Young astronomy enthusiasts seeking an entrée to astronomical adventure will get it in spades with an Orion SpaceProbe 3. Great for all-around astronomical observing, these highly portable, uncomplicated scopes are just the right size and weight for kids, and just the right price for parents.

The scope's short focal length serves up a generous chunk of sky in the eyepiece, making it easy for beginners to find objects. This version of the StarBlast offers an even more pronounced wide-field viewing experience, as we've upgraded the eyepieces to include two from the Expanse series - 15mm (30x) and 6mm (75x) - which have a 66° apparent field of view. Images of everything from the Moon to the Messier objects appear exceptionally sharp and contrasty.

Orion's SpaceProbe 130mm provides great all-around viewing performance. One minute you can be studying lunar crater formations at high power; the next, the ethereal glow of a nebular star factory. A few minutes later, the ringed visage of Saturn. All served in crisp detail by way of the SpaceProbe's light-gathering 130mm (5.1") primary mirror of 900mm focal length (f/6.9).