You may have noticed that three Stargazer Steve Telescopes have similar apertures (primary mirror diameters). I have designed each with a specific aim, as explained below.

        Each is made in Ontario of high-quality materials using designs I have developed over decades of observing with amateur astronomers and assisting beginning stargazers. The features of each scope are chosen to create more rewarding observing experiences, rather than make false promises to the eye in store displays. Each telescope is extremely portable, easy to carry outside or transport, and ready to use in seconds.

       All Stargazer Steve Telescopes come with a free Rigel QuikFinder, the easiest way to aim a scope at celestial targets.

      The 4 1/4-inch Deluxe Planetary Kit is a reflecting telescope designed to show more detail on the moon and planets than telescopes costing several times as much. It makes use of a long-focus "f/10" mirror to achieve superior images. It also provides a great experience of learning about Telescopes by watching the VHS video and building your own Scope in an afternoon. You could be resolving moon craters and Saturn's rings the same night. It also gives spectacular views of nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters.

      The 4 ½-inch Deluxe Reflector Kit is the easiest-to-use, general purpose telescope for a family with stargazers of all ages and heights. With it's shorter focal length (36 inches) it covers a wide field of view on the Sky, making it even easier to aim. Wide field views of the Milky Way, Star Clusters, and Nebulae provide fascinating celestial vistas. The magnification is sufficient to show Saturn's Rings and details in Jupiter's atmosphere, such as the Equatorial Belts.

      The "dual-height" mount adapts with the turn of a knob from children's height to adult height and back. (More Details) This is a Kit which is particularly rewarding for families and students to build, following the included VHS Video.

      The Sgr-4 Reflecting Telescope is not a Kit, but comes ready to use, on a beautiful stained and varnished hardwood mount. It is a general purpose telescope of updated classic design, and when not in use it makes a nice addition to the decor of your living room or bedroom. It is powerful enough to show all 110 Messier Objects, including faint galaxies and nebulae, as well as giving fine views of the Moon, Jupiter with its moons, and the ringed planet Saturn. This telescope comes with a VHS video manual.

      All Stargazer Steve Telescope Mounts are exceptionally smooth, steady and easy to operate, as well as lighter than other existing mounts. All contact the ground at three points.

      The three contact points may be the three obvious feet of a tripod (4 ½-inch Kit and Sgr-4), OR they may be three stubby feet hidden on the underside of a box-like "Dobsonian" mount (4 ¼-inch Deluxe Planetary Kit, and 4 ½ - inch Kit).

     A Dobsonian mount uses a strong, box-like fork called a "rocker" as the basis of a very steady, very portable, very easy to operate Telescope.

      Stargazer Steve's Dobsonian Mounts follow inventor John Dobson's design closely, making use of Teflon bearings, and providing the stability of a low center of gravity.

     As you may have noticed above, the 4 ½-inch Deluxe Reflector Kit comes with BOTH a Dobsonian Mount and a Tripod. (The only Telescope on the market with both). Without the tripod, the shorter focal length of the 4 ½-inch Deluxe Reflector Kit makes its eyepieces low enough for small children to look into without a stool, but too low for adults. This is true of all other 4 ½-inch Dobsonian Telescopes.

       Therefore, I have designed a special tripod that raises the entire scope and Dobsonian Mount to the right height for adult use - this without sacrificing any of the stability of the Dobsonian mount!

      The key (besides the special design of the tripod itself) is a lock-piece on top of the tripod which grips, with the turn of a knob, the three feet of the Dobsonian mount.

      Please also see "Eyepieces and Magnification"

      Note on "f" Numbers: The Focal Length of a telescope objective divided by it's diameter is called the "Focal Ratio" of the telescope, or its "f" number. For example, a Six-inch Telescope of 48 inches focal length can be described as an f/8 telescope (48 / 6 = 8). Greater focal ratios tend to give higher magnification and more image detail. Lower focal ratios provide shorter tubes and wider fields of view.