Editorial Reviews : Meade's DS-60EC refracting telescope offers high-quality optics and easy push-button electronic operation, making it a perfect instrument for the serious beginner. It features a multicoated, achromatic two-element objective lens and precise, smooth altitude and azimuth movements. It includes the Meade handheld electronic controller, which allows for four-speed push-button operation and easy object location and tracking. It also includes Meade's StarNavigator software, which displays more than 10,000 celestial objects for help in locating galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, stars, and planets. Additionally, the telescope comes with a full-length adjustable aluminum tripod. The DS-60EC exhibits Meade's fine attention to detail and quality, from the precision-polished crown and flint optical glass components and contrast-increasing multicoatings, to oversize bearings on both telescope axes that facilitate great precision in tracking. It offers a resolving power of 1.9 arcseconds, a limiting visual magnitude of 11, a 200x maximum practical visual power, and a 5mm by 24mm viewfinder.
The DS-60EC is also built to be fully compatible with Meade's Autostar computer controller, for automatic location and tracking of celestial objects.
Buyer Reviews : While many starting telescopes are cheap and flimsy, this one has high quality viewing and easy setup and operation, with a very sturdy telescope to boot. I have an 11 year old and have NO problem with him working with this, because it will easily hold up to his handling.
For those new to astronomy, you can simply point this telescope at any object in the sky and see it very clearly. For those who start to get more advanced, you can use the included software to track down exactly what those things in the sky *are*, and easily get the telescope to track them as they move across the sky at night.
I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a high quality telescope in this price range. It's a great way to learn more about the night sky.
(by Lisa)
Features/Technical Specs : * 60mm (2.4 inch) aperture; 700mm objective lens focal length * Includes electronic controller for easy push-button object location and tracking * Smooth, precise tracking with altazimuth mounting * 2-element achromatic objective lens with multicoating * Includes full-length, adjustable aluminum tripod
