Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001

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Brand and Model:Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
Price ($USD):$299.00
Type:Newtonian
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:105mm (4.1")
f Ratio:f/4.2
Focal Length:445mm
Finder:peep sight 2001
Electric Power:no
Mount:comes with its own
Tripod:no
Weight (lbs):12 lbs including
Dimensions (w/h/d):7 " long17 " x 10 &quo
Description:comes with 28 mm RKE eyepiece



Edmund's Astroscan 2001 Page

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Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
This is a great scope for the beginner and advanced as well. I concur with the previous review on performance. Optics are very good. The weak point however is the optical window. I am also not happy with no collimation possible by user.

All in all this easy to transport scope may become your most used scope.... mine is.

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:9 Mount:9 Ease of Use:10 Value:9
Weight: 40 (Reputable Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=133442

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
I suppose I have the "2004" version. I paid Edmund $199 plus shipping for it. Mine came with two Edmund plossl eyepieces - 32mm and 15mm and the box noted that the scope is made in China. The 32mm eyepiece is horrible - lots of lateral coler and I have a hard time positioning my eye over it. I use my 25mm UO Erfle (which is $90 by itself) and find the views much improved. The 15mm is an excellent eyepiece however - wider and brighter views than the average plossl. When I first used it, it noticed it was way out of alignment - mostly because of a misaligned secondary. On my scope, the secondary mirror stalk is glued rather sloppily to the optical window. In my effort to align the secondary, I removed the optical window and place small bits of tape around the edges so that I could tilt the secondary appropriately. I then reinstalled the optical window and found the images consequently improved slightly. However, the primary is still a bit out of collimation and slightly pinched with no way to adjust it. I really don't enjoy the low power views of stars very much, because of the excessive coma and astigmatism. My eyes were checked two weeks ago and I don't have any astigmatism. However views of the moon are pleasing and can be focused reasonably sharp. Ironically, higher power views are actually quite good - I used my UO 7mm eyepiece with a 2.8X Klee barlow ($160 combo for 178x) last night and was able to focus reasonably well on Jupiter. I also found the that the finder peep sight my Astroscan came with difficult to use.
I really had high expectations for the Astroscan as this is the scope I always wanted as a kid. However, I find the Astroscan difficult to use unless you are able to place it on a table or stand of just the right height. It's dimensions also make difficult to point. If the collimation could be adjusted by the user, then I would probably give the optics an eight.
As it is though I'm a bit disapponted - even for the $199. If absolute portablity were not a primary issue, I would take a look at the Orion XT4.5 dob first before considering this Astroscan as a scope for new young astronomers.

Overall Rating: 6
Optics:6 Mount:5 Ease of Use:6 Value:7
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=441788

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
Easy to use. my kids love it.

Overall Rating: 4
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=419179

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
Very good optics on my sample. Collimation while very good needs to be perfect on such a fast scope. Still fine under 130x or so. Believe that this is the perfect beginner's scope and therefore have started a user group in yahoo groups under edmund astroscan. Look forward to sharing more observing experiences with you.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:9 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=417421

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
Astroscans have pretty good optics on the whole with the possible exception of the optical window. Just received my brand new astroscan in the mail today and have fairly clear skies....imagine that. If you get lucky as I have and receive an astroscan with really good optics you have something. I was a little worried at first because the shipping box said made in China. I needn't of worried. The optics star tested clearly better than 1/4 wave and the optical window with its fresh coatings didn't distort the fairly flat field nearly as much as I've seen in previous astroscans. A lot about the astroscan has already been said...the simplicity of the mount, wind proof, maintenance free, durable metal peep sight. I did find it interesting that the peep frames the field of view of the scope pretty closely. I would like to add that Edmund has made a substantial improvement in its 28mm eyepiece. The original 28mm RKE was pretty popular with its generous eyerelief, good light throughput and overall sharpness. However it had a tendency to focus the dust on the field lens along with the telescopic image. The 28mm plossl solves that problem and increases its advantage with good coatings and a wider field stop(afov). The 2 eyepieces alone will be worth $60 on the used market. I'm keeping mine however. The long eyerelief makes them really good eyepiece projection photography eyepieces.
Larry

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=415115 

1. The first three accessories I'd buy would be a good star atlas (Sky   Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas is my favtiruoe), a red flashlight, and a 10 50 binocular. All three are essential for finding your way around the night sky.2. You can use either long or short Barlows on a Newtonian. Long Barlows are less of a strain optically. Tele Vue Barlows are the best, and the Powermates are superb, but very expensive. Not a high priority.3. Generally you need only one 2  eyepiece, for a wide-field view. I like Tele Vue Nagler's myself.4. Most filters are a waste of money. The only one I use at all regularly is an OIII filter for diffuse and planetary nebulae.5. Tele Vue and Pentax are the best. Orion is pretty good, but you get what you pay for. Avoid Meade and Celestron, as they are generally cheap eyepieces rebadged with a brand name.6. Tele Vue Plf6ssls are among the best of the low-priced eyepieces, along with Orion Ultrascopics and University Optics orthoscopics. Orion Stratus and Baader Hyperion seem to be good values. The best cheap 2  eyepiece is the Guan Sheng 30mm Super Wide, sold under various brand names.VA:F [1.9.3_1094]please wait...VA:F [1.9.3_1094](from 0 votes)
Just started an Astroscan discussion group on yahoo.  If you are a fan of the astroscan I encourage you to join.  You will find it in yahoo groups under edmund astroscan.  Look forward to hearing from you.
>Astroscans have pretty good optics on the whole with the possible exception of the optical window.  Just received my brand new astroscan in the mail today and have fairly clear skies....imagine that.  If you get lucky as I have and receive an astroscan with really good optics you have something.  I was a little worried at first because the shipping box said made in China.  I needn't of worried.  The optics star tested clearly better than 1/4 wave and the optical window with its fresh coatings didn't distort the fairly flat field nearly as much as I've seen in previous astroscans.  A lot about the astroscan has already been said...the simplicity of the mount, wind proof, maintenance free, durable metal peep sight.  I did find it interesting that the peep frames the field of view of the scope pretty closely.  I would like to add that Edmund has made a substantial improvement in its 28mm eyepiece.  The original 28mm RKE was pretty popular with its generous eyerelief, good light throughput and overall sharpness.  However it had a tendency to focus the dust on the field lens along with the telescopic image.  The 28mm plossl solves that problem and increases its advantage with good coatings and a wider field stop(afov).  The 2 eyepieces alone will be worth $60 on the used market.  I'm keeping mine however.  The long eyerelief makes them really good eyepiece projection photography eyepieces.
>Larry
Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
The mount is too simple to cause problems but but can't track azimuth. No set up time. Absolute ease of use, limited magnification.

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=348942

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
12/9/01 Nice introductory scope for casual user and for youth. Very easy to manuver. Probably the best non-complex instrument to begin with and the most portable. I saw Saturn and Jupiter last night with excellent clarity - I was quite suprised. The moons of Jupiter were very distinct even from the backyard of a Washington DC area townhouse and 50 feet from a street light. I did use a better quality eyepiece than comes with the scope, however. Placed on a table, the scope gives a very stable view. This product delivers exactly what the manufacturer promises. This is not a reseach instrument but a reasonably priced educational device. W. Simmons

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38434

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
I gave an 8 because I feel it could have a better optical window and focuser. Otherwise very happy. I have the same optics in my equatorial telescope and have adjusted the collimation to give very good views of the planets. So I know edmunds optics are good. This astroscan will provides similar views on Saturn with cassini division but loses some of the subtle detail of bright jupiter. This could be the optical window. Enough said. I love the astroscan. I have a little land in the middle of no-where and this little scope blows me away sometimes with its bright wide field of view. And unlike the bushnell clone it operates at full aperature. Larry

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38433

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
Owned 2 over the years I am in astronomy. Like many have pointed out, its a beginner's scope. I could;ve stuck with it all my life though if it weren't for aperture fever.
Anyhow, the units I used both maxed out at magnifications of around 60X. I didn't really care about that, since the best of this scope is its low power large 3 degree FOV. Using this combination, I've been able to find various deep sky objects including many Messiers, even an 8th magnitude comet! (I didn't discover it, just finding it using a chart =) The large FOV made it easy.
On the planets, this scope shows its limit. The only more impressive views are the crescent of Venus and Jupiter's moons. The 60X limit really hurts this scope.
Finally, the other virtue of this scope is its portability. I took it on high school camping trips where our main transportation were buses. People did stare a little, otherwise its a perfectly portable piece of equipment.

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38432

Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001
My Awstroscan has really good optics. This is after a long stint grindind, polishing and figuring my 10" dobbie and finally getting it near perfect.
In and out of focus images of stars are almost identical. I've actually used my
5mm eyepiece which is about 87x, and the images are still pretty decent. My favarite evening was in Frazier Park outside of L A.. I spent the whole night looking at dark sky objects. Very satisfying.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38431

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