
- #Refractor vs reflector how to
- #Refractor vs reflector portable
- #Refractor vs reflector pro
- #Refractor vs reflector software
#Refractor vs reflector software
Relevant software is downloadable via an app, rather than being supplied on a bundled CD or DVD. Apart from the features we've already listed above, however there's not much in the way of extras supplied. The Celestron Inspire 100AZ Refractor Telescope endeavours to provide plenty of bang for your buck, with optics and features not usually found at its price point. Celestron Inspire 100AZ and Meade Polaris 114mm: price & extras
#Refractor vs reflector portable
Weight wise, if you're interested in which is the most portable option, there is not a great deal in it between our contenders, as both are around a weighty though not restrictive 10kg.

Also referred to as a German equatorial mount, this is a telescope mount that has been aligned with the earth's polar axis – allowing its user to easily follow a particular object in the night sky for an extended period of time. Its maker claims that its larger and stable ‘equatorial' mount with slow motion controls for the smooth tracking of objects across the night sky provides added stability and user support. The alternative in the Meade Polaris 114mm Reflector Telescope likewise features an accessory tray and a stainless steel tripod. While it could not be considered an essential accessory, the Celestron further provides a red LED flashlight that is stowed in the centre of the mount head when not in use and can be used to illuminate the contents of the accessory tray when required, or alternatively used as a spotlight. Highest practical magnification here is a pretty decent, if not quite market leading, 241x. A built in micro meter provides a numbered scale that indicates the focuser's position, allowing users to quickly return to a specific point of interest. Thanks to a folding accessory tray it's a case of popping the legs of the supplied tripod open and then turning the lock knob to secure it steadily in place. Setting up the Celestron Inspire 100AZ Refractor Telescope from scratch is claimed to be simplicity itself. Software supplied: Autostar Suite Astronomer EditionĬelestron Inspire 100AZ and Meade Polaris 114mm reflector: usability.Meade Instruments Polaris 114mm Reflector Telescope: specs Software supplied: None, but SkyPortal app available.Magnification: 241x recommended maximum.Operational flexibility is what's offered here.Ĭelestron Inspire 100AZ Refractor Telescope: specs For those not in the know an altazimuth mount is a two-axis mount for supporting and rotating the telescope about both vertical and horizontal axes. The set up is portable too, thanks to a lightweight yet stable asymmetrical ‘altazimuth' mount, set on a stainless steel construction tripod. Its optics provide an image that is the right way up to enable easy viewing day or night, whether viewing landscapes or the heavens. That being said, this telescope isn't just built for astronomy. With fully coated glass optics, the Celestron's relatively short tube allows for a wider field of view, thus making it suited to finding both large and faint deep sky objects. A bonus here is a fully integrated smartphone adapter that will allow users to get up and running with some astrophotography from the get go. So those are the basics, but which of our chosen contenders for the best intermediate telescope you can buy will best suit your own particular requirements? Read on to find out… Celestron Inspire 100AZ vs Meade Polaris 114mm reflector telescope: design and featuresĪt the heart of the Celestron Inspire 100AZ Refractor Telescope is a large 100mm objective lens, while there is a choice of two supplied 10mm and 20mm eyepieces providing a magnification of 33x and 66x respectively. It may not have a built-in computerised system that will set motors whirring and automatically direct you to specific points of interest, but it will resemble what most people think of when they consider a telescope and should suit all but the fussiest or laziest of stargazers. Put simply, as well as being good value, the feature set and performance of an intermediate scope should ensure that it's one you won't tire of easily.
#Refractor vs reflector pro
You'll pay maybe two or three times as much as you'd need to spend on one of the best telescopes for beginners (see our Celestron 21039 PowerSeeker 50AZ vs National Geographic Refractor 60/700 AZ guide for two great low-end options), but that will still fall short of the three times again that a truly range topping telescope will cost (such as the Orion SkyView Pro 8 GoTo vs Celestron Nexstar 8SE). Enter the mid-range or intermediate telescope.

#Refractor vs reflector how to
There are plenty of keen amateur astronomers who love watching the stars and know how to handle a telescope, but can't quite stretch to the price of a high-end device.
