Astronomically speaking, the Galileoscope™ is a tool, plus you get to build it (although it’s apparently a “no-tools assembly” that takes “5 minutes or less” — everything snaps together). At $15 plus shipping, the price seems incredible. Designed as a kit for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), the Galileoscope™ claims to offer “features usually seen only on commercial instruments costing 10 times more.”

It’s a 50-mm diameter, 25- to 50-power achromatic refractor with a standard ¼-20 tripod mounting nut that you can use to see lunar craters, Jupiter and four of its moons, and other celestial wonders. Many more details are on its website. Shown below is a simulation of its moon view at 50×.

While binoculars can be a good and easy bet for viewing larger celestial objects, it’s always handy to have a more stable and versatile telescope — and it’s an inexpensive way to introduce the kids to backyard astronomy.

Galileoscope™ [Manufacturer's Site]
IYA2009

In 1902 sponge divers discovered 81 fragments of an ancient, unknown tool at the bottom of the sea near the Greek island of Antikythera. Dated around the first century B.C., this early “computer” was the most complex technology of its time – and for another thousand years. Originally thought to be an astrolabe, the mechanism tracked and predicted the cycles of the solar system and the movement of heavenly bodies.

Beginning in fall 2005, a team of British and Greek scientists and researchers used innovative digital imaging and 3-D X-ray technology to take high-res pictures of the mechanism, inside and out, including detailed inscriptions that offer insight into the tool’s functions. Now a London museum curator, Michael Wright, has built a working replica – the first to incorporate all the details of the original, including the Greek and Egyptian calendars, markers indicating locations of the moon and five planets known to the ancient Greeks, and predictions of solar and lunar eclipses. The three dials even include a movable dial to account for leap years.

The Antikythera mechanism was found among the remains of a Roman merchant ship. As it turns out, just like with art, architecture, and the gods, the Romans knew a good Greek tool when they saw one.

Video of Wright’s working replica [The Guardian UK]
Antikythera Mechanism Research Project

Have you ever gazed up at the starry night sky and wished you could remember more from high school astronomy than just the Big Dipper? With the Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium, you just point, shoot, and learn. The SkyScout uses GPS technology, calculation positioning software, and gravity and directional sensors to identify celestial objects and tell you all about them.

You just look through the camcorder-like lens, point at a star, planet, cluster, or constellation that interests you, and click the “target” button — the SkyScout then provides textual descriptions of the object, including history, mythology, and trivia.  It can also deliver the descriptions via audio, but reviewers say it drains the batteries.

According to the SkyScout website, the device offers a number of cool features:

1. Locates over 6,000 stars, planets, and constellations from built-in celestial database and provides scientific information for each object
2. Provides comprehensive text and audio descriptions providing history, mythology, and other entertaining information for the most popular objects
3. Tonight’s Highlights: A customized list of the 20 best objects to view for your exact date, time, and location anywhere in the world
4. Constellation Lessons: if the star you identify or locate is part of a constellation or an asterism like the Big Dipper, you can actually take a guided tour through all the stars in that constellation and even see an onscreen map of the constellation

With the SkyScout’s USB port you can update its database, using the downloadable Skylink interface, as new objects (such as comets) are discovered. An SD card slot takes expansion cards containing more audio information, and a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack and earbuds are included.

The SkyScout measures 7.4 by 4 inches and weighs 15.2 ounces sans AA batteries — light and compact enough to carry around your favorite dark site.  Street pricing starts at $300 but can run as high as $400, depending on where you shop. This gadget looks like it may well be worth it — especially for backyard astronomers, campers, or kids learning about constellations.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
SkyScout [Official Site]