User Reviews

First Light with My New Telescope System: A Detailed Review

Overall, this first light session exceeded all expectations. The system performed flawlessly, and while there are areas to tweak—like Dec balancing, guiding refinement, and learning how to autofocus without rage-quitting—the foundation is rock solid. Spending extra time on polar alignment proved to be the best decision of the night, ensuring a productive session with minimal frustration.

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Review: Photographic Atlas of the Moon-A Comprehensive Guide for the Amateur Astronomer by Robert...

If the Moon is the subject of your astronomical observing program, whether as a beginner or seasoned observer, Robert Reeves Photographic Atlas of the Moon seems to me as a must-have resource. Way back when I started my lunar explorations, I wish that this book had been around. Luckily for the lunar observer of the mid 2020s, there are a good number of fine lunar observing books to choose from. This one should be at the top of that list.

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Review of the New SHG700 spectroheliograph

Build wise, the SHG700 is high end all the way with its aluminum body, 7mm quartz slit, and micrometer driven focus points. I had no issues imaging the Sun with it but do have the experience of using a Sol’Ex prior to getting my SHG700 so I sort of knew what to expect. It appears the designer took the best parts of the Sol’Ex and added updates that really make it easy to use and more durable. The full disk images it delivers are exponentially more complex and richer than most dedicated Solar telescopes.

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Celestron AZ 102 refractor telescope review – through the eyes of a beginner

I think the Celestron AZ 102 refractor available at Costco is a starter telescope for a beginner. It is affordable, easy to set up and easy to use. It provides solid views of a range of objects at low and medium power. It can accept upgraded optical components for even better views.

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Review: Taurus T400 16" f/4.5 Ultra Light (without optics)

It seems we’re dealing with a truss telescope that could have been made much better, considering its price. However, its advantages allow me to enjoy it immensely, as they meet exactly what I wanted from a telescope of this type: to be very practical, meaning portable and easy to manage, with good mechanics that facilitate maintaining collimation.

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First Impressions: StellaMira 80mm APO doublet review

This ota will spend most of its life on my balcony, and while it does not compare to an ES165mm or 127mm triplet, it is fairly equal to past WO110mm mergrez and SW102mm doublet refractors I had (at least to my eyes). But for ease of use, fine focus, and sharpness of the well color corrected field it’s superb. In the SM80, the surrounding silky black sky (well good contrast, it is Dallas after all) make this an ideal scope for my particular needs.

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Celestron Origin Review

The Celestron Origin sure is a fun treat! I won't lie, it is one of the most exciting astronomy products I have looked at in a long time. But it is not for everyone and I will be the first to admit that. The Origin is the perfect telescope for clubs, schools and people who are interested in EAA. It is the perfect balance of portability, capability and overall performance for a decently small profile. It is nowhere near as big as my C9.25 with an EQ mount, cameras, Hyperstar, yada yada yada, but it is still the largest of the smart telescopes out there. The Origin has wonderful optical quality, really good tech and super convenient features for everyone at any skill level.

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An Odyssey of Three Oberwerk Binoculars for Astronomical Viewing

I have zero buyer’s remorse after ruminating on these binos and having used them thus far to the extent reported. I expect their service life to exceed mine. I understood their functions and limitations well before purchasing. They have greatly enhanced my astronomical viewing and filled a niche falling below the magnification thresholds of my telescopes, but with a significantly expanded actual field of view, while still providing significant magnification levels above my 12x50s. While there are other high quality brand binoculars available, most are tailored for “sport” use and affordability/variety peaks around the 15x56 size. I do not know of any other brand that currently offers binos in the 15x – 25 x ranges with apertures up to 100mm with the features, quality, product support, customer service and price that Oberwerk offers.

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DocTelescope LaserMax II 20” F/3.6 review

As of the time writing this review, while I'm still waiting to enable the motorized capabilities of my scope, it has exceeded all my expectations (except the Zenith viewing one). It is truly a work of art, a beautiful design that is also highly functional, and I am grateful to all of the professionals who made this dream come true. I also appreciate the human connections I formed during this scope's inception and hope that I enjoy it and my new friendships for years to come.

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Review of the 20” DocTelescopes Lasermax II F3.53

The DocTelescopes Lasermax II F3.53 offers a remarkable viewing experience with excellent build quality and customization options. Its ease of transport and assembly make it a top choice. This is a complex telescope not recommended for beginners but a delight for advanced amateur astronomers.

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