Scientifics Direct Astroscan Telescope Tripod

Fool me once Scientifics Direct....fool me twice, I'm the fool. S/D, you did it to me again! Cheap Chinese plastic counterfeit. No labeling (even though the ad clearly shows the "Edmund Scientific" logo on the tripod leg). No instructions. No paperwork inside or on the box, either. Yet, S/D has the nerve to use the honored name Astroscan as if this inadequate piece of junk would protect your valued scope from busting on the ground. Save your $80 and hope an original shows up on Astromart.

Wobbles too much not stable enough. Attached to wood stool is better

I lent this tripod to a friend who was taking his Astroscan on a backpacking trip to Peru. He liked the tripod because it is light and is collapsible, so it made it easy to pack. His one complaint, which is also my complaint is that the tripod is wobbly and does not seem substantial enough to support the Astroscan. Its okay if you are using the Astroscan occasionally, but if use the telescope often, I don't think this tripod will hold up. I found the Meade Tripod for the DS 2000 is a more suitable tripod for the Astroscan. I bought one used for $25 on eBay and retrofitted it to attach the Astroscan Base (spent a couple of dollars on new screw and a couple of nuts). The Meade Tripod is also lightweight, but legs and the base of the tripod are more substantial than what is found on the Astroscan tripod. If you can find one on eBay for less than $50, it is a better deal than the SD Astroscan telescope tripod .

The Astroscan was my first telescope decades ago. Bought a Barlow lens and could zoom in on the edges of the moon to see mountains and valleys. Amazing. I paid around $50 for it and traveled from the Arctic Circle to Cabo and East to Boston with it. Never went anywhere that didn't have it in the trunk of my car somewhere. Dropped and banged many times, but always worked. I gave it away after college, but bought another when my kids were young. Took it to Death Valley with my kids and saw the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, and dozens of other wonders up there. Seeing the rings of Saturn can occupy an entire evening. We spent many hours sitting on the top of our camper at night. Magical times. I had a Japanese exchange student stay with us. I introduced her to the Astroscan and couldn't get her to go to bed at night. She pent hours on our deck searching the sky. This isn't some advanced scientific marvel. The eyepiece adjustment is clunky and the star finder is crappy, but they work. It's 5-star rating comes from it's portability and the simplicity of operation that makes viewing an easy pastime. I have used expensive telescopes in the past, but seldom wanted to go through the ritual of setting the damn things up. My kids would never sit still for that. This thing? Put it in your lap and look. That's it. I even used it to sit on hilltops to watch fishing boats miles out at sea to see if they are catching salmon. They were upside down, but if their rods were bending and the nets were out, I bought a ticket. Even took photos with it. Great buy. A lot of nostalgia tied up in this ugly, red ball.

The Astroscan is AWESOME! The telescope is light, has a wide aperture, is very easy to carry a round without damaging any of the glass. Comes with a base, strap, two lenses, and a dust cover. When I had it as a young kid, it also came with a tripod mount but apparently its not sold anymore, the base is great to sit on a desk or store anywhere there is a flat surface. I took this telescope everywhere and I could easily sling it over my back with the straps and go somewhere and not worry I was going to break anything. Plus I used it for looking at wildlife or stars or just whatever was far away... I plan to buy another one for my girls after my parents got rid of mine when I went to college. No need to worry if you have a klutz or awkward kid in the house, this will be their best friend when it comes to seeing the stars or exploring the wild. This should be in the classroom because it is so safe for young and old and so great with its big aperture a with the large view field. Buy and enjoy.. Don't listen to the stupid nay sayers.. They apparently don't understand what kids enjoy and young astronomers need to learn about the night sky. Ok it also comes with glow at night constellation maps... very handy... Buy it and you won't regret it..Just tell them the kid from Kentucky sent ya,

don not buy this unmitigated piece of JUNK. wobbles and can't be secured, even with your hands. broke from the day I bought it!