Wow!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
By Anne H.
This thing is freaking AWESOME. It took us a few minutes to get started and understand how to use it but now my son and I use it all the time. Best gift we’ve bought in a long time!
Stellarscope
Looking into the night sky is inspiring. Looking into the night sky with the Stellarscope is something else entirely. The small, easily portable device helps you to quickly identify more than 1,500 stars visible to the naked eye. Unlike modern telescopes, this handheld star chart keeps things old-school with a manual way to set the map and explore the stars.
To use it, choose the adapter for your latitude, rotate the time/date selector, and then look through the lens to discover a star map aligned with the actual night sky. The maps include the continental U.S. as well as most of Alaska and Canada, south of the Arctic Circle.
- A portable stargazing stellarscope to quickly identify over 1,500 stars and constellations
- Accurate between 20° and 60° north or south latitude
- Includes a red light to shine through the scope on
- Designed by Bernard Vuarnesson and made in France
- Dimensions: (H) 6” x (W) 2.5”
- Select the hemisphere you are gazing in
- Choose the adapter for your latitude
- Remove the bottom part of the Stellarscope and snap the appropriate latitude attachment into place
- Align your date and time with the direction in which you are searching (North, South, East, West)
- If you are having trouble seeing through, use the included red light and shine it through the front end of the Stellarscope
Price: $55.00
Rating: 4.1 out of 5 (83 reviews)
See what secrets the night sky is hiding
Customer Reviews
Great product
Rating: 5 out of 5
By Casey W.
Easy to use
Not so great
Rating: 5 out of 5
By R
Complicated and cheap. Very dissapointing
Little Weird
Rating: 3 out of 5
By Arturo Z.
I thought it'd be a telescope, but it's more a viewfinder map. Kinda odd to use, but it works, I think. Gotta learn the stars a little more.
Very cool for astronomy
Rating: 5 out of 5
By Rebekah
I have a telescope that is too bulky to carry. This fits in my bag. I'm still learning to use it but it's a fun addition to my telescope and binocular collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Stellarscope and how does it work?
The Stellarscope is a handheld cylindrical star finder designed by Bernard Vuarnesson and made in France. You snap on the latitude adapter, align the time and date dial with the direction you're facing, and look through the eyepiece to see a star map overlaid on the night sky — instantly identifying more than 1,500 stars and constellations visible to the naked eye.
What's the latitude range — does it work across the US?
Accurate between 20° and 60° north or south latitude, covering the entire continental US, most of Alaska and Canada south of the Arctic Circle. Different latitude adapters are included — you select the one for your location and snap it into place.
How is this different from a stargazing app on a phone?
The Stellarscope is a fully analog optical instrument — no battery, no internet, no screen. Reviewers who use both describe it as a more immersive and social experience that gets passed around at campfires in a way a phone app doesn't. A red light is included to preserve night vision, which phone screens destroy.
Is it good for kids and beginners?
Yes — reviewers describe it as intuitive for teens and adults alike. It consistently gets called out as a gift that gets used rather than shelved. The mechanical setup step is simple enough that a 14-year-old reviewer's grandson figured it out immediately.
Is the standalone Stellarscope the same as the one in the Stargazing Kit?
Yes — the same instrument. The Stargazing Kit adds the '50 Things to See in the Sky' hardcover book. If you already have a star guide or prefer just the optical tool, the standalone is the right pick.