
Celestron skyscout has been discontinued
#1
Posted 28 December 2012 - 03:56 PM
#2
Posted 28 December 2012 - 11:15 PM
#3
Posted 29 December 2012 - 10:12 AM
I would want to verify that elsewhere. I just spoke to another scope store KW in Kitchener. The Sky Scout is a discontinued item. Celestron is still supporting it though.I went to Khan Scope Center and they confirmed it, no more support for Celestron Skyscout, discontinued
#4
Posted 29 December 2012 - 10:37 AM
#5
Posted 29 December 2012 - 11:24 AM
#6
Posted 29 December 2012 - 09:30 PM
I spoke to Kw telescope in Kitchener.I just spoke to another scope store KW in Kitchener. The Sky Scout is a discontinued item. Celestron is still supporting it though.
#7
Posted 30 December 2012 - 11:38 AM
#8
Posted 30 December 2012 - 10:43 PM
#9
Posted 30 December 2012 - 11:03 PM
#10
Posted 01 January 2013 - 04:02 PM
#11
Posted 05 January 2013 - 09:13 PM
#12
Posted 07 January 2013 - 12:53 PM
#13
Posted 08 January 2013 - 09:59 AM
Yes the tablet will be more expensive. It will also be over twice as useful.
The Skyscout was wonderful for its day but its day is past. About the only thing that a Skyscout has going for it is that if you are visited by the "American Pickers" then you will have something to sell them!
#14
Posted 13 January 2013 - 04:38 PM
MySky as soon as I used StarWalk and SolarWalk.
#15
Posted 16 January 2013 - 01:34 PM
Any feedback you guys can share on the Scout? I'm planning on purchasing one this week.
In its time it was quite remarkable. But...cell phone technology made it obsolete in only a few years. Unlike the Meade version, the MySky, the SkyScout worked fairly reliably, but in no way can it compare to SkySafari, or the heir to the SkyScout, Celestron's SkyQ.
#16
Posted 21 January 2013 - 05:24 PM
#17
Posted 24 January 2013 - 08:52 AM
#18
Posted 26 January 2013 - 02:56 PM
Hate to be brutally honest but I wouldn't buy a Skyscout today... About the only thing that a Skyscout has going for it is that if you are visited by the "American Pickers" then you will have something to sell them!
I've been laughing for 5 minutes straight on this one!

Tom
#19
Posted 26 January 2013 - 03:29 PM
I do not own a cell phone, but have two landline walkarounds . I can read paper street and sky maps well, am not a travelling salesperson, and know some areas of the night sky well enough to starhop with mounted binoculars to major targets at up to 25X.
But seasonal review is helpful, and digitally aided pointing for push-to would be convenient for speed.
The SkyScout seemed to be primarily for the inexperienced observer, and/or the large segment of the population who are not internally compass oriented for such simple tasks as everday daytime direction instructions. I decided to wait and see what the next generation devices would bring.
Might I be better advised to use a laptop, for its much larger display? I consult Stellarium on my desktop Windows equipped non-portable machine regulary.
Is there a way to link an IPhone ,mounted on a telescope for pointing, to a laptop for its much larger display?
The SkySafari website describes the Apple IPhone and IPad as having gyroscopes. They say that the Android based devices have accelerometers. Is that a synonymous variation in wording, or are there real differences?
Is it required to be in range of a cell phone tower to use the GPS features on these devices ( if that would be useful or required for the astronomy apps)?
Nautical GPS is independent of cell towers, at least far from the shoreline. Are the GPS for automotive use similarly independent of cell towers? Or, does the proximity of a cell tower enhance the application of these gadgets to nearshore nautical, hiking, or automotive navigation?
What about temporary loss of night vision ? Do these phones and tablets have low level red illumination?
#20
Posted 26 January 2013 - 06:40 PM
As for no contract smartphones? I don't think you can get an iPhone without a contract, but that might be possible with an Android rig.
No, you don't need to be in range of a cell tower. A GPS fix comes from the GPS SVs in orbit. You can enter your location manually, anyway. What's important for the sky finding deal to work is the onboard compass and accelerometers of the phone.

#21
Posted 27 January 2013 - 01:17 PM
The SkyScout seemed to be primarily for the inexperienced observer, and/or the large segment of the population who are not internally compass oriented for such simple tasks as everday daytime direction instructions.
I agree....that's me on both counts.
#22
Posted 27 January 2013 - 08:48 PM
I thought the same thing at first: no sight...but in practice, it turned out to make no difference. SkySafari and SkyQ work just as well as the SkyScout and MySky.
Big difference here...you are a life long experienced astronomer and author of note...I am just a guy who bought a telescope a few months back. I do not have long experience observing the night sky.
#23
Posted 29 January 2013 - 07:06 AM
Is there a way to buy a new or used Apple or Android based phone or tablet, then load it with SkySafari or other program, without signing an expensive cellular communication contract which would only be used once,to load such an astronomy program?
Buy a tablet and use its WIFI connection to the internet to get the software loaded. Both Apple and the Android vendors have WIFI only models. No cellular communication needed (or wanted). Cellular contracts are something to be avoided.
#24
Posted 29 January 2013 - 07:10 AM
#25
Posted 29 January 2013 - 02:12 PM
I will wait until they come out with another device.
I wouldn't be shocked if they never do. At a guess, modern smart phones seem to have rather destroyed the market for this kind of a device.