Table-top Telescope

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I'm looking at a small table-top telescope(cheap) for a friend.

Has anyone tried one of these?
Skywatcher Heritage 76 Table Top Telescope

http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?id=154&class1=1&class2=106

[mental4astro]

It is exactly the same scope as the Celestron FirstScope, the IYA commemorative 76mm reflector. It has been discussed in this forum around mid last year.

As a scope that you would use with interchangable eyepieces, aweful.

As a dedicated rich field scope, great.

This is because the scope is made using a very cheap spherical mirror, with a lousy figure, so any type of magnification reveals dreadful problems and the eyepieces it comes standard with are not worth as paper weights either.

I bought one of the Celestron versions. I had to exchange the first one I received it was so poor. The second one is only a little better. However, I use mine as a giant finder scope using a decent Japanese made 25mm Celestron Kellner EP into which I installed cross-hairs.

As I said, as a dedicated rich-field scope it is fine.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=62066&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1250262444 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=62066)
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=62067&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1250262444 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=62067&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1250262444)

These pics show it mounted to my 17.5" Odyssey II. It will be coupled to the new rebuilt 17.5" dob in progress. I mounted a RSF to it as the Celeston FirstScope doesn't come with one, and really needs one.