Celestron SkyScout portable star finder

We've seen a ton of telescopes that can orient themselves to a particular star or constellation, but the upcoming Celestron SkyScout scope is the first portable model we've seen that's able to get its bearings and determine what it's pointed at regardless of location (althought the lazy stargazer should still go with a StarSeeker chair). Using both embedded GPS and gravitational/magnetic field sensors, the SkyScout is also able to guide the user to a desired target, or give a guided tour of the ten best objects visible on any given night. Even better, the scope connects to a PC via USB for software updates and temporally-specific events like shuttle launches and comet passings, and a built-in SD slot allows for additional content such as astronomy tutorials. Celestron will be showing off the SkyScout at CES, so it'll be available sometime after that, for an amount of money we estimate to be no less than one million dollars.

[Via CNET]

[Duodenum @ Dec 22nd 2005 6:05PM]

That is just about the coolest thing I've ever seen.

[Ruben @ Dec 22nd 2005 6:14PM]

god dammit i used to get alot of free telscopes from them my godfather used to work at celestron i want one

[Brian Hampson @ Dec 22nd 2005 6:17PM]

1. Thanks for fixing the URL

2. Any mention of whether this thing takes pictures too?

[James @ Dec 22nd 2005 6:46PM]

http://www.telescopes.com/products/Celestron_SkyScout_43322.html



This looks like it... $299

[Brian Hampson @ Dec 22nd 2005 7:04PM]

Interestingly this "NEW" item appears to be discontinued???



http://www.telescopes.com/products/Celestron_SkyScout_43322.html

[Joe Hatfield @ Dec 22nd 2005 7:34PM]

Here's the SkyScout link on the Celestron web site:

http://www.celestron.com/skyscout/

[Brad @ Dec 22nd 2005 7:53PM]

No doubt they're just adding it to their web site and we're not supposed to be snooping :-)

[adam @ Dec 23rd 2005 12:47AM]

well they must have been planning this product since 1996, since it appears that is when the flash intro for the product was created. YUCK!

[osiris @ Dec 23rd 2005 4:16AM]

sorry guys but this is not a telescope. it's a very smart portable planetarium. sky observation need patience and a tripod. you cannot use an handlet thing like that to watch anything. celestron doesn't pretend is a telescope anyway. but it's still very nice for people who want to learn about celestial objects

[Yves Beauchemin @ Dec 28th 2005 4:21PM]

Sorry for my English I'm a French speaking... I did have new from Celestron, they tell me that this product will be release on the first quarter of 2006.



Buy the way this product could be put on the top of a telescope and almost transformed it on a go-to telescope... think about it!

[Kathy @ Jan 5th 2006 3:18PM]

Looks like Celestron is trying to find its way around the Meade Go-To patent. I think it is going to be a complete dud at retail. It is geared toward entry level astronomers at a very high price point. Also as another reader pointed out unless you have a telescope it is useless for viewing most objects. Even if you do have a telescope if you are an entry level user, if you need this item to tell you what you are looking at, chance are you won't be able to adjust your telescope too.

[Craig @ Jan 11th 2006 2:30PM]

http://www.astronomics.com/Celestron-SkyScout