[obvioustroll]

That's not the point - the point of this scope is to emulate the scope Galileo had.

Anyway, the problem with tiny little reflecting scopes is that you need a table to set them up on. When you're out in a dark field looking at the stars, there's rarely a table handy.

[mbrubeck]

Actually, this is not supposed to be a replica or simulation of Galileo's telescope. The scope in its default configurations has around 50% to 200% greater magnification than Galileo did, and it also uses newer optical techniques (achromatic doublets, internal baffles) to provide greater clarity than 17th-century instruments.

It is possible to assemble the Galileoscope in an alternate configuration that has the same magnification as the scope that Galileo used.

The real purpose of the Galileoscope is not to build a replica, but to build a cheap but high-quality telescope so that anyone (including children in schools that receive donated scopes) can see what Galileo saw: Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons, and detailed views of our own moon.

[obvioustroll]

I did say "emulate" not "replicate".

[anigbrowl]

It comes with a standard-size tripod mount as part of the kit. Old tripods are cheap.

[obvioustroll]

? The Celestron Firstscope has a tripod mount? Not as far as I know. Does it replace the altitude screw on the side?

If you're referring to the Galileoscope, yeah, I know that.