A telescope is a great gift for curious youngsters interested in space and the stars. Especially a telescope like the Orion StarBlast 4.5 EQ. It's a real, bona-fide reflector telescope with sophisticated features which will help inspire beginning stargazers night after night.
With its 4.5"-diameter reflector tube and sturdy equatorial (EQ) mount with slow-motion controls, this telescope goes beyond the capabilities of smaller beginner models to support young amateur astronomers as their interest in space grows into a lifelong appreciation of stargazing and science. The compact Orion StarBlast 4.5 EQ is a favorite of both beginners and expert astronomers alike, and younger stargazers won't outgrow the telescope thanks to its great optics, convenient portability, and easy-to-use operation.
The StarBlast 4.5 EQ will amaze kids and the whole family with bright views thanks to its big, 4.5"-aperture telescope tube, which collects a lot of light from the night sky to send bright, clear images of objects in space to the telescope eyepiece for viewing. The telescope's combination of short 450mm focal length and sizable 4.5" aperture means the StarBlast 4.5 EQ will provide brighter views at any magnification compared to longer focal length telescopes, which makes it easier for everyone, and especially beginners, to locate interesting sights in the night sky. Using a telescope allows kids and parents alike to explore the sparkling night sky and search out interesting objects to observe. Everyone in the family will enjoy using the StarBlast 4.5 EQ to look at fascinating craters, valleys and mountains on the Moon; and bright planets like Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Even distant objects like star clusters, brighter nebulas and galaxies can be seen in this petite reflector telescope.
The StarBlast 4.5 EQ comes with a great set of accessories, including two Orion Expanse eyepieces which are much higher-quality than what is usually included with a beginner telescope. Expanse eyepieces feature large eye lenses that are easier to peer into than most standard eyepieces, so they're more comfortable for beginners to use. Expanse eyepieces also have a nice and wide 66° apparent field of view, which means at any magnification, they give you more sky to look at compared to typical eyepieces.
Let's take a closer look at all the great accessories you'll get with the StarBlast 4.5 EQ Telescope Value Kit:
The included 15mm Orion Expanse eyepiece provides a 30-power view in the StarBlast 4.5 EQ with a wide, 66° apparent field of view. The 15mm Expanse is a great eyepiece to use first when you use the telescope each night, since it provides a larger, less magnified window of night sky for you to view. This lower magnification makes it easy to find interesting objects in the night sky.
After you've scanned the skies with the 15mm Expanse in the StarBlast 4.5 EQ, take a much closer look at interesting objects by swapping out the 15mm eyepiece with 6mm Expanse to boost magnification from 30x all the way up to 75x. The more powerful view in the 6mm focal length eyepiece makes it easier to see details such as craters and mountains on the Moon, as well as details of bright planets like the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn.
The Orion EZ Finder II reflex sight lets you aim the StarBlast 4.5 EQ Reflector Telescope anywhere in the night sky. Following a simple alignment procedure, the EZ Finder II projects a small red-dot onto a viewing window, so all you have to do is move the telescope until the red-dot is aimed at the area of sky you want to see in the telescope.
With locations and names of over 260 features on the Moon such as craters, mountains, valleys, "seas" and more, the included Orion MoonMap 260 is a great tool for beginning astronomers. This detailed map will even show you where various spacecraft have landed on the Moon's surface! The whole family will enjoy looking at the Moon with the telescope, then using the MoonMap 260 to learn the names of the craters and other features observed.
This fun book is loaded with beautiful pictures and astounding educational facts about astronomy. The whole family will enjoy browsing pictures of objects in space and reading about interesting planets, stars, and more. This great introduction book to the hobby of astronomy is the perfect way to keep the kids interested during cloudy nights when the Moon and stars aren't visible.
This circular star map lets you dial-in the month and day you're observing the sky, so you can see exactly which constellations and stars will be visible if skies are clear. Using the Orion Star Target is a great way for starters to plan their first stargazing sessions with the StarBlast 4.5 EQ, since you'll know just where to point the telescope!
Explore starry skies anytime - even when it's cloudy! The Orion StarBlast 4.5 EQ telescope includes a FREE download insert for a Special Edition of Starry Night astronomy software. With realistic sky simulations and a many useful features including telescope control, the user-friendly Starry Night Special Edition software will help you plan your observations and understand what you see. Requires PC running Windows 7, 8 or 10. Requires Macintosh running OS X 10.4 or higher.
The 4.5" telescope tube is supported by the sturdy Orion EQ-1 mount and an adjustable-height tripod. Since stars and other night sky objects appear to move across the sky over time, the EQ-1 mount is equipped with handy slow-motion controls so you can slowly "track" an object by twisting the slow-motion control knob to keep what you're looking at centered in the eyepiece. This lets you enjoy the view as long as you like without having to repeatedly re-aim the telescope. You can even add an optional electronic motor drive (sold separately) to the StarBlast 4.5 EQ so it will track objects automatically once you've centered what you want to look at in the telescope eyepiece. The adjustable-height aluminum tripod allows you to set the StarBlast 4.5 Equatorial Reflector up for comfortable views, while remaining lightweight so the entire assembled telescope is easy to transport.
If you're looking for an exceptional beginner telescope to nurture your child or grandchild's interest in space and science, or if you're seeking a second telescope that's more portable than your big "light bucket", then pick up an Orion StarBlast 4.5 EQ. Trust us, you'll have a blast!
Limited Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship for one year from date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. For complete warranty details contact us at 800-676-1343.
Please note this product is compliant with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and is intended for children 9 years of age and older.
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