The awards for the unique Celestron SkyScout just keep on coming. It was the featured item in the “Cool Gear" section of the “Tech Buyer’s Guide" of Time magazine. It was an “Editor’s Choice" in Backpacker magazine for its outstanding innovation in design, materials, and performance. Backpacker said the SkyScout was subjected to months of trail testing, from Oregon in a streak of epic weather to a wind-whipped day at Mt. Hood. The SkyScout survived and, small enough to fit into a backpack, made it easy for outdoors adventurers of all levels and backgrounds to view the splendors of the night sky during outdoor activities like camping or hiking.
These honors are in addition to it being chosen as the “Best of Innovations" in the personal electronics category at the International Consumer Electronics Show. It was chosen the best of all the thousands of new products introduced by the major electronics manufacturers from around the world. The SkyScout was also named an “Editor’s Choice" by Popular Mechanics magazine at the same electronics industry show, and was featured in USA Today as one of the outstanding new products at the show.
The SkyScout also won the PC Magazine "Last Gadget Standing" award. It was named the new product that is “destined to stand the test of time and become a long time player in the industry." To win this award, voted on live by industry professionals at the CES, the SkyScout beat out new and innovative products from Nikon, XM Satellite Radio, Pioneer, Palm, Logitech, Epson, Samsung, and others. It joins past winners from such well-known companies as Dell and OnStar.
And when Reader’s Digest Magazine named the 100 best things in America, the Celestron SkyScout was named the “Best Star Finder." SkyScout was even the answer to a question on the TV show Jeopardy!
The Celestron SkyScout is a handheld, portable, non-magnifying celestial viewing device that can instantly identify and/or locate any of the more than 50,000 celestial objects, even more than are visible to the naked eye. It transforms the night sky into a personal planetarium for stargazers, families, students, and astronomers alike. It makes learning the stories of the sky – and finding your way around the sky – easier than ever before.
The AA flashlight battery-operated Celestron SkyScout is about the size of a small camcorder (7.4" x 4" x 2.5") and weighs less than 16 ounces, making it easy to carry and use in the field. Its patented technology combines a GPS receiver (which calculates the time, date, and location on Earth of the user, based on signals from Earth-orbiting satellites); software that calculates the current positions of over 50,000 stars, planets, and other celestial objects from its substantial celestial database; and 3-axis sensors that measure the Earth’s gravitational and magnetic fields to determine the true orientation of the SkyScout to the Earth, no matter in what orientation you hold the SkyScout. There’s no need to hold it level or point it north to get it aligned on the sky.
When the SkyScout is turned on, its internal GPS system automatically determines where on Earth you are located. You don’t have to enter your location or the date and time to start observing. The SkyScout does it for you automatically. Its user-friendly “point and shoot" technology lets you point it at any visible object in the sky and read a scrolling commentary about the object and its history in the SkyScout’s illuminated 5-line LED display. The SkyScout comes with compact earbud-type earphones so you can also hear the displayed information narrated for you without having to take your eye away from the SkyScout’s non-magnifying viewfinder. An optional speaker that plugs into the earphone output lets a group of people hear the commentary simultaneously. The database contains scientific information for over 50,000 objects, plus entertaining stories for almost 250 of the most spectacular celestial objects.
If you prefer, select an object you wish to view (for example Mars), and the SkyScout’s “locate" feature uses illuminated arrows in its viewfinder to actually lead you to that object, as shown in the animation below. Once you’re on the object, SkyScout then tells you all about it.
The SkyScout personal planetarium is a fun learning tool for all ages. It puts the knowledge of an expert astronomer in the palm of your hand. It will dramatically improve how you learn your way around the skies – making astronomy easier and more entertaining. The Celestron SkyScout can be used to accompany a telescope, like the Celestron SkyScout Scope 90 that has been designed specifically to take advantage of the SkyScout’s expanded database capabilities. It can be taken on camping trips to explore the night’s sky, and can be used as a learning tool for students of astronomy young and old alike. The SkyScout is a great, easy-to-use educational aid for parents searching to answer their child’s seemingly “unanswerable" questions about the sky.
The SkyScout database (firmware version 1.3) includes:
50,000 celestial objects: 36,000 stars, including many variable and multiple star systems; the Caldwell Deep Sky catalog; the Herschell 400 Deep Sky catalog, the NGC Deep Sky catalog (with an NGC object search function by menu); the planets; all 88 constellations; 20 periodic comets; 10 asteroids, and 25 stars with known planets. In addition, you can download up to 100 objects from the Celestron website.
Constellation Lessons: If a star you identify or locate is part of a constellation or an asterism like the Big Dipper, you can actually take a guided tour through all the stars in that constellation and even see an onscreen map of the constellation.
Introduction to astronomy: A six part audio lesson on the origin and history of astronomy.
Glossary of Terms: A text defining popular astronomy terms including planets, comets, galaxies, and more.
Great Astronomers: Text biographies on some of the world's greatest astronomers including Galileo, Einstein and Copernicus.
Man Made Space Objects: Text description of some of the coolest objects man has sent into space including the International Space Station, the Hubble SpaceTelescope, and the Space Shuttle.
Comet Guide: Text descriptions of history's most famous comets, including Halley's Comet and Comet Hale-Bop.
The SkyScout operating system and database can be updated from the internet, always keeping you current with the skies. The 50,000-object database requires a free on-line update to firmware to version 1.3, if it is not already built into your SkyScout. A built-in USB port and supplied cable allow you to periodically update the operating software from the Celestron website, as well as download new data about celestial objects like the orbits of the Space Shuttle or the locations of passing comets. In addition, there is an SD memory card slot for optional inexpensive “SkyTour Content Cards" that have additional content offerings, such as “Astronomy for Beginners" and “All about the Stars."
The SkyScout comes with a soft carrying case for storage and travel, earphones to listen to the audio content, a hand strap for comfort and portability, and a USB cable for connecting to your PC to upgrade the database. The high impact molded case of the SkyScout is partially rubber armored for long life and durability. The 3" wide x 1" high graphic LCD display has red LED backlighting to preserve your dark-adapted vision while still being highly legible. The brightness level can be adjusted to suit your individual preferences, as can the headphone volume. Two user-supplied AA batteries power the SkyScout for up to six hours of continual operation, depending on the air temperature (colder temperatures decrease battery life).
Consider just some of the possible uses of the SkyScout . . .
Learn the skies on your own: When the SkyScout is turned on, its “Tonight’s Highlights" list will tell you the 20 coolest things to look at in the sky that night, and will lead you to them if you want to take a guided tour. If you look at a star that’s part of a constellation outline, the SkyScout will let you know it, its graphic display will show you a picture of the entire constellation, and it will help you locate the other stars that form the constellation.
Let your children learn the skies on their own: The SkyScout is easy to use, even for a youngster. It is very tolerant of young and unsteady hands, as its software adjusts automatically for tremors and small hand movements. Its scrolling text and graphic display and its voice output of stories make it fun for kids to learn the myths and legends behind the constellations and spectacular deep space objects. They learn them at their own pace, on their own, making learning more interesting.
Use it as a fun educational tool at public star parties, scouting camp outs, grade school and high school astronomy classes and clubs: An optional speaker system is available to let a group of people hear the SkyScout’s spoken commentary. Attach the SkyScout and the speaker (magnetically shielded to keep it from affecting the SkyScout’s magnetic compass sensors) on a telescope. While one person observes, the others in the group can be entertained and informed by the spoken commentary about the object being observed, rather than being bored by their wait in the observing line. High school teachers and scout masters will find it a great help in keeping teenagers and preteens interested and engaged while waiting their turn to observe.
The SkyScout ships via free ground transportation to the 48 continental United States. Air shipping is additional to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.
Printer friendly version
Email page link to a friend
Do you have a question about this product?
The awards for the unique Celestron SkyScout just keep on coming. It was the featured item in the “Cool Gear" section of the “Tech Buyer’s Guide" of Time magazine. It was an “Editor’s Choice" in Backpacker magazine for its outstanding innovation in design, materials, and performance. Backpacker said the SkyScout was subjected to months of trail testing, from Oregon in a streak of epic weather to a wind-whipped day at Mt. Hood. The SkyScout survived and, small enough to fit into a backpack, made it easy for outdoors adventurers of all levels and backgrounds to view the splendors of the night sky during outdoor activities like camping or hiking.
