Great idea, poor execution
Pros:
It names the indicated star/planet, without your entering your city or the date.
Cons:
Eats batteries.
High error rate.
Uninformed service representatives.
The Bottom Line:
Wait for an improved product. The SkyScout misnamed four of fourteen stars, an unacceptably high error rate.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I read the initial product description of the SkyScout and bought one. I really liked the idea of combining the different devices into a new useful product. You point the instrument at a star or planet and it identifies it, without your having to input the name of a nearby city or the date. You ask it to find a star or planet and it activates guide lights around the lens to direct your aim. You can even use it as a GPS unit.
Caution: it does run down the batteries. A set of batteries would last about two hours.
Warning: there is a lack of accuracy in the device. In the "Identify" mode, you point it at a star and ask for the name of that star. I tried it on the seven major stars of the Big Dipper, and it misidentified two, naming Megrez as Phecda and Mizar as Alioth. Other misidentifications abound. One star grouping consists of Delta Cyg, Deneb, Sadr, and Gienah Cyg: the SkyScout identified Sadr as Deneb. Another grouping has Altair, Tarazed, and Vega in a straight line; the SkyScout identified Tarazed as Altair. That makes four errors in fourteen stars.
So I sent an email to Celestron, pointing out the errors. Their reply was that sometimes the SkyScout might identify a faint star as a nearby bright star. However, the SkyScout uses a GPS unit, a compass, and an inclinometer; there are no brightness meters in the instrument. All seven major stars of the Big Dipper are well separated and bright enough to be seen in the night sky of a city.
