Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium
By: Celestron Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 89
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 On: 2008-10-10
I gave this as a gift to my husband for Xmas 2007. He loves it. He has always been fascinated with astronomy and telescopes, but I wasnt able to afford a telescope and didnt really know what to look for in one, so this seemed like a good start. He really enjoys using it and shows me all kinds of things that we can now identify in the night sky!
 On: 2008-09-30
Ive wanted one of these since they came out about 2 years ago and read an article in Popular Science Magazine. They originally came out at $399 and I didnt want to pay that. But last week when I saw they were down to $199 I had to get one. Im glad I did. The device is amazing. With its last update from July 2008, there are now more than 40,000 objects in its database.
What you do it look into the optical non-magnifying lens and little lights point which way to move the scope until the object you are looking for comes into view. Its pretty cool.
There is an LCD screen with info on it. One of the coolest things is that it has "Tonights Highlights", telling you which object is in view right now and gives you all kinds of info on the object. With the headset plugged in, you can even hear it in spoken words.
The skyscout uses GPS and tilt sensors to figure out your position. For under $200, the unit is an excellent value and highly recommended to anyone with any kind of interest in astronomy.
The only negatives about the device are that the LCD can be hard to see even in total darkness, there isnt quite enough contrast and it takes getting used to. The GPS can take a few minutes to lock on each time you need to use it. The device should also give you the ability to research objects without the GPS, but this isnt the case, it has to lock onto GPS in order to do anything. I was sitting in my classroom and of course it doesnt work indoors and I wanted to look up some certain stars but couldnt so its basically useless unless you have the GPS locked on. Other than that the units great.
On: 2008-09-27
Got these as a gift for my husband and, WOW, how wonderful for him to look at the constellations and be able to identify what hes looking at. Very nicely made and easy to use. A nice idea put to use for our enjoyment!
 On: 2008-09-24
I was given a SkyScout as an award at the company I work at (it would have never occurred to me to buy one). Ive had it out several times with my kids (11 and 7) this summer.
My kids love the SkyScout. All you do is point it at an object in the sky and press identify and it will tell you what it is (very cool). If you want to find something you just look it up in the UI and then follow the read lights in the view finder (even cooler).
My kids love to look at the sky in the summer and this has given them all the more reason to learn about astronomy. Theyve been asking me to get the telescope out so than can see even more.
Pros:
Easy to use. Very cool features. It always draws a crowd at night. It helps the kids learn astronomy in the best way I can think of - they get immediate answers questions while looking at the stars. Thats way better than looking up info on Wikipedia any day.
Cons:
I cant read the display at night without my reading glasses. The GPS can take several tries to find its position (even with an open sky). The list of objects to find isnt filtered when objects are over the horizon. Its often close but not always exactly on the object were looking for.
All-in-all its a great learning tool. It makes learning for my kids (and for me) fun. Weve really enjoyed it. Having used it, I would highly recommend it to parents who value educating their kids about astronomy.
On: 2008-09-23
I purchased the SkyScout for my wife--she likes birds and the night sky. It works well as billed and is easy to use though we are pretty tech oriented. It does take a little time to acquire orientation when you first come out and turn it on. It is very accurate and we use it with the Celestron maps. Note--as everyone does--that it does not magnify. It is purely an identification aid. I tried its competitor from Meade and found it a lot more clunky to use and in reality it was more of a talking video tour. This unit can do that as well but it is not its primarly use. Tough, pretty compact and easy to use though not foolproof. Price has dropped some and is fair for the capability.
On: 2008-09-04
We are new to astronomy and have used this for over a month. To date,we are pretty much satisfied with this product. The upgrade went smoothly and battery use not bad (though we are using rechargeable). My only dislikes are:
1. Screen is difficult to read (for older, over 40 eyes that is; younger folks might not have issue). It could be the color and I wish there were a way to change it.
2. You need to use a headphone or external speaker. Minor nit, but when you have a group of younger folks enjoying this product, it is nice to point and all listen at the same time so that everyone can find a unique object.
3. Sighting is a little awkward and many choices sometimes come up (big circle and shaky hands, though a tripod might help the latter), so you need a little more background information to correctly identify what you saw.
Other than that, we have been quite pleased.
On: 2008-08-31
This is really a must for amateur sky watchers. The Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium is extremely easy to use and enables you in an instant to locate and identify any celestial object that is visible to the human eye, be it constellations, stars, nebulas, star clusters, planets or our moon, even if the object you want to locate is not visible above the horizon. So, if you would like to locate the moon (or any other celestial object) even if it should happen to be below the horizon, you just push the locate-button, then find the name of the object in the digital database of the SkyScout, highlight the name and push "Select". In an instant the bright red directional arrow (one of 12 pointers) inside the SkyScout`s window is lighted up blinking, and the closer you get to target, the faster the pointer(s) oscillate, and when the object is centered in the view finder, all 12 directional arrows encircling the window are lit indicating exactly where the object is located in the sky.
If you wonder what star or object you are looking at through the SkyScout`s window, you just push the target-button, and in an instant the SkyScout lists the name of the object or other neighbouring objects on the digital screen on its side, with accompanying scientific data and other popular information about the object(s). If you find it more convenient to listen to a pre-recorded audio text about the object than to read on the digital display, you just plug the ear phones which are included.
The SkyScout Personal Planetarium cannot be operated from inside a house, from outside near large bodies of metal (e.g. a car) or when it is cloudy, because the SkyScout uses GPS signals from 8 to 10 satellites to locate a star, and needs therefore free airial access to the satellites.
One little drawback is that the SkyScout`s nightvision LED screen on its side and the pointers inside the view finder provide a little too much light inside the view finder, so when it is real dark outside and you`re trying to focus on an object you want to identify, it can be a little difficult to target the object due to the red light inside the SkyScout.
The SkyScout can be connected to the Internet through a USB-cable for updates, and can easily be fastened to a tripod.
So all in all this is a great accompanying field tool for the amateur astronomer in that it provides a much easier access to information about any star`s location in the sky and essensial scientific data about targeted celestial objects than any sky chart or astronomy book.
 On: 2008-08-31
Product appears to work as intended; however, the display of black letters in a red field makes it impossible for me to read. My corrected vision is otherwise very adequate, but the faint letters are undecipherable to me.
On: 2008-08-18
We purchased this for my parents in their 70s but everyone enjoyed it, even our 9 year old son. It is a wonderful way to learn more about the night sky.
On: 2008-08-17
It is GREAT! Have used it several times a week, off and on over several hours a night, since I got it a couple of weeks ago - batteries still good in it. Use it to help me align my telescope or know what I am looking at. Definately helping me learn my stars!
On: 2008-08-12
This is a wonderful new toy! No glitches or problems...it works just as advertised. The list price is a little high but I bought it 40% off as a "special sale item" and it is, I believe, at that price a very good deal. The GPS feature alone would cost almost as much without the astronomical capabilities.
On: 2008-07-23
I bought this as a present for my husband and he loved it. I was impressed with the precision and quickness of targeting a star. We also have a Celestron telescope so we may be inclined to be thrilled by things that supplement our stargazing habit. This is a nice hand held tool for quickly figuring out what youre looking at in the sky.
On: 2008-07-14
It is a easy-using, informative tool for astronomy lovers, however, for person without sharp vision like me, I still like to observe through a 2* or 5* lens instead of just a 1* tube. hopefully there will be some upgraded stuff that can fix that disadvantage.
On: 2008-06-28
Love it. Ive used it many times already and have had no problems with it. Helps me find sky objects to view with my 10" Dob.
On: 2008-06-25
Before I go into my gripe, I must say the Skyscope is so much fun, I love it. I am not going to give a complete review because I agree with most reviews like the battery life and slow to lock on to a satelite but its worth putting up with that because it does whats expected with very little learning curve and it does it very well. My gripe is the screen, small fonts and not easy to read in the dark. I have pretty decent vision, I dont use glasses and newspaper is easy for me to read but when I use the Skyscope, I must borrow my wifes reading glasses. For me the screen would need to be improved and then I would give 5 stars. Again, I want to state that I have so much fun with this expensive toy, worth every penny.
On: 2008-06-21
I bought this Skyscout Personal Planetarium last week when Amazon listed it in the golden box, plus the $100 rebate (which had ended now) made it a real good deal.
I was a little worry after reading some reviewers said it wouldnt work right out of the box. So I immediately put the batteries in and tried after I received it two days ago. Well it picked up my location without a problem and it seems working fine. Then I installed the software and linked the Skyscoult with my computer. It then updated the new version in a couple minutes. I really dont understand one reviewer said it drained all the batteries while updating to a new version. He must had used a set of bad batteries.
This Skyscoult seems very well made and is very easy to use. You must be outside in order to pick up the signal. I like the "Tonights highlight". It tells you all the stars that you can view at that moment in your location. The voice is very present to hear too, doesnt sound computerized. I cant wait to use it with my kids, but too bad its been cloudy these few night!
To be honest eventhough it is well made and easy to use and very high tech..., but I would really think twice if I have to spend $399 for it.
On: 2008-05-03
I am excited to present the Celestron Skyscout Personal Planetarium to you! This revolutionary device allows you to point anywhere in the sky, and have the advanced computer inside the gadget identify and explain what stars, planets or other celestial bodies you are looking at. Everyone can use the Skyscout: from the learned scholar to the absolute beginner- its as easy as looking through binoculars!
The Skyscout makes everything easy: navigation is done by using only a few intuitive buttons, and all information is displayed on the large LCD display. Once you have chosen something to look at, you can choose to learn more about it by reading interesting information from the screen, or listening to the Skyscouts built in narration system. Star gazing with the device is like observing with a seasoned expert, as every question you have is answerable through the vast database built into the Skyscout. Using only one finger, you can learn more about the cosmos than youd ever imagine!
As a novice astronomer, I enjoy the `guided tour feature: you sit back and relax and the Skyscout will guide you through the sky above you, just like a planetarium tour. Along the way, the history, science and statistics behind the stars will be explained to you in a manner suitable for any level of scientific expertise. Because I am a student, time is limited, which is why the tour is great: it will last only as long as you want it to, and will definitely get you extra credit in science class! The Celestron Skyscout is a truly amazing astronomy tool: it opens the mysteries of the sky up to everyone because of its intuitive interface and informational database, and requires only a sky and an interest in science. Whether you are an old hand at astronomy or a beginner, the Skyscout has something to offer. [...]
 On: 2008-04-30
Like others Ive seen here, mine was Dead on Arrival. It turned on but gave me the "GPS hardware problem." I contacted customer service by email (was on hold too long on their toll-free number.) They gave me a return authorization within 24 hours. I just sent this back to the factory UPS at my cost of $10.50. Once it gets there, it will be up to 30 days before I get it back. Apparently the warranty is 2 years which is good, but I would recommend buying this with American Express or other credit card which extends the manufacturers warranty. Ill update later when I receive a working product.
On: 2008-03-23
I had never been so disappointed in a product. The advertisements and reviews swayed me to purchase the product. I have a great interest in astronomy so I could hardly wait to get the Celestron SkyScout. Setting up the program on the computer was painless. It was capturing stars that was next to impossible. You cannot simply point at a star and capture it. I tried using a tripod but even that was difficult. I returned the product and went back to my dependable telescopes.
On: 2008-03-15
I have always wanted a way to map the stars and learn more about them, and this gadget really works. It does not magnify anything, just points you in the right direction, so you still need a good pair of binoculars or a telescope and a celestial map to make the experience mean something... Cant wait for Summer months when I can take more time outside on a comfortable deck chair and do some serious Star gazing...
On: 2008-02-29
This looked and felt great as I unpacked it from its box for the first time. It feels solidly constructed, was heavier than I expected, and was not cheap feeling at all.
Trouble is, it wont even boot up all the way. After splashing the start-up screen, a message reading "Error: GPS hardware problem detected. Please contact Celestron Technical Support." is displayed, and I can only adjust the brightness/contrast of the display or turn it off after this happens -- no other buttons respond.
Im a gadget-hound and know my way around both GPS receivers and astronomy optics and other goodies, so this is not a case of technophobia. Its dead, Jim.
I see I am not the only one who recently had this error recently, based on other reviews here. I will call Celestron tomorrow and determine whether I should try to get it repaired or just ship it back for another unit. I will revise this review once I have a repair or replacement unit in hand.
On: 2008-02-20
The idea is genius - marry a GPS with an accelerometer and create a device that can tell you exactly what star it is pointing at, or direct you to any visible star. And it pretty much works as advertised. Weve used ours on several nights so far, and everyone in our extended family has wanted a turn spotting different stars.
The info on the major stars is plentiful. The audio is a nice idea, but it just reads the same information that is on the text display. Sighting can be a little tricky through the plastic tube, but even faint stars took no more than two or three tries to spot.
The precision is good, but not great. If you point to Orions belt, its going to list all three stars. Youll have to read the descriptions to determine whether you are interested in the eastern-most, western-most, or middle star. Did you know that the middle star of Orions belt, Alnilam, is 50% farther away than the other two? Or that Alnitak, the leftmost star in the belt, is primarily a hot blue supergiant star that is 6 million years old and has already begun to die? Those are the kinds of things SkyScout will tell you. Fun stuff.
It is very sensitive to metal - you cant use rechargeable batteries, and it comes with special tubes to you have to put the batteries in. We couldnt use it standing next to a big swing set, for instance. A little symbol pops up on the video screen and it refuses to work.
The software is PC only. No Mac version in the works as of now. We havent tried running the updater in parallels or VMWare yet. Updates seem fairly rare anyway.
Its a little pricey, but all in all, I really cant find too many negatives about it. Its amazing.
On: 2008-01-23
bought direct from mfg. brand new and didnt work right out of the box. customer service very slow to answer and only do so after many prompts. took forever to get return authorization (3 weeks). now they say maybe another 30 days for repairs to happen. hey...brand new. either send a new replacement or refund the price. no answer. pricey toy. save your money and download some freeware for same features.
On: 2008-01-10
I bought the SkyScout for my husband for Chistmas with more than a little trepidation since customer ratings and comments seemed to be all over the place. I was concerned that he would not have the patience to go through what many of the previous reviewers had in order to get the thing up and running properly. It turns out there was no need for worry. After doing the online update, the Celestron has worked like a charm. Getting a GPS fix takes a few minutes, but after that it works amazingly well. Hes been able to identify countless stars in the past two weeks and so far, hes totally thrilled with all that it can do. The SkyScout has been wonderful for finding a particular constellation and them identifying the individual stars within it. The informative audio information is not only educational, but surprisingly enjoyable since the recorded female voice isnt too robotic. I agree its a somewhat costly item, but from my perspective, the WOW factor has been worth it.
On: 2008-01-07
This celestron recieved does not work properly. Diagnostics says it is a problem with the gps part...but we cannor get ANY response from customer service, 2 weeks after first attempt.
This will be the coolest thing IF we can get it to work. Also, I cannot find the lin
On: 2008-01-06
it worked great. i just wish i had known which way was the front before it got too dark to see. at first i was spotting my eyes instead of the stars. i recommend learning which way to point it before the sun sets.
On: 2007-12-31
This is a wonderful item if youre interested in the night sky. It identifies stars and displays precise GPS longitude and latitude with exact time, both of which may be important in aligning computerized "go-to" telescopes. It is amazingly accurate and reproducible. Point it at the same star three times and get the same identification each time. It has the ability to located celestial objects, which works well, but is a little more cumbersome. You need to follow the little red directional arrows in the view finder. Slow movement of the skyscout is necessary, otherwise, the arrows jump around can give you misleading directional advice.
Since the unit is unaffected by obstructed views or light pollution, it has advantages over sky charts. Having had the experience of pointing the skyscout towards an urban sky obstructed by tall buildings and light pollution to try to identify one of the two or three "stars" visible, only to have the skyscout promptly identify "Mars," Im quite impressed. It seems to be well constructed. It feels solid in the hand and appears to be able to weather a drop or two, although admittedly I havent put this to the test.
The manual warns you that it might have difficulty getting a GPS signal if youre next to a tall object and this is true. It works better in small clearing than near a building or large trees. The view finder is direct view and zero magnification, so this is a device for identifying but not observing celestial objects. They do market a telescope now that the skyscout can be mounted piggyback on, but I havent tested this. It does aid in using my freestanding telescope. The unit is small and very portable. Im going on vacation to area with much darker skies than to which Im accustomed, and Im looking forward to bringing my skyscout to help me identify stars Ive not seem before. Since it is small and lightweight, it will pack easily and is much more convenient than packing books with sky charts and red-beam flashlights. I really like this device and recommend it without reservation for anyone interested in identifying stars and planets
On: 2007-12-30
good product, a little pricey. Works as advertized. Fast shipping, no problems, web site was OK.
On: 2007-12-29
This thing is awesome. If you are intrested in the stars this is a must have item.
On: 2007-12-23
The idea of the product is great; the execution is poor. Why would you want to waste hours to make the software, or whatever it takes to find a star, or to get the name of the star you happen to be watching.
On: 2007-12-18
Used it the first day I got it, better than I expected. If you want magnification buy the telescope version.
On: 2007-11-25
The Sky Scout has rekindled my interest in star gazing; my telescope and binoculars are no longer gathering dust. The biggest drawback to the product is the way it eats up batteries, but said batteries can be purchased at a discount.
Be patient - there is a small amount of learning curve, particularly for those of us who need different glasses for reading and distance. Also the process of acquiring a GPS fix takes some getting used to.
In conclusion, this product was rated the #1 innovation for 2006 and after some use I can see how one can have that perspective.
On: 2007-11-13
SkyScout does not operate as Celestron, the mfg. represents it to. Functions do not perform and results are rarely correct. The GPS is not accurate and close by best to the actual coordinates so beware. I purchased 3 units, 1 was returned once and 1 twice and they still do not work as represented.
On: 2007-11-08
I ordered this yesterday morning and received it this afternoon (love Amazon service !!). The SkyScout seemed perfect to help my family locate the comet Holmes that has recently become visible in the northeastern sky. The unit I received had the latest firmware version installed. Initially I used NiMH batteries in the unit, which was a mistake (more on that later).
The SkyScout has a built-in GPS which is used to setup the unit by discovering the user location and time of day. After finding the location, extremely sensitive magnetic sensors are used to determine the direction (azimuth) and height in the sky (elevation). When I turned the unit on for the first time, it indicated an absurd location (the other side of the planet). Also, even though I was standing in the middle of an open yard, it gave an error message saying the magnetic sensors were being interfered with.
A check of the user forum uncovered the problem - my use of NiMH batteries. Apparently this battery technology generates a stronger magnetic field than normal alkaline batteries do. I swapped out the rechargeable batteries for a normal set and restarted the SkyScout. I was immediately rewarded with an accurate location.
Tonight was my first opportunity to use the SkyScout at night, and all I can say is WOW!!! I selected a star that I knew was near the comet (Mirfak) and simply followed the arrows until the star was right in the middle of the view finder. After finding the start, locating the comet was easy, it was right next to it as expected.
After everyone checked out the comet, we used the identify feature of the SkyScout which correctly identified every star we pointed it at. The more famous of which had audio descriptions which we listened to using the included headphones.
Im giving this a four-star rating because the manual doesnt mention that only standard alkaline batteries should be used. Also the literature states that accessory "Night Sky Tours" are available on SD memory cards, but they havent been released yet.
Easy to use and educational, this is a fantastic product that has its own place next to a telescope or pair of binoculars.
On: 2007-11-07
I ordered this yesterday morning and received it this afternoon (love Amazon service !!). The SkyScout seemed perfect to help my family locate the comet Holmes that has recently become visible in the northeastern sky. The unit I received had the latest firmware version installed. Initially I used NiMH batteries in the unit, which was a mistake (more on that later).
The SkyScout has a built-in GPS which is used to setup the unit by discovering the user location and time of day. After finding the location, extremely sensitive magnetic sensors are used to determine the direction (azimuth) and height in the sky (elevation). When I turned the unit on for the first time, it indicated an absurd location (the other side of the planet). Also, even though I was standing in the middle of an open yard, it gave an error message saying the magnetic sensors were being interfered with.
A check of the user forum uncovered the problem - my use of NiMH batteries. Apparently this battery technology generates a stronger magnetic field than normal alkaline batteries do. I swapped out the rechargeable batteries for a normal set and restarted the SkyScout. I was immediately rewarded with an accurate location.
Tonight was my first opportunity to use the SkyScout at night, and all I can say is WOW!!! I selected a star that I knew was near the comet (Mirfak) and simply followed the arrows until the star was right in the middle of the view finder. After finding the start, locating the comet was easy, it was right next to it as expected.
After everyone checked out the comet, we used the identify feature of the SkyScout which correctly identified every star we pointed it at. The more famous of which had audio descriptions which we listened to using the included headphones.
Im giving this a four-star rating because the manual doesnt mention that only standard alkaline batteries should be used. Also the literature states that accessory "Night Sky Tours" are available on SD memory cards, but they havent been released yet.
Easy to use and educational, this is a fantastic product that has its own place next to a telescope or pair of binoculars.
On: 2007-11-05
I have owned the SkyScout for about a half a year, and I am very happy with the product. Other reviewers mentioned problems, like updating the firmware or battery life, but my experience has only been positive. I have been using the product in Europe, where I now live, so traveling with it abroad is not an issue. The reason I bought the SkyScout was because I wanted to explore the night sky with my children, as well as educate myself. In that respect, it has delivered. I would say the only downsides of the product are that the audio facts about the major celestial bodies dont change (how many times can you listen to the same descriptions?) The device is also fairly expensive. I realize we all have good intentions from the start, but I have used the product about six times total. That works out to $66 per outing, so far. But hopefully it will be a durable product that my family and I can use for years to come.
On: 2007-09-27
This device does everything it says it will do and it does it quickly. I have been a student of astronomy for more than 40 years and I learned many new things from the audio and written descriptions of the sky objects. It is now easy to identify and put a name to objects that before now I only guessed at. A remarkable invention to use gps in this way. Very good product!
On: 2007-09-10
This thing is simply amazing. I received this as a gift last Christmas, and I continue to be amazed at how accurate it is, how helpful it is, and how much information it has. It knows stars, planets, galaxies, you name it. It identifies what you point it at and it locates what it tells you to locate. Not to mention it gives great text descriptions as well. My six year old son is starting to get into stargazing and he loves pointing it at stars and finding out "whats that?!"
On: 2007-09-09
This thing is simply amazing. I received this as a gift last Christmas, and I continue to be amazed at how accurate it is, how helpful it is, and how much information it has. It knows stars, planets, galaxies, you name it. It identifies what you point it at and it locates what it tells you to locate. Not to mention it gives great text descriptions as well. My six year old son is starting to get into stargazing and he loves pointing it at stars and finding out "whats that?!"
On: 2007-08-06
This is an amazing tool for anyone interested in viewing the night sky and being able to find or identify just about every star, planet, constellation, etc. It will even lure the kids away from TV, play stations, text messaging!
Its truly a stairway to the heavens.
On: 2007-08-06
This product blows my mind! Performs FLAWLESSLY! Exactly as promoted by Celestron and MORE!
On: 2007-08-02
I bought this item a few weeks ago. It performs pretty much as advertised.
My best guess is that after a few months of use, most people will become bored with it.
Celestron has promised to offer add-on "Sky tour" cards.
1 year after the product started shipping, none have appeared. The "Sky tour" cards would appear to add a lot of potential to the product. It is puzzling why Celestron would take so long to put a slew of these on the market.
I think that the company doesnt have the resources and will to do produce the Skytour cards. They may have decided to make as much money as they can off the product in its present state.
Their major business focus is their pricey line of telescopes and not (cheap?) $400 devices that could be a lot of fun for casual astronomers.
Its too bad the product was not developped as a flagship product of a smaller educationally-focussed company that wants to excite people about astronomy rather than (in Celestrons case) excite them to buy an expensive telescope.
On: 2007-08-01
I got mine some time ago and loved it. I just plugged the batteries (there is a screw to deal with, but I learned how to work those some time ago!) and voila! Went outside, it logged to the required sattelites and it worked perfectly. I bought it for my personal use, but now I have to book time because my 10 year old, who I have always wanted to get interested in astronomy before, is hooked on it. The earphones feature is great. Every night that we have good weather, my kid takes the binoculars, the SkyScout and earphones and spends hours on end looking at the stars and listening to the explanations. Im realy looking forward when they get the SD cards for tours. Yes is power hungry, yes you have to tinker with a screwdriver to change the batteries, yes it could be better, but it is great. If you look at the sky or if you have kids or both, (and I guess if you own and can use a screwdriver) go out and buy this thing, you will not regret it.
On: 2007-06-18
As a beginning astronomer, this product was excellent. Even the audio was perfect. My only issue is that it takes a long time when you start it up for it to get GPS coordinates.
On: 2007-06-17
As a beginning astronomer, this product was excellent. Even the audio was perfect. My only issue is that it takes a long time when you start it up for it to get GPS coordinates.
On: 2007-05-13
Was a bit skeptical when purchasing the Celestron Skyscout as its claims to locate and identify objects with ease just seemed too good to be true. The cost of the unit said there had to be something to it or they wouldnt continue selling them at this price. Products was very well packed and it even included a carry case which was a pleasant surprise because i was planning on purchasing one before i knew it would come with one. I opened the box upon its arrival with the enthusiasm of a kid opening his first gift on Christmas morning and located a couple of batteries. Seemed a little goofy to me to have the battery compartment screwed down but then i guess id rather spend the extra minute playing with it than losing it in the dark some night which im sure is why they made it like that. The unit was bulky but solidly built. I turned the unit on and GPS immediately starts linking. If your indoors the gps may fail to connect properly or take twice as long as if you were outside. You would be best to step outside while linking. Long story short the unit lives up to the easiness of operation and locates items and tells you about them. The only draw back is that it doesnt have a sleep mode. The unit will shut itself off if you dont touch any buttons for a certain length of time (which isnt long... i didnt time it). You then have to link back up. Im an impatient person and the 2 minute link time seems like forever when you go to your telescope to view something then have to link back up again on the Skyscout to identify the next star or galaxy of interest. I identify several objects in the sky at a time in an area so i dont have to link up between each and every viewing. Excellent product and i highly recommend it for the enthusiast. I look forward to the SD educational cards that are supposed to be coming out this summer. Give it a 4.5 out of 5 rating.
On: 2007-04-10
I am impressed by the simplicity and effectiveness of the equipment. It is a very useful tool to identify stars and planets. I recommend it
On: 2007-03-29
The product is amazing.However, it is hard for me to read the information from the dim orange screen. It should have provided option to select high light screen for more readable.
On: 2007-03-09
An excellent product. Easy to use and can accurately locate the stars. The only drawback is the price which is a little bit expensive.
On: 2007-03-08
It really works. You look up, press a button, and it tells you the star you are looking at. Or, if you want to search, it will find a star or planet. The GPS is sensitive to nearby magnetic fields, so its difficult to amplify the audio narrative with a powered speaker or headphones, but the earpiece works well. Most microscopes and telescopes end up ignored. This is fun every night, and it even works in the daytime.
On: 2007-03-08
The SkyScout works as promised: it is simple to operate; it identifies what you can see; it guides you to what you want to see. After only a few days use, I am much more familiar with the planets, constellations, and individual stars. Twice, when I had questions about the SkyScout, I emailed customer service and I received a clear response within a day or two. I recommend the SkyScout highly.
On: 2007-03-08
An excellent product. Easy to use and can accurately locate the stars. The only drawback is the price which is a little bit expensive.
On: 2007-02-06
Gave these are gifts to our children and they love them. Easy to carry with them on trips.
On: 2007-02-03
I ordered my SkyScout in September, hoping that the initial rush on this item was over and that it would be in stock (as listed) when I ordered it. Sadly, it was actually out of stock, and took a few months to arrive. The unit powered up and seemed to function, but was unable to get a GPS fix in a clear field. Hoping that it was a simple matter of updating the unit, I attached it via USB to my computer and followed the simple directions on the screen. It updated quickly and easily, but I still was unable to obtain a GPS fix. Using the instructions provided, I contacted Celestron, and was directed to return the unit to them for evaluation and repair. Less than two weeks passed, when a new unit straight from Celestron arrived in the mail. This one worked perfectly and as advertised, and without any problems!
Now that Ive actually used my SkyScout, I can say that it is great fun to use! Now, December and January in Wyoming isnt the best time of year to be outside at night...wind chill last night was -40F for example, but the SkyScout still works like a champ. Multiple modes of function exist as listed in the description, but my personal favorite is being able to identify just about anything you can see with the naked eye in the night sky. Just view the object through the sky scout, push a button, and youll get the name of the object as well as at least a few lines of text of information. Brighter objects or better known objects also have an audio commentary that will teach about the history and/or significance of what youre looking at.
While I was disappointed about my first SkyScout not functioning properly, the quick customer service and the replacement working flawlessly have overcome my initial disappointment. The SkyScout is quite simple to use and provides a great way for anyone who can read to start to learn the night sky. I highly recommend it for individuals with an interest in astronomy, families, star parties, and youth groups such as the Boy Scouts.
On: 2007-02-02
I ordered my SkyScout in September, hoping that the initial rush on this item was over and that it would be in stock (as listed) when I ordered it. Sadly, it was actually out of stock, and took a few months to arrive. The unit powered up and seemed to function, but was unable to get a GPS fix in a clear field. Hoping that it was a simple matter of updating the unit, I attached it via USB to my computer and followed the simple directions on the screen. It updated quickly and easily, but I still was unable to obtain a GPS fix. Using the instructions provided, I contacted Celestron, and was directed to return the unit to them for evaluation and repair. Less than two weeks passed, when a new unit straight from Celestron arrived in the mail. This one worked perfectly and as advertised, and without any problems!
Now that Ive actually used my SkyScout, I can say that it is great fun to use! Now, December and January in Wyoming isnt the best time of year to be outside at night...wind chill last night was -40F for example, but the SkyScout still works like a champ. Multiple modes of function exist as listed in the description, but my personal favorite is being able to identify just about anything you can see with the naked eye in the night sky. Just view the object through the sky scout, push a button, and youll get the name of the object as well as at least a few lines of text of information. Brighter objects or better known objects also have an audio commentary that will teach about the history and/or significance of what youre looking at.
While I was disappointed about my first SkyScout not functioning properly, the quick customer service and the replacement working flawlessly have overcome my initial disappointment. The SkyScout is quite simple to use and provides a great way for anyone who can read to start to learn the night sky. I highly recommend it for individuals with an interest in astronomy, families, star parties, and youth groups such as the Boy Scouts.
On: 2007-01-27
Excellent product. Ive been following the reviews here since I heard about the Skyscout so the negative writeups kept me from purchasing for about 6 months. I decided to buy one this December and it has worked great. I live in Anchorage and have found GPS units dont work quite as well here as down in the lower 48, although they do work reiliably up here. However, with the Skyscout I can get a lock from inside my house. My Etrex Legend has a problem doing that. I cross referenced the Skyscouts identify function against my computer program Starry Night, and it identifies everything correctly. The locate function can be just outside the viewfinder every once in a while but the documentation said extreme Northern latitudes may experience this. After a few nights outside with the Skyscout you almost dont need to take it with you because you become so familiar with the night sky. The magnetic interference symbol lights up consistently when Im in a couple of locations but I move a few yards away and it goes off. The battery usage is high so I bought some quality rechargeable 2500 mAh AAs and I always have a fresh set with me. The update program is excellent as well. Simply hook your Skyscout up to your computer with the included USB cable and it updates with the push of a buttone. Overall the unit is easy to use with minimal startup familiarization involved. All said Im very pleased with the Skyscout and it will be something I use the rest of my life.
On: 2007-01-24
First off, it works perfectly. Exactly as advertised, which is pretty
amazing given all it does.
The thing that jumps out at me right away is how versatile a tool it is for astromomy buffs of all levels of experience. Clearly it is a perfect tool for beginners. It gets you in business in the first 5 minutes. But it is also useful for those of us that already know their way around the sky. For example, if you are on a mission to chase something a bit challenging and want the thrill of finding it on your own, you can positively ID a trio of stars and more quickly zero in on your quarry (vs. wondering if what youve assumed to be a major landmark is really what you think it is, based on the chart). When you dont have unlimited time but you still want unlimited fun, knowing what youre looking at is pretty handy.
On: 2007-01-19
The SkyScout performs just as advertised. Take GPS to a whole new level with this device. It even tells you where objects are during the daytime or on the other side of the earth. It takes a long time to acquire satellites compared to my GPS and gets "magnetic interference" when within 2 feet of a car. But it recovers nicely without rebooting. It identifies objects flawlessly and locates objects without fail.
Cons- a bit of a battery hog. Two AAs will last about two evenings of heavy use. I need reading glasses for the display in the dark, not in the light.
Pros- impresses the neighbors! Much better than a chart!
Wonder if/when the expansion slot will be useful???
Would buy it again at twice the price!
On: 2007-01-18
The SkyScout performs just as advertised. Take GPS to a whole new level with this device. It even tells you where objects are during the daytime or on the other side of the earth. It takes a long time to acquire satellites compared to my GPS and gets "magnetic interference" when within 2 feet of a car. But it recovers nicely without rebooting. It identifies objects flawlessly and locates objects without fail.
Cons- a bit of a battery hog. Two AAs will last about two evenings of heavy use. I need reading glasses for the display in the dark, not in the light.
Pros- impresses the neighbors! Much better than a chart!
Wonder if/when the expansion slot will be useful???
Would buy it again at twice the price!
On: 2007-01-17
I saw the press releases when this product was announced--then I watched the long delay in its actually being available, and read a number of reviews about operating problems. So I hesitated a bit.
1) I ordered it and it shipped that day--delays in availabilty seem to be resolved.
2) I fired it up and it works flawlessly. Takes a minute or two to lock in on the satellites, but then it is incredibly easy to use and has a huge amount of information on the objects you view.
3) I am waiting for the add-on SkyTour cards--I read a press release yesterday that said theyd be available in Summer 2007.
Really, one of the niftiest gadgets I have ever used.
On: 2007-01-16
I saw the press releases when this product was announced--then I watched the long delay in its actually being available, and read a number of reviews about operating problems. So I hesitated a bit.
1) I ordered it and it shipped that day--delays in availabilty seem to be resolved.
2) I fired it up and it works flawlessly. Takes a minute or two to lock in on the satellites, but then it is incredibly easy to use and has a huge amount of information on the objects you view.
3) I am waiting for the add-on SkyTour cards--I read a press release yesterday that said theyd be available in Summer 2007.
Really, one of the niftiest gadgets I have ever used.
by: Anonymous On: 2007-01-15
You need to press the power button several times before it turns on, also if you go to the category of Asterisms, it doesnt show any of them. Other than that it works fine
On: 2007-01-14
The most fun Ive had in years! This has made stargazing a nightly activity at our house. (On clear nights that is)
No set-up and it works right out of the box, just add batteries and GO! This is a perfect companion for your telescope and binoculars.
On: 2007-01-12
This is one of the best gadgets on the market today. Its easy to use and a lot of fun. All you do is point it at the night sky and focus on a star or heavenly body and the SkyScout tells you what youre looking at. If youre into star-gazing and knowing what youre looking at, this is for you!
On: 2007-01-12
I really like the SkyScout. I would look up at the night sky, and wonder if that was a star or a planet. Now I take the SkyScout out, point it at the light in the sky, push a button, and look at the display to see what it was, the name of it , and, for 200 of the best-known heavenly sights, even more information. You can also find certain stars, planets, etc., in your nightly sky. The GPS feature gathers the information, and tells you (it comes with ear buds or you can read it off the screen) what is there for you to look at, and helps you find it. The one drawback is that it does go through batteries quickly. There is no option for plugging into electric, so I decided to use rechargeable batteries. It comes with a padded case, making it very portable. All in all, I really like it!!
On: 2007-01-11
This is one of the best gadgets on the market today. Its easy to use and a lot of fun. All you do is point it at the night sky and focus on a star or heavenly body and the SkyScout tells you what youre looking at. If youre into star-gazing and knowing what youre looking at, this is for you!
On: 2007-01-10
After reading a review in Popular Science magazine my wife bought the SkyScout for my Christmas present.
I have been intrested in the night sky for decades. The ShyScout makes it fun and easy. Point, click and you get a voice recording of exactly what you are looking at along with a description.
I now can visually recognize the major stars and constellations and pronounce thier names correctly. My 10 year old son & I have been using it for weeks and are having a great time doing it.
It is probably the best Christmas present Ive ever received.
On: 2007-01-10
I enjoy this extraordinary product during my vacation in Ixtapa, Mexico. Those days the sky was very clear so I was able to see a lot of stars and everyting. It is really amazing to know all about the star you are watching.
On: 2007-01-10
Had to return the first unit....the GPS did not function. The second unit operated perfectly and it is a joy to use. Nice functionality, the audio is a real plus.
On: 2007-01-09
Had to return the first unit....the GPS did not function. The second unit operated perfectly and it is a joy to use. Nice functionality, the audio is a real plus.
On: 2007-01-09
I bought this for my husband and my children as a holiday gift. They are outside every night looking at the sky and learning about the stars. The amount of information and quality of information is amazing. It is easy to use and gives my husband and boys an educational activity to do together. My sons are 6 and 3 and both can hold and work the planetarium easily. I would recommend this to anyone who loves the sky!!
On: 2007-01-05
Im not an astronomy expert but have always wanted to scan the skys and identify constellations and stars. This device worked right out of the box. Its GPS takes about the same time as my Garmin units( I have 4) when it starts cold. A cold start is one where the gps unit doesnt know initially where it is when it finds satellites. I have no complaints and only positive comments about the skyscout. It identifies any star I point to and finds the stars/planets/constellations I ask it to find. Ive read other reviews and maybe I got lucky but its worth it to get this. The audio is iceing on the cake. In the 1 1/2 weeks Ive had the unit Ive used it in Cancun, and in Tennessee with no problems. Ive used this each clear night with my 7 y/o daughter and both of us just love it. I had high expectations about this device before purchase and it has surpassed my expectations.
Bruce Hines
On: 2007-01-05
I used mine for about 5 minutes - then the lights went out, and it never worked again. My impressions during the 5 minutes of use - 1. Difficult to see the stars through the glass - it could be brighter; 2. It would be nice to have a handgrip; 3. It should use a neckstrap instead of handstrap to make sure you dont drop it; 4. It would be nice to have the Identified object show up in the Viewing screen, rather than only on the side of the unit. As it is, you target a star, then you have to go to the side and select which star you want to locate. Then you look through the viewfinder again to have the arrows lead you to the target ..... at this point the lights went out on mine so thats all the feedback I could get with 5 minutes of use.
Oh yes, I changed the batteries and it still wont turn on.
THis is obviously a very cool device. When they get around to version 2 or 3 it will be very nice to own --- but only if they Identified object is identified in the viewing screen - otherwise its a pain in the neck to use.
On: 2006-12-19
I have literally been waiting for the Skyscout all my life. I always wanted to be able to look in the sky and identify celestial bodies but just didnt have the kind of brain that could wrap itself around star charts. Nor did I know anyone who could stand there and discuss it with me on a chilly night.
The Skyscout is like no other astronomy-related device because for the first time, you can just take it out of the box, put in the batteries, wait a few seconds for it to find its location via GPS (same as a car navigation system), point at something in the sky and press the IDENTIFY button to have it identified to you. Think about that for a second. At last, you have an easy-to-use handheld device that can tell you what star or star formation youre looking at!
Or you can work the other way. Have it list celestial bodies and formations for you, press the LOCATE button, then helpful arrows in the readout will blink until youve pointed it in the right direction. And many of the entries in its database have audio accompaniment so you can learn about them through the included earphones! How cool is that? It has a slot that will eventually accept cartridges with more stuff as time goes by, but the built-in database is pretty big as it is.
And for what its worth, because the Skyscout uses built-in GPS, you can use it to display your locaiton using GPS coordinates. I have a nav system on my car but the SkyScout is still better than that, because I cant figure out how to get that info out of the car! on the Skyscout its just one button.
All this stuff is particularly easy to access, and even the error messages are helpful. For example, on one particularly cold Seattle night I tried to use it from inside my car. A magnet icon popped up, and an error message explained that magnetic interference by something such as the chassis of an automobile was impeding it. Slick.
The gizmos currently included with high-end telescopes come nowhere near this facility. First off, you need a telescope with you. The Skyscout is the size of a hotel alarm clock and has its own (non-magnified) viewer. Just whip this thing out of your pocket and go to town. Second, the ones with telescopes are agonizingly slow to calibrate, like half an hour or so, and must be reoriented every time you pick up the scope and move. Plus you have to enter all kinds of location and time information on many of them; the Skyscout just finds itself. And finally, none of them of course can simply tell you what youve pointed the scope at. The Skyscout can. I also need to emphasize that it neither needs nor comes with an 80-page manual like the ones that come with telescopes. Its like 1 printed sheet, and thats plenty. The UI is very, very simple.
This is a revolutionary 1.0 product. My only complaint is that goes through batteries like I eat Lucky Charms. Bring an extra set when you go out. Oh, and one reviewer said that for $400 it should come with a lens cap. Fair enough. But remember that the optics are almost irrelevant--its just a plastic cover so you can see the lighted guides pointing you in the right direction. Get a fingerprint on it, fine--just wipe it off with any lens tissue. The unit wont be damaged, nor will its usefulness be affected in any way by a dirty lens. Your telescope has the magnfication and the useful optics. If you even brought it with you--I never have, so far!
On: 2006-12-18
I have literally been waiting for the Skyscout all my life. I always wanted to be able to look in the sky and identify celestial bodies but just didnt have the kind of brain that could wrap itself around star charts. Nor did I know anyone who could stand there and discuss it with me on a chilly night.
The Skyscout is like no other astronomy-related device because for the first time, you can just take it out of the box, put in the batteries, wait a few seconds for it to find its location via GPS (same as a car navigation system), point at something in the sky and press the IDENTIFY button to have it identified to you. Think about that for a second. At last, you have an easy-to-use handheld device that can tell you what star or star formation youre looking at!
Or you can work the other way. Have it list celestial bodies and formations for you, press the LOCATE button, then helpful arrows in the readout will blink until youve pointed it in the right direction. And many of the entries in its database have audio accompaniment so you can learn about them through the included earphones! How cool is that? It has a slot that will eventually accept cartridges with more stuff as time goes by, but the built-in database is pretty big as it is.
And for what its worth, because the Skyscout uses built-in GPS, you can use it to display your locaiton using GPS coordinates. I have a nav system on my car but the SkyScout is still better than that, because I cant figure out how to get that info out of the car! on the Skyscout its just one button.
All this stuff is particularly easy to access, and even the error messages are helpful. For example, on one particularly cold Seattle night I tried to use it from inside my car. A magnet icon popped up, and an error message explained that magnetic interference by something such as the chassis of an automobile was impeding it. Slick.
The gizmos currently included with high-end telescopes come nowhere near this facility. First off, you need a telescope with you. The Skyscout is the size of a hotel alarm clock and has its own (non-magnified) viewer. Just whip this thing out of your pocket and go to town. Second, the ones with telescopes are agonizingly slow to calibrate, like half an hour or so, and must be reoriented every time you pick up the scope and move. Plus you have to enter all kinds of location and time information on many of them; the Skyscout just finds itself. And finally, none of them of course can simply tell you what youve pointed the scope at. The Skyscout can. I also need to emphasize that it neither needs nor comes with an 80-page manual like the ones that come with telescopes. Its like 1 printed sheet, and thats plenty. The UI is very, very simple.
This is a revolutionary 1.0 product. My only complaint is that goes through batteries like I eat Lucky Charms. Bring an extra set when you go out. Oh, and one reviewer said that for $400 it should come with a lens cap. Fair enough. But remember that the optics are almost irrelevant--its just a plastic cover so you can see the lighted guides pointing you in the right direction. Get a fingerprint on it, fine--just wipe it off with any lens tissue. The unit wont be damaged, nor will its usefulness be affected in any way by a dirty lens. Your telescope has the magnfication and the useful optics. If you even brought it with you--I never have, so far!
On: 2006-12-14
After seeing some of the other reviews which rank it low, I can only imagine they had a bad batch. Mine works flawlessly, aquires a GPS signal within about 1-2 minutes, and I have no problems with magnetic interferance. In terms of battery life, Ive used it for about an average of an hour over 5 different nights and I am still on my first set of batteries (regular AA Alkalines). The product is well made, sturdy, and has a solid feel.
My 9 year old daughter has invented a new verb "skyscouting", and we have been "skyscouting" almost every night weve had clear skies and learning more about the night sky more quickly than ever before! She loves the "Identify" mode and enjoys targetting stars. I especially like the constellation image feature and Tonights Highlights. I did notice that the audio and text descriptions differ slightly so listen/look at both.
On: 2006-12-13
After seeing some of the other reviews which rank it low, I can only imagine they had a bad batch. Mine works flawlessly, aquires a GPS signal within about 1-2 minutes, and I have no problems with magnetic interferance. In terms of battery life, Ive used it for about an average of an hour over 5 different nights and I am still on my first set of batteries (regular AA Alkalines). The product is well made, sturdy, and has a solid feel.
My 9 year old daughter has invented a new verb "skyscouting", and we have been "skyscouting" almost every night weve had clear skies and learning more about the night sky more quickly than ever before! She loves the "Identify" mode and enjoys targetting stars. I especially like the constellation image feature and Tonights Highlights. I did notice that the audio and text descriptions differ slightly so listen/look at both.
On: 2006-12-12
I am very satisfied with this product. It performs exactly as advertised. The GPS system acquires surprisingly quickly. When I first brought it outside, the first thing I did was point it at the star Altair as a test. Bingo! I just couldnt believe it. Then I listened to the audio message on it. Even though it does chew batteries, dont let that keep you from buing this product. It is truly amazing!
On: 2006-12-10
I too am disappointed with this product, despite my high hopes. I found the same problems as others have already posted on Amazon.
I suggest that you wait for the improved product. Im sure Celestron has read these reviews and is working on improving device. They must know how many sales they have lost from all these negative postings.
At $400 for a toy, uh, tool, I will wait for a better product.
On: 2006-12-07
Originally I rated the Skyscout as 1 star, based on the failure of my original Skyscout and then of the replacement sent me. So, Im now on my third one. Its only the high failure rate I experienced that knocked one star off - your milage may vary.
Assuming this one continues to work, I give the SkyScout a big thumbs up! Its fun, easy to use, and brought me a sense of wonder looking at all those dots in the sky and realizing they have names! Well, I knew they had names, but as a science fiction fan for over 40 years, it was a joy to see some of the familiar names from the stories Id read show up on the SkyScout screen.
I think Ill be learning a lot more about the sky than I ever could seem to with the monthly pullouts from astronomy magazines.
I love it. I think most everyone whose ever wondered what all those little dots in the sky are will enjoy it too.
On: 2006-11-30
I just got a Sky Scout from Woodland Hills Camera and Telescope last night. Since they are backordered until Spring all over the country, Im feeling pretty lucky. I brought it home and installed the batteries into their special metal shields and took it outside to try it out. I was in the middle of our apartment complex in Los Angeles with 3 story buildings surrounding me and it managed to find GPS lock in under 2 minutes.
This thing is seriously cool. The operation is very easy and I was identifying objects very quickly. I asked it to locate the moon and it took me right to it! Wow, that is cool. The audio narrations are few but very informative.
Now like people have been complaining it does have some issues:
It goes through batteries like water ( 4 power ons and they were half dead.)
The GPS is slow/under powered ( GPS lock can take up to 2 minutes, and does not store your location on power down)
It does not like to be near metal objects (Cars, Fences, Gates, Beams...etc)
Limited audio narrations
Its made of plastic
Cheap earbuds
Red lights inside the scope make it tough to spot dim stars.
No Mac support
Despite all this, I really love this thing. It works like it says it does, and its easy to use.
If you can find one, I recommend checking it out.
On: 2006-11-29
I just got a Sky Scout from Woodland Hills Camera and Telescope last night. Since they are backordered until Spring all over the country, Im feeling pretty lucky. I brought it home and installed the batteries into their special metal shields and took it outside to try it out. I was in the middle of our apartment complex in Los Angeles with 3 story buildings surrounding me and it managed to find GPS lock in under 2 minutes.
This thing is seriously cool. The operation is very easy and I was identifying objects very quickly. I asked it to locate the moon and it took me right to it! Wow, that is cool. The audio narrations are few but very informative.
Now like people have been complaining it does have some issues:
It goes through batteries like water ( 4 power ons and they were half dead.)
The GPS is slow/under powered ( GPS lock can take up to 2 minutes, and does not store your location on power down)
It does not like to be near metal objects (Cars, Fences, Gates, Beams...etc)
Limited audio narrations
Its made of plastic
Cheap earbuds
Red lights inside the scope make it tough to spot dim stars.
No Mac support
Despite all this, I really love this thing. It works like it says it does, and its easy to use.
If you can find one, I recommend checking it out.
On: 2006-11-16
I havent bought this yet, but I e-mailed the Celestron Tech Service about the flaws I had read about in these amazon reviews. They replied with,
"Battery life varies with usage. It has a range from 4-8 hours. More locating and identifying will use more batteries.
Magnetic interference has nothing to do with the GPS. GPS works pretty much anywhere in the world, as long as you have a clear sky overhead.
The magnetic interference issue is relative. If you have many powerlines, or are around large metallic objects or electrical junction boxes, then the magnetic sensors will most likely be affected. Most of the time simply moving a few feet away will remedy any issue.
Any crashes or shutdowns due to the firmware were remedied with an online upgrade months ago, and are no longer an issue.
Yes, the SkyScout will shut down after five minutes. This is to conserve battery life when not in use. It will prompt you with a message telling you that it will shut down in a few seconds, and allow you the option to not shut down."
On: 2006-11-15
I havent bought this yet, but I e-mailed the Celestron Tech Service about the flaws I had read about in these amazon reviews. They replied with,
"Battery life varies with usage. It has a range from 4-8 hours. More locating and identifying will use more batteries.
Magnetic interference has nothing to do with the GPS. GPS works pretty much anywhere in the world, as long as you have a clear sky overhead.
The magnetic interference issue is relative. If you have many powerlines, or are around large metallic objects or electrical junction boxes, then the magnetic sensors will most likely be affected. Most of the time simply moving a few feet away will remedy any issue.
Any crashes or shutdowns due to the firmware were remedied with an online upgrade months ago, and are no longer an issue.
Yes, the SkyScout will shut down after five minutes. This is to conserve battery life when not in use. It will prompt you with a message telling you that it will shut down in a few seconds, and allow you the option to not shut down."
On: 2006-11-05
I waited a couple months on order before getting mine but was amazed by it. I took it camping in Yosemite and learned so much. It took about a half an hour to really figure out how to work the thing. However, once it was going, I learned a lifetime of astronomy in an hour. I have brought it out on a number of occasions and everyone is always blown away.
On: 2006-11-04
I waited a couple months on order before getting mine but was amazed by it. I took it camping in Yosemite and learned so much. It took about a half an hour to really figure out how to work the thing. However, once it was going, I learned a lifetime of astronomy in an hour. I have brought it out on a number of occasions and everyone is always blown away.
On: 2006-11-02
UPDATE: Celestron promptly replaced my defective unit with a brand new one that works as advertised. I would give it five stars but for the several incremental improvements other reviews have pointed out. Well worth having, even in iteration 1.0
ORIGINAL REVIEW:This is such a cool idea, I wanted it to work. Unfortunately, mine worked exactly once and now will not acquire a GPS position anywhere, even in a open field miles from anything. Yes, it took too long to acquire a fix in the first place, yes it gobbles batteries, yes the firmware update process is an adventure, yes it should have a lens cap. However, it is still really cool and I expect once Celestron gets mine fixed (and probably after they come out with Sky Scout II) it iwll be much better.
On: 2006-11-01
UPDATE: Celestron promptly replaced my defective unit with a brand new one that works as advertised. I would give it five stars but for the several incremental improvements other reviews have pointed out. Well worth having, even in iteration 1.0
ORIGINAL REVIEW:This is such a cool idea, I wanted it to work. Unfortunately, mine worked exactly once and now will not acquire a GPS position anywhere, even in a open field miles from anything. Yes, it took too long to acquire a fix in the first place, yes it gobbles batteries, yes the firmware update process is an adventure, yes it should have a lens cap. However, it is still really cool and I expect once Celestron gets mine fixed (and probably after they come out with Sky Scout II) it iwll be much better.
On: 2006-10-31
Some of the "poor" reviews for this product remind me why I find reviews to be worth less than the time invested into their composition.
Some info for people pondering the purchase of the Sky Scout, and perhaps a little education for those "unsatisfied" users...
1. This product is way cool. I really like the quality of the product overall. It met my expectations. It features:
- coated optical windows for reduced reflection and glare
- solid construction (sturdy plastic with rubberized housing)
- large, easy to read red-backlit LCD screen
- large, easy to press buttons (membrane style - my favorite!)
- clear speech (use good headphones, not the chinsy included ear-buds)
- metal tripod threaded socket (many pocket digi cameras use plastic!)
- easy to use - for people of all ages!
2. Products containing computers and sensors tend to draw more current, therefore require better batteries! Li-Ion or NiMh rechargeable batteries would be a good idea. Use the correct battery types for the toys you purchase! Dont forget, colder weather means battery output will be reduced as the cells cool down. This is not a defect!
3. Cheap plastic battery compartment lids tend to have snaps which quite literally "snap" off. A slot-screw is a bit of a pain, but its better than the alternative. Ill take the screw over the snap any day. A Canadian or American dime works well as a slot screwdriver if youre caught out in the field without tools.
4. Starry Night on a Laptop is too bulky, and too expensive for many people, simply to find out what a particular bright light in the sky is. The right tool for the job, I always say.
5. Dont expect devices, such as the Sky Scout, which contain sensitive electronics (sensors) to work in areas high in electromagnetic activity, such as near hydro transmission towers, across from radio transmission antennae, underground iron deposits, etc. Perhaps there should be a warning on the boxes, but at the same time, one needs to be aware that living in such areas may not be good for ones health.
6. For most people, a 2D GPS fix is more than enough, because most people dont care if they are 500ft above sea level, or 10ft below sea level. From what I understand, the Sky Scout requires a 3D fix, which takes more time, and requires more satellites to aquire. 3 satellites are required for simple tiangulation (2D), and 4 satellites are required to determine altitude as well (3D). More Northern and Southern locations have more satellites available at any one time, and often there are at least 5 satellites available. Line-of-sight is required, so hills and buildings will affect satellite aquisition.
7. Celestron really "cares". Their competitors are a lot more difficult to deal with. Celestron has never made me wait more than 10 minutes on hold before offering me the chance to leave a voicemail. Celestron has excellent tech support, and Im talking from 13 years experience with Celestron. Do understand, they are very busy right now, and offer them the courtesey they deserve. Their primiary business is robotic telescopes, and secondary business is sporting optics.
Dont be put off by the poor reviews for this product. And people, stop writing poor reviews without putting some serious time and effort into them!
I am not affiliated with Celestron at all, but I do put a lot of time and effort into understanding the products I sell.
On: 2006-10-30
This thing goes through batteries quickly. You will need to have extra sets handy. The built in GPS receiver is practically worthless, has yet to work. Fortunately my 5 year old Magellan works each and very time. Entering the Longitude and Latitude (yes its reversed) manually does not allow for entering "minutes". It is also subject to "magnetic" interference, who knows from where??? On the positve side if you enter your location and the "correct" time it will get you close to what you looking for. It is also not Apple compatible which a real issue in that you have to keep/find a Win PC for firmwear updates.
The concept has great potential and I am looking forward to another vendor producing a similar unit with an improved GPS unit. In the mean time, it is the only game in town, and at $[...] its not a cheap game.
On: 2006-10-30
Some of the "poor" reviews for this product remind me why I find reviews to be worth less than the time invested into their composition.
Some info for people pondering the purchase of the Sky Scout, and perhaps a little education for those "unsatisfied" users...
1. This product is way cool. I really like the quality of the product overall. It met my expectations. It features:
- coated optical windows for reduced reflection and glare
- solid construction (sturdy plastic with rubberized housing)
- large, easy to read red-backlit LCD screen
- large, easy to press buttons (membrane style - my favorite!)
- clear speech (use good headphones, not the chinsy included ear-buds)
- metal tripod threaded socket (many pocket digi cameras use plastic!)
- easy to use - for people of all ages!
2. Products containing computers and sensors tend to draw more current, therefore require better batteries! Li-Ion or NiMh rechargeable batteries would be a good idea. Use the correct battery types for the toys you purchase! Dont forget, colder weather means battery output will be reduced as the cells cool down. This is not a defect!
3. Cheap plastic battery compartment lids tend to have snaps which quite literally "snap" off. A slot-screw is a bit of a pain, but its better than the alternative. Ill take the screw over the snap any day. A Canadian or American dime works well as a slot screwdriver if youre caught out in the field without tools.
4. Starry Night on a Laptop is too bulky, and too expensive for many people, simply to find out what a particular bright light in the sky is. The right tool for the job, I always say.
5. Dont expect devices, such as the Sky Scout, which contain sensitive electronics (sensors) to work in areas high in electromagnetic activity, such as near hydro transmission towers, across from radio transmission antennae, underground iron deposits, etc. Perhaps there should be a warning on the boxes, but at the same time, one needs to be aware that living in such areas may not be good for ones health.
6. For most people, a 2D GPS fix is more than enough, because most people dont care if they are 500ft above sea level, or 10ft below sea level. From what I understand, the Sky Scout requires a 3D fix, which takes more time, and requires more satellites to aquire. 3 satellites are required for simple tiangulation (2D), and 4 satellites are required to determine altitude as well (3D). More Northern and Southern locations have more satellites available at any one time, and often there are at least 5 satellites available. Line-of-sight is required, so hills and buildings will affect satellite aquisition.
7. Celestron really "cares". Their competitors are a lot more difficult to deal with. Celestron has never made me wait more than 10 minutes on hold before offering me the chance to leave a voicemail. Celestron has excellent tech support, and Im talking from 13 years experience with Celestron. Do understand, they are very busy right now, and offer them the courtesey they deserve. Their primiary business is robotic telescopes, and secondary business is sporting optics.
Dont be put off by the poor reviews for this product. And people, stop writing poor reviews without putting some serious time and effort into them!
I am not affiliated with Celestron at all, but I do put a lot of time and effort into understanding the products I sell.
On: 2006-10-19
I have a 15 year old Garmin GPS that can capture GPS satellites quickly in my backyard. I have a new Garmin Nuvi that can capture GPS satellites inside my house! For some reason the Celestron engineers decided to use some ancient GPS technology that can only capture the GPS satellites if you are in outer space actually sitting on one of the GPS satellites.
After 3 nights of trying, Im giving up and returning mine.
On: 2006-10-10
We have enough open sky for DirectTV, but apparently not enough for this item to pick up the GPS satellites. I manually entered my latitude and longitude only to get a big M for magnetic interference. Yes, we have electricity and power lines near our house, and this thing wont work with them there. I would have to drive a long way to find an open field. I got this thing for my backyard! If I could see the entire sky, I could figure out where objects are much easier and would not need it so much. I agree it really sucks batteries. Ive been through 1 1/2 sets and havent even gotten to work yet. The store I bought it from has only a seven day return policy, so I cant even send it back. Very disappointed.
On: 2006-09-28
It really sucks batteries, they should have used at least 4 AA cells. The GPS resolution only goes down to minutes, no seconds. Its all plastic and for $400 I expected higher quality. It wont help you find man-made satellites as I suspect the processor is too slow and there is not even a way to display the present elevation and azimuth although it must know them for internal calculations. Updating the firmware is way slow. Under "Tonights Highlights" it may show from the menu that Jupiter for example is visible but when I tried to locate it, it has me point the unit into the dirt since if the object was not above my horizon. Maybe they could highlight menu objects that are truly visible? Youre much better off with Starry Night and a laptop.
On: 2006-09-22
First, there are a few probles as with any electronic "new" device. But these are minor. Celestron is all over the issues at hand and updates the firmware regularly! All of the issues are addressed in firmware updates and mine works flawlessly for what its supposed to do! The shut down problem has been addressed in the newest update as well. There is a wealth of knowledge in the database for the objects your looking at and the fact that I can use this along with my scopes out in the field WITHOUT the need for a sky chart is worth its weight in gold! If you have a polar alligned mount, finding polaris is a snap! Its like the way we all felt when remote control came out for the TV! I can now be lazy in this hobby too....lol. Not only that, but I can attach this to my Takahashi fsq-106 clamshell and use it as a guidescope!!! OK, it wont put you exactly on target at high power but it will get you damn close at lower ones....Attach a laser pointer and your a college professor in a split sec. I did only give it a 4 for 2 reasons....1. The battery life sucks, get rechargable ones asap! and 2. they should have designed this to accept lens caps! 400.00 for this equipment with NO lens protection is nonsense! having said that, i couldnt be happier with this purchase. I cant wait for the add on cards to come out!
On: 2006-09-15
I just got my new SkyScout and decided to update the firmware using the Update utility. What a mistake. After 3 sets of batteries and 3 tries I finally got it to take. The first two attempts ended with a "writing to block" error. After such a failure the unit is dead. Both failures occurred at different points during the updating firmware phase. This was after waiting 15 minutes for the download phase to finish on my 8meg broadband connection. The unit is running on battery through entire process (no AC adapter) and the batteries fade fast. And what a pain to change them! You need a screwdriver and a lot of patience to swap them out. Im surprised that it only uses 2 AA batteries for such power hungry device.
I spoke with Celestron tech support. No help there. By the way, they answered their main phone number with a simple "Hello". I had to confirm that I was actually talking with Celestron. The tech was unfamiliar with the product and needed to talk with someone else. He was supposed to call back in 30 minutes. He never called back. Fortunately I was able to get the unit back running again by myself.
With the exception of the battery and update feature the unit seems well engineered and very easy to use. It quickly acquired the GPS satellites and was up and running fast. I love the cool red backlighting and the audio prompts as well.
Despite the cool features I just can not recommend this unit at this time. The poor customer support, battery and updating issues seem to indicate that Celestron still needs to do more work before the SkyScout is ready for prime time.
On: 2006-09-11
Lots of reviews so far on how great this device is, and I agree with all the accolades. However, my unit gobbles up batteries like crazy. I went through 3 sets of batteries in 3 or 4 hours. Changing the batteries should be a LOT easier. You have to unscrew a battery cover instead of having a latch. The batteries are hard to pull out with the springs pushing the battery and no place to grasp the battery to remove it. You have to put shields over the batteries to reduce magnetic interference. So changing batteries in the dark in a field location is somewhat of a hassle.
The device powers down in 5 minutes to conserve power. Instead of "sleeping" and remembering the satellite locations, it starts all over again and took 4 or 5 minutes to acquire the satellites in an open field. That delay takes away a lot of the fun. I can see why it could take time to acquire the first time. But if you dont move, it would be nice if the SkyScout started with the last observed satellites and did the acquisition in seconds instead of minutes...further reducing the devices useful time due to the high battery drain.
All that said, it is, indeed, a wonderful device. I mounted a green laser pointer on the top and use it to point out stars and plugged in a powered speaker so others can hear the voice descriptions.
Related to the SkyScout is the support available from Celestron via the internet:
The little program that comes with the SkyScout works well for downloading firmware updates. However it only works running under a Windows OS. The Celestron support area for the SkyScout, in general, is poor. I hope this is due to the "newness" of the device. When I accessed the top level SkyScout page it says the latest firmware release is 1.20.29 but the release notes were only current to 1.20.23. The downloads area doesnt identify which version of firmware of Windows SkyScout utility you are downloading and has multiple entries that look the same but are different versions.
The support knowledge base has no entries in it for the SkyScout. When you submit a ticket to point out problems, you are guided through a list of irrelevant topics before being allowed to submit your trouble ticket.
(Im an Intel Mac user and was a little disappointed that I have to use Windows XP to do the firmware downloads. It would have been nice if the firmware update process wasnt made Windows specific. I tried to do the firmware upgrade with a virtual machine running Windows XP, Parallels, but the Parallels USB support isnt robust enough for this device. Maybe sometime soon, Ill be able to use Parallels for the SkyScout and other Windows centric devices and ditch my PC which is now only used for USB downloads for devices like this.)
I finally returned my first SkyScout to Celestron. It was consuming batteries way too fast. The replacement unit arrived about 10 days after I sent the original unit back to Celestron. I did a quick GPS test on the back deck and it did acquire the GPS signal much faster.
It has been a couple of months since a firmware upgrade. I do hope the GPS acquisition process gets improved in future firmware. My Garmin GPS units "remember" the last satellite pattern and start acquisition with that pattern, making the process much shorter if Im still in the same area of the glove. Of course, if I move, the Garmin has to start all over again. It appears the SkyScout starts with no knowledge of the last position so it takes much longer to do any acquisition.
I was happy with the speed that Celestron answered my appeal for help on their web based system to get tech support. I was provided some ideas to try and the process to get an RMA within 2 days of posting the request. I mailed the original SkyScout back to Celestron using priority mail so they got it in 2 days. The return back to me was via UPS so it took 8 days. I live on the east coast. They shipped a completely new unit.
On: 2006-09-10
Lots of reviews so far on how great this device is, and I agree with all the accolades. However, my unit gobbles up batteries like crazy. I went through 3 sets of batteries in 3 or 4 hours. Changing the batteries should be a LOT easier. You have to unscrew a battery cover instead of having a latch. The batteries are hard to pull out with the springs pushing the battery and no place to grasp the battery to remove it. You have to put shields over the batteries to reduce magnetic interference. So changing batteries in the dark in a field location is somewhat of a hassle.
The device powers down in 5 minutes to conserve power. Instead of "sleeping" and remembering the satellite locations, it starts all over again and took 4 or 5 minutes to acquire the satellites in an open field. That delay takes away a lot of the fun. I can see why it could take time to acquire the first time. But if you dont move, it would be nice if the SkyScout started with the last observed satellites and did the acquisition in seconds instead of minutes...further reducing the devices useful time due to the high battery drain.
All that said, it is, indeed, a wonderful device. I mounted a green laser pointer on the top and use it to point out stars and plugged in a powered speaker so others can hear the voice descriptions.
Related to the SkyScout is the support available from Celestron via the internet:
The little program that comes with the SkyScout works well for downloading firmware updates. However it only works running under a Windows OS. The Celestron support area for the SkyScout, in general, is poor. I hope this is due to the "newness" of the device. When I accessed the top level SkyScout page it says the latest firmware release is 1.20.29 but the release notes were only current to 1.20.23. The downloads area doesnt identify which version of firmware of Windows SkyScout utility you are downloading and has multiple entries that look the same but are different versions.
The support knowledge base has no entries in it for the SkyScout. When you submit a ticket to point out problems, you are guided through a list of irrelevant topics before being allowed to submit your trouble ticket.
(Im an Intel Mac user and was a little disappointed that I have to use Windows XP to do the firmware downloads. It would have been nice if the firmware update process wasnt made Windows specific. I tried to do the firmware upgrade with a virtual machine running Windows XP, Parallels, but the Parallels USB support isnt robust enough for this device. Maybe sometime soon, Ill be able to use Parallels for the SkyScout and other Windows centric devices and ditch my PC which is now only used for USB downloads for devices like this.)
I finally returned my first SkyScout to Celestron. It was consuming batteries way too fast. The replacement unit arrived about 10 days after I sent the original unit back to Celestron. I did a quick GPS test on the back deck and it did acquire the GPS signal much faster.
It has been a couple of months since a firmware upgrade. I do hope the GPS acquisition process gets improved in future firmware. My Garmin GPS units "remember" the last satellite pattern and start acquisition with that pattern, making the process much shorter if Im still in the same area of the glove. Of course, if I move, the Garmin has to start all over again. It appears the SkyScout starts with no knowledge of the last position so it takes much longer to do any acquisition.
I was happy with the speed that Celestron answered my appeal for help on their web based system to get tech support. I was provided some ideas to try and the process to get an RMA within 2 days of posting the request. I mailed the original SkyScout back to Celestron using priority mail so they got it in 2 days. The return back to me was via UPS so it took 8 days. I live on the east coast. They shipped a completely new unit.
On: 2006-09-09
I live in England and received the Skytscout today. What an ASTONISHING piece of kit! My son and I stood out in the garden looking at different stars and marvelling at how well Skyscout worked! Its the most amazing gadget I have owned, and I love gadgets. How on EARTH (or in space) does this thing manage to do this! We are going to spend A LOT of time sky gazing from now on! I have already ordered another unit so other members of mny family can use one! Brilliant value for money. Beats watching TV any day!
On: 2006-09-08
I live in England and received the Skytscout today. What an ASTONISHING piece of kit! My son and I stood out in the garden looking at different stars and marvelling at how well Skyscout worked! Its the most amazing gadget I have owned, and I love gadgets. How on EARTH (or in space) does this thing manage to do this! We are going to spend A LOT of time sky gazing from now on! I have already ordered another unit so other members of mny family can use one! Brilliant value for money. Beats watching TV any day!
On: 2006-08-31
I ordered the SkyScout on August 16, and it was delivered today, two weeks later. In minutes, I was pointing it at the bright stars such as Vega, and listening to interesting facts and anecdotes about them. This is just what I was hoping for.
The less prominent stars have no sound, but either text descriptions, or bare-bones descriptions with name, magnitude and some other statistics. Not bad.
Once, when reviewing a text description of a star, the unit turned itself off, which was a little inconvenient because it takes about a minute for the GPS to reacquire the satellites. Im fairly certain I didnt hit the power button, but I suppose thats a possibility.
Another time, the unit froze with a text description on the screen and the backlight on. None of the buttons responded, and I ended up removing the batteries to reset it.
A message appeared periodically complaining about magnetic interference, and recommending I move away from cars and electrical devices, even though, I was outside about 20 feet from the closest car or electrical device. Despite the messages, the magnetic compass seemed to work fine, as it correctly identified the stars I pointed at.
Overall it was a mixed experience. When it worked, it was a load of fun. Waiting for the restarts after the crashes dampened my enthusiasm. I hope, I can find a way to avoid the crashes. I have not read the manual, nor have I spent much time with the unit, so these problems might be my own fault.
On: 2006-08-29
When I first read about the Skyscout it sounded too good to be true. I went ahead and ordered it because I figured if it was only half as good as advertised it would be worth the money. Not only did it work, but it worked flawlessly. It exceeds all expectations. I am still in a state of awe at what Celestron engineers have created. I would have paid thousands of dollars for a device like this (I hope Celestron doesnt read this). I cant believe it sells for such a low price. This device is going to revolutionize amateur astronomy.
On: 2006-08-28
When I first read about the Skyscout it sounded too good to be true. I went ahead and ordered it because I figured if it was only half as good as advertised it would be worth the money. Not only did it work, but it worked flawlessly. It exceeds all expectations. I am still in a state of awe at what Celestron engineers have created. I would have paid thousands of dollars for a device like this (I hope Celestron doesnt read this). I cant believe it sells for such a low price. This device is going to revolutionize amateur astronomy.
On: 2006-08-27
Received my SkyScout last week, looks to work as advertised. Only minor complaint is there seems to be some bleed from the red input/output screen when looking through the device- tried turning down the brightness and this helped but not sure I should be seeing any red other than that guide lights through the view finder.
On: 2006-08-19
Well worth the wait, this Skyscout delivers. It does exactly as advertised. I live in New York City, not exactly the astronomy capital of the world. So I was a bit hesitant to order because of the limited visibility here in the city. I ordered mine from Amazon on June 11 and was tired of waiting for my order to be fulfilled. So I ordered when I noticed the Discovery Store had it in stock. I had to pay more in shipping and tax but I HAVE IT IN HAND!!!
The Skyscout comes with
one skyscout, a padded case, earphones, wrist strap, usb cable, quick start guide, and instructional CD-ROM
Setup is a snap. Just insert two fresh double As in the protective shields inside the battery compartment. Tighten the screw and hold the power button until you get the startup screen which reads SKYSCOUT.
After that the GPS kicks in to locate exactly where you are. That takes about a minute or so. You then press continue and your ready to go. You can choose from: Identify, Locate, GPS, Field Guide, and Settings. Tonight I went to Cunningham Park, stood in the middle, and started the show.
Under the option Locate, you search for planets, stars, deep space objects, and it also gives you the option to choose tonights highlights. This narrows space down to what you can see that night. Brightest stars, planets, constellations, whatever you are in the mood for.
I started out looking at Jupiter. I pressed the identify button and it tells you to search for a star and press the target button.
I pointed to the biggest and brightest star and the Skyscout identified it was Jupiter. It then gives you the option of getting information in text form, or by audio narrative. The Skyscout contains audio narration for over 200 hundred celestial objects. I am sure Celestron will add more to that number with updates. It is a great feature that brings your star gazing to life.
The skyscout is great, but as with any new technology it has its bugs.
My skyscout on a number of occasions just shut off. I would have to power it back on and wait for the GPS to relocate my point of origin. It happened about five or six times, today and yesterday. I have no idea why it happens. I was in the middle of the park so I do not believe there was any magnetic interference. It was fustrating and disappointing, I got over it. I love this thing.
One thing I felt could be improved was the viewfinder. I live in the light polluted city so I feel that if it had a wider field of vision it would be much easier to locate what you want to see. You need dark skies and I understand that, but if it had a wider field of vision I would be able to see the stars much easier. There are two red led rings within the viewfinder that provide directional arrows to find an object. But maybe if those rings were shutoff while you are looking through the veiwfinder it would be easier to see the stars as well. Just my opinion. It is a zero magnification viewfinder so you do not have to hold it up to your eye.
The skyscout is worth every penny. It gets five stars for doing what it is supposed to do. If you have children you will have hours of fun with them. If your an adult and love star gazing, grab the wife as I did and have some fun. You will not be disappointed. Unless of course yours shuts off for no reason too.
On: 2006-08-16
This thing does just what it says it does, and well. You point it at something and it tells you what it is. You ask it to locate something in the night sky and it leads you there with a ring of friendly flashing arrows. Its light enough to hold at arms length for minutes on end, the eye relief is generous, the controls are easy to master, and the battery life looks good.
The flaws Ive found so far are minor. It cant see GPS satellites well through clouds, which limits its use as just a GPS device. (Obviously, the designers had starry nights principally in mind, and may have saved some weight or power consumption by sacrificing some sensitivity.) On the other hand, it complains too easily about magnetic distractions, though that has yet to compromise its usefulness, best I can tell. And the guide arrows are kinda dim for daylight use. But what the heck -- overall the design is superb.
Im taking it to Hawaii next week for a real workout. Airport security can keep my Dom Perignon, but Im not parting with my SkyScout for anything.
On: 2006-08-12
I received the Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium about ten days before I was supposed to. The little machine is incredible. I am rather new to astronomy and need to become more skilled locating celestial objects but I have some kowledge of it and always use planispheres and charts. Since I received the Skyscout it has been cloudy and a little bit problematic to view the stars. I pointed the machine to some lonely objects in the sky and it said they were Arcturus, Antares and Vega. I later chacked against the charts and it was correct. It also identified Jupiter correctly. It gave me several other names which I have not checked out. It seems to be really amazing. I am going to show it today to the members of Puerto Ricos Amateur Astronomy Association.
On: 2006-07-28
In a word this product is fantastic.
I ordered my Skyscout on May 3 and recd it on July 25th. The delay in delivery was frustrating (not surprising with a new product of this complexity)but worth it. I had the device working within a minute of taking it out of the box. Just insert two double A batteries, turn it on and within a minute the GPS had located my position and the Skyscout was ready to go.
The Locate and Identify functions work exactly as desribed, the accuracy is amazing. The interface is very user friendly and informative. You get look up stars, planets, other objects, constellation (it can show you maps). You get a primer on astonomy and famous astronomers plus lots of other features.
The device feels solid, it is easy to grip and is not heavy to hold. It comes with a USB cable and software that allows you to check for updates from the Celestron site.
Ive used it five of the past seven evenings and have enjoyed every minute of it!!
by: imuilu143 On: 2006-07-27
A wonderfully-conceived device, that uses GPS positions and magnetic area and gravity sensors (I guess, not a super-techie here), to figure out where you are and where this is pointing in the sky, to then be able to provide you with a description of what you are looking at. I already know what it is Im looking at with regards to the commonly-named stars, and it was nice to get confirmation from this device, plus it was nice that if ones memory slipped, this device would come through. It did take four months from order date to when this got shipped, as the manufacturer (who is great on quality) must have been focusing on some issues.
The issues I do have now is that, first, sometimes when one presses the 4-direction button ("menu navigation pad") on the back for a moment, the unit immediately shuts down. Feels like a short. This button is important for operations once you locate something, so its very disappointing when it sometimes acts as an immediate off switch once its touched--this is not working as described. So the unit goes immediately dead, and you gotta start all over--turn it back on, and then hold the thing while it starts all over to find the gps satellites to tell you where you are.
Second, about half the time the gps isnt acquired with a clear sky view, and you have to start over. It may be a guess, but maybe you should disconnect the earpods whenever possible even if they are dangling at their full length.
So 15 minutes of active time (Vega, all of Big Dipper asterism, Polaris/Kochab/Pherkab, main 5 in Cassiopeia, moon, Arcturus and others in Bootes, Deneb and others in Cygnus, etc., very nice job from the unit when it worked) took about 35 minutes total time because of multiple uncommanded shutdowns from using the menu navigation pad button. Add in three of the I-cant-find-the-gps-satellites reboots while trying to get things going again, and the edge comes off using this.
If it stayed on, itd be worth more stars (pun intended.) I know where the on/off switch is and I am not hitting it by mistake. Alas, I wished it worked better.
This unit does have a good user-interface on the on-off switch, it takes a really good sustained press on the on-off switch to turn it off, or on. Thats why its so disturbing that a quick touch on the 4 direction button (which is on the far side of the unit when you are holding it, the on/off switch is on the near side) turns this unit completely off--is this a short circuit?
On: 2006-07-27
In a word this product is fantastic.
I ordered my Skyscout on May 3 and recd it on July 25th. The delay in delivery was frustrating (not surprising with a new product of this complexity)but worth it. I had the device working within a minute of taking it out of the box. Just insert two double A batteries, turn it on and within a minute the GPS had located my position and the Skyscout was ready to go.
The Locate and Identify functions work exactly as desribed, the accuracy is amazing. The interface is very user friendly and informative. You get look up stars, planets, other objects, constellation (it can show you maps). You get a primer on astonomy and famous astronomers plus lots of other features.
The device feels solid, it is easy to grip and is not heavy to hold. It comes with a USB cable and software that allows you to check for updates from the Celestron site.
Ive used it five of the past seven evenings and have enjoyed every minute of it!!
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