Awesome Telescopes

Many of us caught a glimpse of the 2023 annular solar eclipse, but through most filters and lenses, it just looked like a blurry crescent.  Frozen Spectrum shows off an incredible bit of time-lapse footage of the event captured with a custom solar telescope. The detail in the 8K video is unlike any we’ve seen of the sun during an eclipse.

Tom Scott got to experience very special tour of Australia’s Parkes Radio Telescope. Not only did he get to see the technology behind the long-standing telescope, he was allowed to walk on its massive dish and take a ride on it as it tilted and changed angles. Because the dish is so enormous, Tom had a hard time keeping his bearings.

Geek out as a team of scientists remove the old coating and apply a new one to the mirror from the Air Force Research Lab’s huge Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope. The process must be performed from time to time to ensure the telescope remains functional in its job of tracking low-earth satellites and ballistic missiles.

TinyScope’s digital telescope can capture images of the stars, moon, and planets using periscopic telephoto optics. It has an 8.4 MP Sony low-light image sensor, pan and tilt motors, object tracking, auto-focus, and IR/ND/UHC filters. It can also capture nature photography at a distance and ultrawide panoramic photos.

The ultra-compact, all-weather Zoom Tube has best-in-class optics and a wide field of view to bring nature closer. Really close. An optional 4x multiplier lens turns it into a field microscope. Weighing just 9.5 oz., it easily slides into a pocket, and the awesomely rugged, grippy, water-resistant ribbed housing absorbs impact.

Pastry artist Amaury Guichon never ceases to amaze us with his his edible creations. This time, he made a beautifully detailed and precise replica of a vintage telescope. It sits atop a chocolate tripod stand and is covered with a shiny gold finish. The sugar optics are crystal clear, and its geared tilt mechanism even works.

This tiny camera has a telescopic lens that lets it capture sharp images of subjects up to 3200 feet away. It works with a smartphone app to help focus on your target and reduce the impact of shaking. Its lens is the equivalent of a 673mm F4.2 on an SLR. It can be equipped with WiFi and a remote pan/tilt head.

Zoom in on the world around you with this lightweight monocular telescope. It offers crisp 50×60 magnification, letting you clearly view objects, animals, and people from thousands of feet away. It features a swing-up eyepiece for eyeglass wearers and a built-in compass. Save 14% in The Awesomer Shop.

This motorized digital telescope uses a crowdsourced database help it track and point at celestial objects. Its light amplification tech captures series of short exposures to display color and detail not typically visible through traditional telescopes, and its optics are designed to limit the impact of light pollution.

Vaonis’ Stellina is a compact telescope designed to share what it sees. Instead of an eyepiece, Stellina sends 3000×2000 pictures to your mobile device, making it easy to share and save the photos. Its app makes it easy to select what heavenly object you want to check out.

On a clear night in Los Angeles, the makers of the accurate solar system scale model decided to take their powerful telescope around the city to share an up-close view of the moon with strangers. A heartwarming and inspiring act.

Unistellar’s Enhanced Vision Telescope or eVscope is a newbie-friendly portable telescope. You can use its app to pick from a list of heavenly bodies, and the telescope will automatically move to the right position so you can enjoy the sights.

Weighing just 3 1/4 lbs, this Backpack Telescope is ideal for long hikes in search of perfect stargazing spots: it includes a padded nylon pack, 70mm refractor, and 19′ tripod.

A play on the much grander Hubble Telescope, ENESS’ Humble Telescope isn’t actually a scope at all: it simulates the nightsky in 3D wherever you point it, even during daytime.