Zoomion 50 mm AZ Refractor

The Zoomion 50 mm AZ (also called Spaceboy 500 AZ) is an achromatic lens telescope, a telescope with a lens of two glass elements, with a 50 mm aperture and 500 mm focal brandlength (f/10) on an azimuthal mounting with a steel tripod. It is the smallest model of Zoomion in our range, intended as the first telescope for a child, with the moon as the main target. The two eyepieces give 25x and 40x; with the 90-degree zenith mirror you look up at the viewfinder, and with the flip lens the image is upright during the day. What you can show a child with a first telescope is described in Astronomy for children.

What do you see with the Zoomion 50 AZ?

Moon: at 25x with the 20 mm eyepiece, the entire Moon with the dark seas and the large craters; at 40x with the 12.5 mm eyepiece, the crater rims and mountains along the shadow line. Along the bright edge of the Moon you see a thin purple-blue rim; that is the chromatic aberration of an achromatic lens and at f/10 it remains narrow. Jupiter: a small disk with the four large moons in a row, which change place from evening to evening. Saturn: at 40x a small oval, on a quiet night with the ring as protrusions on both sides. Venus shows its disk shapes. Deep sky: the Pleiades at 25x, the Orion Nebula as a gray spot around the Trapezium stars, and from a dark spot the Andromedan Nebula as a faint oval spot. Nebulae and galaxies are seen with the eye in gray tones, not in color. From a city or village with street lighting, the Moon, planets, double stars, and star clusters remain; nebulae and galaxies require a dark spot. The manufacturer gives 70x as the highest meaningful magnification; the included eyepieces remain below that at 40x, keeping the image steady and clear. During the day, you can look up at birds, trees, and a church tower in the distance with the flip lens. What you can expect per object is stated in What do you see through a telescope?, Jupiter through a telescope, Saturn through a telescope and The Moon through a telescope.

How is the Zoomion 50 AZ different from other children's telescopes?

• Zooming: the Zoomion 50 AZ offers 25x and 40x out of the box, both below the 70x limit that the manufacturer specifies for this viewer. There is no Barlow lens or 4 mm eyepiece included that provides a large, dark image.
• Day and night: a 90-degree zenith mirror for comfortable viewing from above at the moon, and a reversing lens for a straight-on view during the day. The manufacturer lists nature observation as an application.
• Eyepiece size: The eyepiece connection is 1 inch (0.965 inch), smaller than the 1.25 inch of the larger Zoomion models. Separate 1.25 inch eyepieces and filters do not fit; the two included eyepieces cover the usable range of this lens.

For whom yes and for whom no

Hello a child from 8 years old together with an adult or from 10 years old independently, with the Moon and the moons of Jupiter as the first targets; who wants to watch with the same viewer during the day and at night; who is looking for a first introduction before a larger telescope arrives. See also telescopes for children.

Not for the bands of Jupiter and the ring of Saturn with detail; there requires more opening, like the 76 mm mirror telescope from Zoomion With 1.25 inch eyepieces up to 112x. For photos of nebulas and galaxies, a mount is needed that follows the sky; then look at the smart telescopes; photos of the moon can be taken with a smartphone adapter attached to the eyepiece.

What's in the box

• Optical tube 50/500
• Azimuthal mount
• Steel tripod
• 20 mm eyepiece (25x), 1 inch, for the entire Moon, the Pleiades and searching
• 12.5 mm eyepiece (40x), 1 inch, for craters and planets
• 90-degree zenith mirror, 1 inch
• Reversing lens for a upright image during the day
• Seeker
• Manual

Not included: Barlow lens, smartphone adapter, sun filter. A Barlow lens is not necessary with this viewfinder; 40x remains well within the 70x that the lens can handle; a smartphone adapter clamps a phone onto the eyepiece for a first lunar photo; a sun filter that clamps onto the tube before is the only safe way to look at the sun.

Format and weight

The manufacturer describes the viewer as small and light enough to take on holiday. The stand is made of steel. If the viewing angle is lower than your child's eyes, place it on a sturdy garden table, not on a wobbling stool.

First evening with the Zoomion 50 AZ

• Remove the lens cap, place the tripod on a flat, sturdy surface and place the zenith mirror with the 20 mm eyepiece in the viewfinder.
• Line the viewfinder during the day on a distant object, for example a church tower or chimney: first place the object in the 20 mm eyepiece, then adjust the viewfinder with the screw screws at the same point. Let a child practice aiming and focusing during the day.
• Do not look through a window; the glass and the temperature difference make the image blurry.
• Start with the 20 mm eyepiece (25x) and look for the moon; then switch to the 12.5 mm eyepiece (40x). Because of the zenith mirror, the image is mirrored; in the sky it doesn’t matter; during the day you use the reversing lens.
• Rotate the focus lever until the image is small and sharp; a large blurry disc is not sharp.
• Set the telescope outside 15 minutes before viewing; a 50 mm lens heats up quickly in outdoor temperatures.
• A lens telescope does not need to be collimated. If you see nothing or only a blur, the viewfinder is crooked or the focus is off; if the lens is covered with fog, put the cap on and let it dry inside, never wipe it off. More causes are listed in Why can't I see anything through my telescope?.

Which accessories are suitable?

• Omegon Helievo solar filter: foil in a ring that is attached to the tube beforehand; measure the circumference of the front of the tube, divide by 3.14 and choose the size that corresponds to that result. This way, a child can see sunspots during the day, always under the supervision of an adult.
• Omegon Smartphone Adapter for eyepieces from 25 to 48 mm: Clamp around the edge of the eyepiece if it is between 25 and 48 mm wide; measure the supplied 20 mm eyepiece at the eyepiece edge before ordering. This allows a child to take a photo of the entire moon with the 25x eyepiece.

Zoomion 50 mm AZ, 70 mm AZ or 76 mm AZ?

Frequently asked questions about the Zoomion 50 AZ

• Is it suitable for a child? From 8 years old together with an adult, from 10 years old independently: no alignment, two eyepieces, and the moon is in view within a minute with the 20 mm eyepiece.
• Can I take photos with it? Of the moon: with a smartphone adapter attached to the eyepiece at 25x; long exposures of clouds and galaxies require a mount that follows the sky.
• Which sun filter fits it? A filter that fits on the tube before it. Measure the circumference of the front of the tube, divide by 3.14 and choose on the page of the Omegon Helievo The size that this outcome falls into. Cover the viewfinder and check the film for each use. Never use an eclipse glasses behind the viewer or a filter in the eyepiece, even during the day when observing nature near the sun.
• Do I need to collimate it? No; the lens is stuck in the tube and remains aligned, even after transportation.
• Are there other eyepieces available? The manufacturer specifies a 1-inch eyepiece connection; loose 1.25-inch eyepieces and filters do not fit in there. Stick with the two included eyepieces, which cover the usable range of this lens.
• Can I use it to watch birds during the day? Yes, with the reversing lens the image is upright and clear. Never point it at the sun without a filter on the tube first.

Specifications

Shipping and assistance

Orders with multiple items are shipped from multiple warehouses and may arrive in parts; each package will have its own tracking number. More information about this can be merk found on the Zoomion merkpage. Help with choosing or on the first evening: WhatsApp or call on weekdays from 9:00 to 17:00, or come by appointment in Sneek. 30 days' cooling-off period.