Orion SpaceProbe 3 Altaz Reflector Telescope

Other products by Orion

Product Details

Product Manual [564kb PDF]

• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• ASIN: B0000XMTEC
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank

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  #10 in	Office Products > Education & Crafts > Classroom Supplies > Classroom Science Supplies > Telescopes
  #12 in	Toys & Games > Hobbies > Science > Telescopes

• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 1, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Orion's surprising little Spaceprobe 3 has been picked by independent reviewers as one of the best telescopes in its price class. Unlike similar telescopes seen in discount stores, Orion has refined the Spaceprobe 3 by paying attention to the little details, and that make this telescope a great value.

The Spaceprobe 3 comes with an unusually complete set of accessories. The package includes two very good Explorer II eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), an adjustable altazimuth tripod, a good red-dot finder, a student edition of "The Sky" planetarium program, and a well written manual. The package even includes the tools you'll need to assemble the telescope and align the optics.

The Spaceprobe 3 is a Newtonian reflector. That means it uses mirrors instead of lenses. Newtonians are primarily used for astronomy because the images are upside-down. Orion includes a collimation tool and good directions for aligning the mirrors. The reward for aligning the mirrors is seen in images that snap into sharp focus. My Spaceprobe 3 arrived properly aligned right out of the box.

With its Explorer II eyepieces, this telescope consistently delivers fine views. Using the 25mm eyepiece (28x magnification) the Pleiades cluster is simply wonderful, showing dozens of stars. From a rural location with a dark sky, the Orion Nebula is a big ghostly glow, and when I zoom in with the 10mm eyepiece, the Trapezium resolves into four tiny pinpoints. The double star Gamma Andromeda becomes two beads of light, one gold, the other one pale blue. Moon and planet images are crisp, with none of the false color I see in low cost refractors. When I look at the Moon I see mountains and terraced walls inside the larger craters. With the 10mm eyepiece (about 70x), Saturn's rings are sharply separated from the planet, and I can even pick out the planet's shadow on the rings.

The Altazimuth mount included with this telescope is light and easy to use; it may be the best choice for a young astronomer. If you want motorized tracking of the stars and planets, Orion's Spaceprobe 3 EQ is available with an equatorial mount, and Celestron sells essentially the same optical system with the computerized NexStar 76GT. –Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Best in class optical performance
• Two good Explorer II eyepieces
• Complete accessory package

Cons:

• Small 76mm aperture
• Upside-down terrestrial images

Product Description

If you're looking for an affordable entry-level telescope for that young astronomy enthusiast, our SpaceProbe 3 Altaz is the perfect choice. Great for all-around stargazing, this highly portable, uncomplicated scope is just the right size and weight for kids, and just the right price for parents. This is a quality telescope, with a 3" (76mm) glass primary mirror mounted in a sturdy Neptune Blue Metallic aluminum tube. The rack-and-pinion focuser accepts standard 1.25" eyepieces. Two Explorer II eyepieces, a low-power 25mm (28x) and a high-power 10mm (70x), are included. An EZ Finder II finder scope mounted on the tube helps zero-in on the sky target. The altazimuth mount is lightweight and easy to use. To aim it, simply move it up or down or left or right. An adjustable, aluminum tripod with accessory tray is also included. One-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Telescope, April 14, 2008

By	B. Frantz (Earth) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a very nice telescope for the price. I've always heard you get what you pay for with telescopes. Well this one is very affordable and works amazingly well. Easy assembly, 2 different eye pieces and the EZ finder is awesome. We bought this for our Son for christmas and he loves it. We were actually able to see Mars (which looked like a little orange moon)and Saturn. That experience alone was well worth it. I highly recommend this scope.

2 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Orion, January 15, 2007

By	Gloria P. Folkler (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is a great telescope. Since, my 21 year old daughter and I are Science Major, it is easier for me to talk to my 9 year old how to use, take care of lense, ask him questions and also give him particular assignments.

1 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Title, January 6, 2008

By	J. saffir - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Everything about the transaction was wonderful and it was very easy to put together, I just ordered the wrong type of telescope so it wasn't what I was looking for. Right now, I'm just waiting for my refund as it was mailed back to them within the thirty days a little over a week now.