Looking for an affordable telescope for kids or beginner astronomers? Well, the Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope may be the perfect answer. This telescope is ideal for any kid looking forward to starting exploring the wonders of the universe. Having all the accessories necessary for a good exploration of the sky, this scope makes a great gift idea for children and beginner astronomers. You can use it in your room or in your backyard, and the results are amazing. With the Orion Spaceprobe 3 Altazimuth Reflector telescope, you can observe the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter and even some nebulas, and more.
What is the Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope?
The Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope is an ideal telescope for kids. With a 3-inch aperture, this scope will gather just enough light from the night sky to render some amazing views of the celestial bodies. Pure fun for all the family, this scope will make a great asset for your house.
Although the Orion Spaceprobe 3 Altazimuth Reflector telescope is suitable for kids, notice that kids may need the help of an adult. If you take good care of the Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope, then it will remain a great piece for years and years.
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Pros and Cons to Using the Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope
PROS:
- Affordable – this telescope comes with a great price. For somewhere around $100 you get all you need: eyepieces, collimation cap, and EZ Finder, not to mention your own astronomy software.
- Great optics – the eyepieces are just amazing. You will have all the clarity the magnification you need while exploring the outer space.
- Portability – the tube, as well as the tripod, is made in aluminum, making them quite light. This scope is not that big and it can fit perfectly in the back of a normal car.
CONS:
- The aluminum tripod can be unstable and you can easily lose position even in the house.
- Despite being known as a kid’s scope, this telescope may be sometimes difficult to use, due to the altazimuth mount and the necessity of collimating it.
Where to Find the Orion SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope?
You can find the Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope on a multitude of specialized websites starting from $100. We strongly insist that you buy a new telescope from a trustworthy place, be that a shop or a website. Being a rather fragile piece, you may want to invest a bit more, and to buy a brand new telescope.
The price on Amazon starts from somewhere around $100, and they offer FREE shipping. Besides that, Amazon occasionally offers discounts. So you may have a reduction of up to 20% off from the original price.
Telescope Performance
The SpaceProbe 3 comes with a focal length of 700mm (f/9.2), meaning that you will have a sharp view of all the close and accessible celestial bodies. Quite lightweight, you can use this scope in field trips and easily move it from one place to another to obtain the best observation point.
Coming with a rather stable altazimuth mount, the Orion SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope has a smooth motion on all the axes. However, it is true that sometimes it may be difficult to maintain the right direction and to continuously see the star or the planet you’ve been initially locating.
Extra Info:
Maintenance Advice
The Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope is one of those scopes that can last forever and ever. You just need to take great care of it.
Pay attention to the place where you deposit your scope: don’t put in the sun and don’t let it uncovered. Also, keep it in a warm dry place. The eyepieces and mirrors should be let in a protective case or bag to prevent dust from piling on them. Whenever the scope is not in use, keep the dust covers on.
Anyhow, if or when the dust covers your lens, you will have to clean them. Be the eyepieces or mirrors, try to use a specialized lens cleaning fluid and a soft piece of cloth. Remember not to rub too hard. The telescope’s mirrors are not to be clean so often, as this may damage the scope. You should do this once a year. As long as you don’t leave the Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope uncovered, there is a small chance to have dust on your lens, or any need whatsoever to clean them.
Collimation is also an important part in the daily care of your scope. As all Newtonian telescopes, your scope will need to be collimated once in a while, otherwise you won’t see anything. Collimating your scope for the first time, may be quite a hassle, but in time everything will be just ok.
Telescope Accessories
Besides the Orion 3″ f/9.2 Reflector telescope optical tube, this scope comes with a variety of pieces.
First of all, the scope comes with 2 excellent eyepieces of 25 mm (28x) and 10mm (70x) that will render images more and more clear. The included EZ finder II will make it easier for you to locate celestial objects. Once your scope is aligned, you can use the pinion focuser to keep it in position. However, as we’re not dealing with and equatorial mount, maintain it into position will not bring you much.
An aluminum tripod legs and an accessory tray are among the scope’s standard accessories. Besides all that, the scope comes with a collimation cap (a really helpful piece while collimating your scope), and a Starry Night special edition software which will help you learn more about the sky and the celestial bodies.
Warranty and Guarantee Information
As in the case of all Orion products and optical instruments, this scope will come with a one-year limited warranty. The Orion warranty will cover all issue caused by defects in materials or workmanship. In this one-year period, Orion will repair or replace on their own cost all instruments that prove to be defective.
Our piece of advice is never to try fixing the issue or to repair the telescope by yourself. This will inflict the loss of any warranty whatsoever.
Our Recommendation
The Orion 11043 SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope is a great asset for your family. Ideal for kids interested in astronomy, this scope will be the gathering point of the family. The Orion Spaceprobe 3 Altazimuth reflector telescope will allow you to spend some quality time with for family and especially with your children, while learning about the wonders of the space.
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