by Stan Horaczek / photograph by Brian Klutch POPSCI.COM • FALL 2019 39
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156x
The challenge of amateur astron-
omy is knowing where to look to
find the cool stuff. The Celestron
Nexstar Evolution 8 uses an iOS
or Android app to pinpoint the
location of tens of thousands
of heavenly bodies. The massive
8-inch aperture collects 843 times
more photons than your eyes can.2
65x
The Orion SpaceProbe 130ST
Equatorial Reflector Telescope
gathers light through a 5.1-inch
aperture and bounces it off a pair
of reflectors to the eyepiece. At
just 24 pounds with the tripod,
it’s svelte enough to take into the
field, but big enough to spy nebu-
lae and other distant objects.EVERYWHEREZOOM AND
ENHANCE
GALILEO’S TELESCOPES ALLOWED HIM TO STUDY THE LUNAR
surface, glimpse Jupiter’s moons, and chart constellations. Modern backyard
versions let you peer even deeper into the universe and check out nearby planets,
remote star clusters, and faraway galaxies. Each of these instruments offers
increasing magnification, bringing corners of the cosmos within view.1231
25x
The Meade Star Navigator
NG102 sends sights through
glass lenses instead of rely-
ing on mirrors, which can add
bulk. The relatively low power
makes it easy to observe a large
swath of sky and even photo-
graph celestial scenes with an
optional camera adapter.