Stefan Taube

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Posts composed by Stefan Taube

Easter gifts for nature lovers!

March 11 2024, Stefan Taube

Celebrate the start of the most beautiful season with us! Make yourself and your loved ones happy!

We offer selected gifts for young nature lovers and old hands alike:

For walks and hikes in Springtime:

If you have binoculars with you, you can see more. Nature comes closer. We offer a wide range of binoculars for nature and bird watching.

A monocular fits in every pocket and is quickly to hand for a closer look at animals or plants:

Omegon Orange 8×42 monocular

Binoculars with a roof prism are also compact, but allow comfortable binocular viewing. With 42 millimetre lenses, the Talron 8×42 is bright enough to provide a clear image even in dark forests or at dusk:

Omegon Talron HD 8×42

For a view at the Stars:

In spring, the nights are no longer freezing cold, but they are still relatively long and dark. This is the ideal time to start observing the sky!

Until 31 March you will receive an additional voucher of 100,- Euro with the purchase of a Omegon Telescope AC 90/1000 EQ-2. This allows you to order additional accessories now or at a later date.

Omegon Telescope AC 90/1000 EQ-2 + voucher at a Value of 100 Euro

Many nature lovers got their first taste of sky observation with a Skywatcher Dobsonian telescope. These telescopes are reasonably priced for their size and easy to use. We offer all models in this successful telescope series:

Be inspired by our ideas and discover the reawakening of nature!

Browse through our Easter gift ideas and give yourself and your loved ones a little treat!

Tags: Skywatcher, Omegon, telescope, Binocular
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Celestron NATURE DX binoculars now with ED lenses

October 5 2023, Stefan Taube

Binoculars from Celestron’s NATURE DX range are ideal for nature lovers and hikers. They are weatherproof, compact and lightweight – ideal for on the go!

However, the price of these binoculars is perhaps the most impressive thing. Although they have all the features of more expensive brands, they are offered at an exceptionally attractive price. This makes them the ideal companion for all hillwalkers, skywatchers and, in particular, for amateur bird watchers.

The latter benefit especially from the NATURE DX binoculars with ED lenses. The extra-low dispersion lenses provide true colour images at high resolution and contrast – with almost no colour abberations. This is particularly beneficial when observing colourful plumage on bright days.

Binoculars from the NATURE DX range are true all-rounders for all nature lovers!

Tags: Celestron, binoculars
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POLAR: classic weather stations with incredibly precise mechanics

March 27 2023, Stefan Taube

These classic weather stations with mechanical analogue pointers are particularly aesthetically pleasing and will enhance any living space. K. Fischer GmbH, the fine instrument manufacturer, offers fine mechanical craftsmanship created in its own production facilities in Germany.

POLAR thermo-hygrometer weather station

Fischer presents a new series of handmade barometers, thermometers and hair hygrometers under the brand name POLAR. These are the three most important meteorological measuring devices, which provide information about the current weather conditions and the room climate.

All instruments are precisely adjusted after manufacture and function completely maintenance-free. Each individual instrument is assigned a serial number.

The curved instrument pointers ensure parallax-free reading of the respective measured value. The dial’s typography and indices are clear and easy to read, despite their graphic refinement.

An overview of all instruments in the POLAR series can be found here in the shop.

Tags: Fischer, weather stations
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New binoculars from ZEISS: SFL series

December 15 2022, Stefan Taube

True lightweights among high-performance binoculars: ZEISS SFL

Ideal for observing birds and other animals!
Very lightweight and compact for nature walks!
Very high quality ZEISS lenses for lifelike colours and fine details!

With the ZEISS SFL binoculars (SmartFocus Lightweight) special moments can be easily experienced. The binoculars are optimised so that they are as lightweight and compact as possible.

The new ultra-high definition (UHD) concept provides lifelike colour reproduction and ultra high detail. Thanks to its SmartFocus design, the focusing wheel is perfectly positioned and enables fast precision focusing – even when wearing gloves.

The optimised ergonomics and a large exit pupil provide a relaxed, undisturbed view.

The binoculars are available in the following versions:

Tags: ZEISS, binoculars
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Bargain store: special offers!

October 13 2022, Stefan Taube

You will find bargains in our shop from across our entire range by clicking on the link %SALE% .

These special offers are only valid while stocks last, so don’t miss out on a bargain!

Risk-free saving: all items in our bargain store are sold as new and all our usual services apply!

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New CMOS-optimised line filters from Baader

July 1 2021, Stefan Taube

The manufacturer Baader presents new filters for astrophotography in the spectral lines H-alpha, OIII and SII.

Narrowband filters for aperture ratios f/10 to f/3.5
f/2 highspeed filters for aperture ratios f/3.4 to f/1.8
Ultra-narrowband filters for aperture ratios f/10 to f/3.5
f/2 ultra-highspeed filters for aperture ratios f/3.4 to f/1.8

The half-width of the narrowband filters is 6.5 nanometres, and for the ultra-narrowband it is as little as 3.5 to 4 nanometres. The f/2 filters are optimised for very fast astrographs such as Celestron’s RASA optics.

All filters are available in standard sizes:

With a line filter, astrophotography of luminous nebulae is possible even under a light-polluted city sky! These filters only allow those wavelenghts of light in which the selected celestial object shines to fall on the camera sensor. All other wavelengths are blocked. This produces high-contrast images of planetary nebulae, supernovae remnants and star-forming regions.

Three types of line filters are used in astrophotography, each of which is transparent to the brightest spectral lines of oxygen, sulphur or hydrogen atoms. Depending on the astronomical object, a single filter may be enough for a spectacular image. Combining three shots, each taken through a line filter, creates an ideal result.

The new generation of Baader CMOS-optimised filters is characterised by, among other things:

Reflex-Blocker™ coatings, for maximum insensitivity to retro-reflection from adjacent auxiliary optics, even under the most adverse conditions.
FWHM on each filter category carefully designed to allow for 1:1:1 exposures, matched for typical CMOS quantum efficiency and S/N ratio.
Blackened edges all around, with filter-lead-side-indicator in the form of a black frontside outer rim, to additionally eliminate any reflections due to light falling onto the edges of a filter.
Each filter is coated individually, with sealed coating edges.
Life-Coat™: Hard coatings to enable a non-aging coating for life – even in the most adverse environments.

You can find all the new filters here in the shop.

Tags: filters, telescope accessoires, Baader
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Build your own OpenAstroTech mount!

June 11 2021, Stefan Taube

A photo mount allows you to track the rotation of the night sky on a camera equipped with a photo lens or a small telescope. This allows for long exposure shots of large areas of the night sky.

The manufacturer OpenAstroTech now offers a very functional, yet particularly inexpensive variant of a photo mount. The OpenAstroTracker is a mount you can build yourself!

Der OpenAstroTracker mit Kamera und optionalem Autoguider

The OpenAstroTracker with camera and optional autoguider

Building the mount yourself is not only fun and educational, you also get a powerful GoTo mount at an extremely low price thanks to the DIY approach!

Some of the features:

GoTo: The mount comes with full, computer-control functionality. The electronics are compatible with commonly used astronomy software.
Suitable for DSLR cameras with a maximum total length of 35cm (camera body with lens). The maximum recommended focal length without autoguider is 200mm.
High-precision stepper motors: GoTo positioning accuracy of approx. 1 arcmin, tracking accuracy of 25 arcsec, guided accuracy of approx. 1 arcsec.

What you will need: A USB power bank able to deliver at least 5V 1A

The OpenAstroTracker is available in different latitude setting versions. We will supply you with a set that allows you to set up the mount for a latitude of either 35° to 45° or 45° to 55°.

The OpenAstroTracker kit

No need to worry: The electronic components are all designed for easy use. No soldering is necessary.

A matching DIY autoguider is also available as an option: OpenAstroGuider V2

Tags: Mount, accessories, OpenAstroTech, photo mount
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The SkyGuider Pro camera mount from iOptron is now available with an electronic polar finder

January 8 2020, Stefan Taube

The SkyGuider Pro is a very light mount on which you can set up a camera with interchangeable lenses or a small telescope. This approach allows longer exposure times and so you can create fascinating wide-angle shots of the night sky.

iOptron Montierung SkyGuider Pro iPolar Set

iOptron Mount SkyGuider Pro iPolar Set

The SkyGuider Pro is now also available as a set together with the iPolar electronic polar finder, which has been built into the mount. With this accessory, you can easily and very precisely polar-align your mount.

The electronic finder has a built-in camera. This shows the position of the northern celestial pole and the location that the polar axis of the mount is pointing at, on your laptop. Simply bring the two points together by turning the adjustment screws for the azimuth and altitude axes of the mount – and you’re done!

SkyGuider Pro with iPolar

The location of the celestial north pole differs somewhat from the location of the Pole Star. The electronics calculate the exact position using the date and time. Thanks to the sensitivity of the camera and the large field of view, this so-called polar alignment is successful even when the mount has been only roughly positioned. This also works in the southern hemisphere and even takes into account atmospheric refraction at low latitudes!

If want to do without iPolar, you can of course still purchase the SkyGuider Pro mount without the electronic polar finder here.

Tags: iOptron, Telescope Accessories, Mount, Astrophotography
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New Smartphone Mount by Celestron: NexYZ

August 28 2018, Stefan Taube

The trend of using smartphone cameras for photography with optical instruments has remained steady. This is, of course, an obvious choice because everyone has this camera with them, ready to send pictures; and these cameras are always improving. The large range of smartphone mounts has been extended by Celestron, adding a very interesting model.

The Celestron NexYZ is not only particularly robust; it can be adjusted in all three axes using a rotary knob. This means you’ll be able to set the perfect distance between the eyepiece and the adapter. This feature, in combination with the ease, with which the smartphone can be changed, is interesting for public shots at observatories, because all visitors want to take their personal moon photo home with them.

The clamp of the NexYZ adapter is also wonderfully suited for use on spotting scopes.

With the NexYZ adapter, we are offering you a smartphone holder with the usual clever design by Celestron.

Tags: Celestron, Telescope Accessories
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Observe the night sky with Celestron SkyMaster binoculars!

June 4 2018, Stefan Taube

For many observers is not a telescope, but rather a pair of binoculars that is used as the main optical instrument for exploring the night sky. That is, after all, only logical as real nature lovers are already equipped with binoculars.

Observing the night sky with the binoculars is more than just a compromise – binoculars, with their wide field of view and using both eyes, do have certain advantages over a telescope. And as binoculars are always close at hand in the truest sense of the expression, they follow the golden rule of observing the night sky – the best optical instruments are the ones that are used the most.

The SkyMaster series from the American brand Celestron are extremely popular binoculars often chosen for astronomical observing. These astronautically optimized binoculars offer a generous aperture at a great price.

For successfully getting started observing the night sky with binoculars we recommend the SkyMaster 15×70 SkySurfer set. You get it for the very affordable set price of only 133 Euros!

In addition to the binoculars, you also receive a SkySurfer III red-dot finder from Baader, which will help you to orientate yourself in the night sky. The red dot finder projects a red dot onto a transparent window. This lets you see which part of the night sky the binoculars are pointing at and lets you orient yourself using a star chart.

The set also includes is the particularly sturdy Stronghold-Bino tripod adapter from Baader. Unlike the usual adapters made of plastic or aluminium this adapter is made of steel, ensuring that your binoculars are held really firmly and safely on the tripod.

This offer is valid until August 31, 2018. And if you buy the Celestron SkyMaster 15×70 SkySurfer Binoculars set before 27.07.2018, you will be able to observe the lunar eclipse on this date. So make sure you grab yours in time!

Tags: Binocular, Celestron, Baader
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