The Galileoscope was created as a cornerstone project for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, and it filled the void for a lack of high-quality, low-cost kits suitable for both optics education and celestial observation.  Since its inception, more than a quarter million Galileoscope kits have been distributed to educators, students, and astronomy enthusiasts worldwide. The Galileoscope is a high-quality educational telescope kit created by astronomers, optical engineers, and science educators.  Learn how telescopes work and experiment with lenses as each of the components are assembled (don't worry - it's an easy 5-minute assembly!). This kit includes detailed step-by-step instructions to guide you through the assembly.  You can also access a free tutorial provided by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific to build yours along with a knowledgeable instructor, which includes a number of expert tips and tricks! You'll get two telescopes in one - one very similar to what Galileo used and a more modern type, improving upon Galileo's 400-year-old design.  Both are suitable for learning optics and celestial observation - making it accessible to astronomy enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. Special features: Focuser: 1¼ barrel is compatible with standard commercial accessories, including eyepieces, Barlow lenses, and camera adapters. Galilean Eyepiece: Get an authentic star-gazing experience with a magnification of 17x and a right-side-up field of view less than ½° wide. 2x Barlow Lens: Increase the Galileoscope's magnification to 50x when used with the regular supplied eyepiece. What you can see: Mountains and craters on the Moon Four moons circling Jupiter More stars in the Pleiades and Beehive clusters than can be seen with the unaided eye Saturn's rings And much more! Brand: Explore Scientific Note: Some assembly required.