Re: Refractor vs. Reflector?

From: Tony Flanders (tony_flanders_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 09/09/04 

Date: 8 Sep 2004 18:47:50 -0700

"Tom Royer" <troyer@mitre.org> wrote in message news:<chnhfm$8ai$1@newslocal.mitre.org>...

> When Sky and Telescope reviewed
> the Starblast, they commented that it was just the right height for young
> children

That doesn't sound right to me; are you sure you're not thinking of
the XT-4.5? I happen to have a Starblast next to me as I write this;
his name is Thor (ask my daughter, not me!) Anyway, when the scope
is pointed at the zenith, the eyepiece is just over my kneecap.
That's below eye level for the average American toddler.

My 10-year-old daughter does find Thor pretty comfortable to look
through when she's sitting on the ground, but even for her, looking
through the finder is difficult when Thor is that low.

In my experience, a scope that works well for a grown-up sitting
in a standard chair also works well for all but the shortest
children when they're standing up.

    - Tony Flanders

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