GeoSafari Vega 360 Telescope Review (Age 8+) Sent by Learning Resources.

We've worked with Learning Resources a few times now, and a couple of weeks ago they sent us the GeoSafari Vega 360 Telescope to review. This is a very portable refractor telescope with a tripod stand, and magnifications of up to 20x 40x and 80x. Ideal for stargazing, bird-watching and just looking at the distant horizon... 

Inside the box everything is really neatly packaged, with minimal plastic. It's a really sturdy set of boxes and great for storage or transportation. 

There is some simple assembly required, which my 10 and 11 year old boys managed between them (after putting the telescope on backwards at first). 

Younger children especially might need a hand to ensure they don't let the telescope bash on the table while they attach it to the tripod that's included. It's a nice tripod, easy to use, it's got a bit of weight and is really steady.

Ready to go in 5 minutes, like most telescopes, it's easy to use but difficult to master. There is a 360 rotation and easy to use angle adjustment. All the lenses come with end caps to keep them dust free. 

There are 20mm and 9mm eyepieces included, which give you a range of viewing magnifications - 20x, 40x, and 80x. There's also a 2x image erecting eye piece (image erector) for looking at objects on Earth (wildlife, scenery and sports etc). The eyepieces slot in and it's quite a solid build that won't lose focus with a breeze. 

 

The boys had no problem focusing on nearby trees while we waited for it to get dark. They didn't quite manage to focus on birds, but the pesky things move while you're trying to locate them. 

A telescope is a great educational toy because it really is fun to play with at any age, and you can learn about a world you don't usually see - and beyond... 

We played with a different telescope earlier this month, and that was a build-it-yourself working model, so my boys have a good idea of how a telescope works. They were able to use that knowledge with this telescope, which has a stronger magnification. If your children haven't considered how it works before, they'll be able to learn about lenses and magnification, reflection, and how light travels. 

There's a user guide included, with the assembly instructions and some recommended activities, to help you appreciate telescopes aren't just for looking at stars... 

The GeoSafari Vega 360 Telescope is available now from the Learning Resources website.  Suitable for age 8+, it currently costs £48 rrp. Free delivery on UK orders over £50. 

We were sent our GeoSafari Vega 360 Telescope for review.