Gag Gifts, Occasion Gifts - Meade NGC-70SP Telescope

Manufacturer: Meade

Average Customer Rating:

Aperture Modes: under-80mm
Binding: Electronics
Brand: Meade
EAN: 0709942214765
Feature: Free Shipping from Discovery Channel Store not available on this product.
Label: Meade
Manufacturer: Meade
Model: 20211
Publisher: Meade
Studio: Meade

Features
Free Shipping from Discovery Channel Store not available on this product. Featuring computer control elements not included with the NG-70SP, the NGC directs you to quickly fi Requires one 9V battery (not included)

Accessories
Meade 2X Barlow Lens Meade Achromatic Refractor Telescope (ETX-80AT-TC BB) Adorama Professional Lens Cleaning Kit Meade 3200 Color Filter Set

Editorial Reviews:

Featuring computer control elements not included with the NG-70SP, the NGC directs you to quickly find any of more than 1,400 objects in the sky. Plus, the manual GO TO computer serves as a central instrument panel and display for quick and easy alignment.

Perfect for beginners and families interested in astronomy, the NGC-70SP features an easy-to-use design that involves almost no set-up. Meade's high-quality optical design includes a large, 70mm diameter objective lens – coated for pinpoint sharpness – plus two Super Plossl eyepieces: one 9.7mm ocular (103x) and one 26mm (38x).

Manual GO TO Computer Controller
Integrated into the single arm mount is the manual GO TO computer, which acts as a central instrument panel and display for quick, easy alignment and to access 1,400 celestial objects. Simply browse the database for the object you want to see, and the computer directs you to quickly pinpoint the object in the sky.

High-Quality Meade Optics
With the same size objective lens as Meade's best-selling ETX-70AT, the NGC-70SP packs plenty of power in an affordable package. The coated, achromatic objective lens is air-spaced and ground from grade-A crown & flint glass to reduce light-loss and improve the overall viewing experience. Each of the Super Plossl eyepieces yields a wide, 52° field of view and features a four-element optical design for maximum clarity.

Superior Altazimuth Mounting
Precision yoke-style, altaz

Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating:

Summary: Don't be a douche
Comment: If you honestly expected a $200 telescope to move by itself you're quite dull. And "manually" operating a telescope is not "crude", it's the way it has been done for 400 years. Before computers, half the fun of using a telescope was finding things for yourself, and having the feeling of exploration and achievement. Not just lazily sitting there entering in information so a computer and a robot can move a telescope for you. Really now people, quit being so lax and stop expecting so much. Thanks for the entertainment! :-D

Customer Rating:

Summary: Not always what it seems...
Comment: When you are reading the box for the NGC70 (with the obligatory sales person staring over your shoulder) you get the idea this has some sort of computerized control mechanism to guide the telescope to various point in the sky. Both the sales guy and I, after reading the online specs & the box, we were of the mind that this was so... NOT!
This is, simply put, a "Dumb" telescope. It has no motors, no computer controlled anything. It simply tells you after a supposedly "simple" setup that it can "help show you where objects are in the sky." It is up to you to actually find them. Manually I might add. You literally have to move the body of the telescope and then (if you ever get it close to anything worth seeing in this crude way) use the little thumb wheels to move it slowly to where you want it.
The big problems are the telescope movement itself is VERY, VERY sensitive to touch of any kind. So much so that even just placing you eye over the eyepiece causes the damn thing to move away from what you where looking at. Even after tightening it (Vert & Horz screws) as much as I feasibly could, it still just moved wherever it wanted to at fairly easy touches. If you tighten it so it does not move easily, you cannot use the thumb screws to make the micro adjustments necessary to keep the object in view.
This telescope is a total waste of time and money. It was on sale under a "no return" policy at a local photo store, so I am stuck with it. Lessons learned.
The only good thing about this unit is the eye pieces are high quality 1.25" Plossl. The viewing quality appears to be quite good, but I was only able to look at objects like the Moon since I could not get the scope to stay still long enough to view anything else.
I am going to go look at other brands now. Never will I consider Meade ever again...

More Reviews