or so, which is way to much magnification to easily find anything.
Also, for anyone looking at the explorascope, it appears that the amazon price has gone up since I posted the last link. Adorama still has it for $35, here.
Chris
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"To tread the sharp edge of a sword;
to run on smooth-frozen ice,
one needs no footsteps to follow..."
"Well, people sometimes ask me 'how did you get involved in astronomy?' I said 'I got born, what's your problem?'" -- John Dobson
"In discussing the large-scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved, or that the universe is finite but unbounded. Whatever are they talking about?" -- Carl Sagan
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Jim Haley
sage
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 287
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One of the things you mentioned was "his to use whenever".... I take this to mean without close supervision. The Starblast (or any reflector) has the advantage that the optics are buried deep inside so he will not accidently fingerprint them. On the other hand (assuming he can be taught to keep fingers off the objective) a small refractor (and I think the Celestron explorascope) gives him the option for image erect daytime views (always observe from the shade). A big plus for someone who may want to use it during the day.
Will he accept that that this one excels at daytime and planet viewing? If so a refractor (or one of the ball scopes) is probably the best bet.
One other point. For astronomy, I have found kids have an easier time with 8" and 10" dobs than smaller refractors. The brighter views and larger objects are easier to find. My son started at about 6 but did not really learn to use the TELRAD and find objects till about 8.
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Jim Haley
12.5" f6 Starsplitter Dob
Orion 8" XTi (with computerized object locator)
Orion 114EQ reflector
80mm f6 refractor
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Zel
member
Reged: 11/07/07
Posts: 75
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Hey Chris,
Do you find the EP to perform well enough? I read some bad stuff about the c65, and was thinking it had an adapter for 1.25" EPs, but apparently that's only available in the other sizes.
I'm not an optics snob, especially for a kid, so I'm this better than Toys R Us for $38, but still I don't want to get it if it is not moderately useful.
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Zhumell 8" f5.9 Dob
EPs:
6mm BO/TMB Planetary
MIA: 9mm BO/TMB Planetary
9mm Zhumell
26mm 2" Zhumell
Zhumell 2" Barlow
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Lee Jay
sage
Reged: 02/27/08
Posts: 421
Loc: Westminster, CO
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I tested a C65, and the optics are at least decent. But the C70 has the 1.25" adapter and the same tripod, for not all that much more money.
EDIT: Geeze, I didn't realize they had it for $38! I was thinking $65 versus $96 for the C70.
Edited by Lee Jay (08/15/08 09:06 AM)
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boyd
sage
Reged: 11/30/06
Posts: 307
Loc: Florida
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I want to vote astrocan, because it is so easy. But...
I've now raised two boys on astronomy and currently working the third child. In every case the number one hump to get over is the reverse nature of a newtonian. Left is right, up is down...you get the picture.
What your kid will love most are brief high mag views of the moon, and planets. Things like clusters are so so, but galaxies like M31 and nebula like M42 will be of some interest. comets will also be marginally interesting.
Remember two things. First all sessions will be brief by your adult clock, but full extent by a kid's timeframe. Second, any confusion generates frustration and questioning that can't be easily explained to a mind still anchored in the concrete world (abstract is confusing).
So, aside from all of that, what I found works best is a small refractor. You look through it, which is proper in a young mind. The image may be upside down, but because your eye and the telescope are aligned along the same sight path there will be no directional confusion in aiming the scope. High mag views of planetary and lunar wonders are just as exciting in an 80mm refractor as a 114mm reflector. The loss of light on fuzzies is a marginal sacrifice since they are of limited interest (again abstract ideas of globulars and galaxies don't align with the concrete reality of a gray smudge in the objective lense).
So, I suggest something like this:
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=refractors/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09881
It need not be that model, but something with a simple Alt/az mount, a red dot finder, and minimal bells and whistles. 2 ep is more than enough to start. 
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XT8
ETX70AT
C80EQ
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Protheus
Vaguely offended
Reged: 09/01/07
Posts: 4664
Loc: Illinois, US
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The eyepiece in the C65 is pretty much what you'd expect. That is, it's not perfect, but it's certainly workable. I haven't been particularly tempted to replace it with something else, myself...
Chris
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"To tread the sharp edge of a sword;
to run on smooth-frozen ice,
one needs no footsteps to follow..."
"Well, people sometimes ask me 'how did you get involved in astronomy?' I said 'I got born, what's your problem?'" -- John Dobson
"In discussing the large-scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved, or that the universe is finite but unbounded. Whatever are they talking about?" -- Carl Sagan
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Bhavdeep
member
Reged: 07/18/08
Posts: 37
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How is this for a starter scope for a kid? I know the tripod is useless but 4.5" mirror with a 1.25" focuser for under $60?
I am also looking for a scope for my 5½ yr old nephew. You think I can get this one and make a Dob mount for it?
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7999761
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6" ebay reflector (temporary scope till I save for a Z10)
green laser pointer
skymaps for charts
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boyd
sage
Reged: 11/30/06
Posts: 307
Loc: Florida
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I think buying that bushnell would be a mistake. It is most likely a "corrected" newt with a spherical mirror. This means you have a piece of plastic through which the image passes. I need not say much beyond that. Making a dobs mount for it wouldn't give much added satisfaction, mainly because the mirror requires the corrector to bring it into focus across the whole image. So, your dobs would be about 18" tall and look exactly like the scope in the picture minus the three legs.
I've been wrestling with turning one similar into a Schmidt-newtionian by making a corrector plate to replace the lense. It is a pain beyond measure. I can't imagine you'd do much better by altering the mount.
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XT8
ETX70AT
C80EQ
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