Science Equipment: How to avoid being ripped off

I’ve been traveling a lot lately and after seeing what’s on the market for science equipment… well, I just had to write this article to help you separate the trash from the treasures. (I’ve been to 13 different educational conventions in 16 months, 17 weeks of science camps, and countless other science-related workshops!)

NOTE: These are the items that I personally use in my teaching and science recreation, and thought I would pass them along to you, from one science educator to another.

I’ve focused mostly on the big-ticket items, the ones that will put the biggest hole in your wallet if you’re not careful. With these tips, you’ll be able to turn those hard-earned dollars into a sound investment in your child’s education and journey toward life-long learning.

The three most important things you can give your child:
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Binoculars, a Microscope, and a Telescope

BINOCULARS Celestron Cometron 7x50s are really good for the price! I personally own a set of these, and I’ve also added an L-adapter and camera tripod for longer viewing sessions, although nothing really beats a sleeping bag or a comfortable lawn chair!

MICROSCOPES The 3088 is a great scope (and one I personally use with the teaching head attached), but any college-level compound microscope with at least three objectives (40X, 100X, 400X) is the one you want. Make sure it’s also got a adjustable steel mechanical stage, dust cover or box, and both a mirror and a light (so you can do both outdoor and indoor work). Add a flashlight to your kit for illuminating thick specimens from above, and a set of slides with cover slips, and you’re all set. (They now have battery-operated LED lights for outdoor work, but this is an option you won’t use much, as many scopes still require you to know how to use the mirror option.)

Here’s a nice Student Version of the same scope for less cost. If you’re going to use the scope only once in awhile, then invest in the student economy model This will hold up well and do a great job with occasional use. Lots of families use microscopes like this one and enjoy their sharp, clear images. The one we recommend is well built, economical, and a great way to enjoy the microscopic world.

A school quality microscope has been built to withstand the rigors of frequent and daily use. The 3088 is heavier, sturdier, and has been built to last with a lot of use. If you want all the bells and whistles, find a scope with the four lenses (including 1,000X), iris, and mechanical stage. For the 1,000X lens, make sure you get the special “oil immersion” objective. Light tends to do weird things when you magnify it that much, and to avoid problems, scientists use a drop of oil on the slide to connect the objective with the slide, but you need to have a special kind of lens that won’t get mussed up when contacted with oil (hence the “oil immersion” type).

Expect to pay at least $130 for a decent microscope your child will take with them to college. Invest in a box to keep everything safe and it will last for many, many years.

TELESCOPES The SkyView Pro telescope outperforms all others in its class, especially with the right eyepieces. However, if you have smaller kids, the eyepiece can be way too high for them, and they might knock the whole thing over. So, for smaller astronomers, you’ll want to get a Dobsonian. If you’re new to the starfield, you’ll want one with “Go To” capability for the Dobsinian (or “Go To” for the SkyView Pro). Don’t even think about owning a telescope without getting padded cases to protect them from dust and dings.

This is the most important part of the telescope – the eyepieces! You’ll also need to get decent eyepieces. The ones that are included with the telescope you can replace with these incredibly widefield eyepieces. Find an 8mm, 17mm, and a 21 or 24mm.

For solar viewing, you need a solar filter at the OPEN END (not at the eyepiece!) of the telescope. For deep sky viewing, you might consider an O-III filter from Lumicon for viewing faint nebulae, like M42 in Orion. Get yourself a carrying case for all of your optics, and be sure your telescope has a laser finder.

Expect to spend at least $200 for an entry-level scope, or up to $1,000 for all the stuff I’ve listed here.  Anything less than $200 (OR anything from Costco, Walmart, Kmart, or other similar stores) is just plain junk and not worth your time, unless you’re looking for a good dust collector.

Getting set up with a telescope is no small task, but the rewards are astronomical! (Pun intended!) Seriously, though, we hear about MORE kids than you’ll ever want to know that have gotten so excited about a new telescope, only to get frustrated and disgruntled, and eventually not only trashing the telescope but also their whole interest in astronomy. Getting a cheap telescope is the fastest way to kill your child’s passion for astronomy. This goes for microscopes and binoculars, too. You’ll find when you invest up front, the rewards just keep coming and coming for years beyond what you ever expected.

Well, there you have it – the best stuff out there on the market for the best price.  While you can go hog-wild and order TeleVue Optics, a custom telescope from AstroPhysics, and an electron-microscope, it’s not what your child needs right now.  (They can work hard to earn those after they’re excited about science!)   Just get them the tools they need now without compromising the quality of the instrument.  Good luck!

Best wishes in science,
Aurora

P.S. These items are NOT required for my e-Science curriculum. These items are above and beyond the scope of what we’re covering on this website. I just though you’d enjoy having a resource if case you’re looking for outstanding educational gifts!

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