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Though I can't distinguish Scorpius from Sagittarius, I do enjoy perusing a star-filled sky. To help folks like me, as well as those who know more about star gazing, Celestron has created the SkyScout. This handheld viewing device can be used to identify or locate more than 6,000 celestial objects.
Named among the "Best of Innovations" at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, the SkyScout shipped midyear and remains on my personal "most interesting" list for innovative use of low-cost components. While some products that go through the teardown process reveal design approaches that more or less deliver what's expected, the SkyScout was a surprise in implementation as well as simplicity.
When it was first announced, my first guess was that the SkyScout might work by using pattern recognition and database matching of observed star formations-a challenging design task, and in hindsight a foolish guess on my part. The device does indeed use a database of celestial objects, but the database just holds a map, showing what stars and formations lie where in the three-dimensional space of space itself. More on that in a minute.
Usable as a standalone device or as an attachment to a telescope, the SkyScout measures about 18 x 10 x 7 centimeters and consists of the product enclosures, electronics and a built-in sighting apparatus.
The device has no magnifying power. Instead it lets the user view the night sky through a set of two...