The Orion 4.5 StarBlast Astro Reflector Telescope is easy to set up, easy to carry and use. It is recommended for beginners to intermediate-level astronomy hobbyists.
It is best for viewing brighter deep sky and best for imaging lunar and planetary.
This is a hardy telescope and can handle a lot of use. It is used in Astronomy clubs as well as used in the Astronomy League. You can get great views of the moon and planets, the nebulas and star clusters.
It has a good stable base which allows for moving in azimuth and in altitude. This is also known as the altazimuth where the telescope can move about both vertical and horizontal axis.
Contents
Orion Strablast Specs vs 6i vs Spaceprobe vs 114EQ
| Specification | Orion Starblast 4.5 | Orion Starblast 6i | Orion Spaceprobe | Celestron Astromaster 114EQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check Latest Price on Amazon.com | Check Latest Price on Amazon | Check Latest price on Amazon | Check Latest Price on Amazon | |
| Optical Design | Reflector | Reflector | Newtonian Reflector | |
| Optical Diameter | 114mm | 150mm | 130mm | |
| Focal length | 450mm | 750mm | 650mm | 1000 mm (39.37”) |
| Focal ratio | f/4.0 | f/5.0 | f/5.0 | f/8.7 |
| Aperture | 4.5″ | 6″ | 5.1″ | 4.48″ |
| Optics Type | Parabolic | Parabolic | Parabolic | |
| Eyepieces | Explorer II 17.0mm,6.0mm (1.25″) | Sirius Plossl 25.0mm,10.0mm (1.25″) | Plossl 25.0mm,10.0mm (1.25″) | Two 1.25” eyepieces (20mm and 10mm) |
| Finder Scope | EZ Finder II reflex sight | EZ Finder II, f5 scope | 6×30 Finder scope 30mm | |
| Lowest useful magnification | 16x | 21x | 19x | 16x |
| Highest useful magnification | 228x | 300x | 260x | 269x |
| Mount | Equatorial | Altazimuth | Equatorialtr | AstroMaster German Equatorial |
| Tripod | Adjustable-height aluminum tripod | Wood | Adjustable-height aluminum tripod | pre-assembled tripod |
| Weight, fully assembled | 20.7 lbs | 25.0 lbs | 24.2 lbs | 17 lbs |
| Additional included accessories | Collimation cap, Eyepiece rack, Integrated carrying handle | 3 eyepiece rack, Intelliscope object locator | Collimation cap | 2 eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a tripod, and a StarPointer red dot finderscope |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 2 year |
| Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual | |
| Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon |
How to choose a Telescope?
The following factors are a good guide to selecting a good telescope.
Aperture
The diameter of main optical components such as the lens or mirror
determines
- The light-gathering ability or how bright the image appears
- Resolving power, that is how sharp the image appears
Typically an aperture should be between 2.8 to 10 inches. This means
- Small objects will appear crisper
- You will get more detailed views
- Faint objects such as galaxies and nebulae will appear bolder
Magnification
Magnification depends on the eyepiece used, as well as it depends on the power, aperture, and atmospheric conditions.
To calculate the magnification multiply the telescopes aperture in millimeters by two or the aperture in inches by 50
Magnification = focal length of Scope / focal length of eye piece
Focal Length and Eyepieces
If you want higher magnifications you should use a shorter focal length.
focal ratio = telescope focal length / aperture
Types of Telescopes
Refractors
- Generally, deliver sharper and brighter images per inch of aperture than any other design
- lenses are somewhat more efficient than mirrors