Just know that the base is pretty heavy, and even small tremors can throw off your aim, so you may be disappointed with the results if you use a flimsy folding table. Experienced astronomers on TV or at a public viewing make framing celestial objects look as easy as pointing your finger at something. If taking picture easily is one of your primary requirements for a telescope, however, you will probably want to look at something like the Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ instead, which has a similar aperture size, a longer focal length and an equatorial mount. This isn’t a go-to drive like the one that comes standard with the Celestron NexStar SE; instead, you use a keypad to select any of several thousand sky objects and let the machine tell you where to point your scope. And here for the latest prices of the Starblast 6 Astro: compensate for the telescope’s focal plane being too shallow, Pretty expensive once you add all the bells and whistles. In other words, you will have a great time exploring the surface of the moon or trying to locate brighter nebulae, but objects like double stars and planets will be a little more challenging to make out. A Barlow is essentially just a magnifying glass designed to fit over a standard 1.25″ or 2″ eyepiece. This is certainly not the cheapest reflector of this size you can buy, but it’s also far from the most expensive. Once you start using it, you’ll soon feel the need for some filters and extra eyepieces. Though the Starry Night software package you get with the scope will come in handy at that point, it’s reassuring that you can also buy the IntelliScope upgrade if locating these targets proves more difficult than you expected. Many people are intimidated by the collimation process common to all reflector telescopes. With some scopes, simply getting even a bright star into view requires patience and know-how. At about 16 inches wide, this stand strikes a good balance between compactness and support. Contact Us, Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope, Meade Infinity 102mm AZ Refractor Telescope Review, Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope Review, Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Reflector Telescope Review. The former means holding your camera or phone steady over the eyepiece, either by hand or using a smartphone bracket. Assuming that you can find somewhere suitable to put it, the base is more stable than the average tripod, with almost no way of tipping it over without really trying. You’ll need nothing more complicated or exotic than a screwdriver. The Starblast 6i turned out to be the ideal scope for me. Also, while you can achieve a decent level of magnification using the right eyepiece (though the 300x figure specified by the manufacturer seems a little fanciful), this scope is best used for wide-angle viewing. While it does have some similar specs, obviously the Newtonian optics and an alt-az mount, it may lack other Dob features that would classify it as a Dob. Exceptionally easy to set up and use, it’s perfect for the casual backyard astronomer who wants to see incredible views without having to do a lot of work to get them. This size and the relatively low weight (24 pounds) of this telescope makes for comfortable viewing when it’s placed at tabletop height and somewhat less so when it’s resting directly on the ground. Each of these purchases makes sense and will most certainly expand your capabilities. Though the Orion StarBlast is on the expensive side, it’s really a perfect starter scope; a breeze to get started with even if you have no stargazing experience whatsoever. Alternatively, you can pay a little extra and opt for the 6I version to begin with. What it isn’t is an all-in-one solution for someone who plans to be the next Edwin Hubble. No affordable telescope can be good at every job you might want it to do – for every task its design makes easy, something else becomes hard. With an appropriate bracket, you can capture pretty impressive images through the eyepiece just with a smartphone. Some people go as far as modifying their StarBlasts – think hacksaws and duct tape. This has a major effect on your ability to discern dim objects and, hence, on the maximum useful magnification you’ll be able to achieve.