One wiseacre assumed we meant any package leaving our shipping room that once had a glass object in it. That is a malicious rumor. . . Ground glass is thin plate glass, the surface of which has been physically ground or acid-etched to create a grainy, grayish, opaque surface. Use it to produce an image from a lens or lens system. Even a simple magnifier, held between the ground glass and, say, a window, will produce an image of the window scene on the ground glass. Ground glass has another magical property: it is opaque to any object viewed at a distance, but not if that object is in direct contact with the glass surface. A necessary element of your optical education. #2728 (square) is 2"sq x 1/32" thick. #2610 (rectangular) is 3-1/2" x 4-3/8" x 1/16" thick.

Treat yourself to an assortment of our finest negative meniscus lenses in sizes between 14mm and 52mm with focus lengths between -29.7mm and -169mm. Negative meniscus lenses spread light instead of concentrating it, so they're sort of de-magnifying glasses. (Perfect for reading if your vision is too good.) You get (4) lenses in each of (5) sizes for (20) total.

The sport of the future? No, cork-lined polystyrene boxes for holding microscope slides, complete with numbered slots and inventory sheets on the lids. The boxes are 8-3/4" x 6-3/4" x 1-1/3" with hinged lids. They are stackable, and you might get them in a variety of colors.

Thick, but very desirable, like a nice fat slice of salami, these negative meniscus glass lenses are 55mm dia with a focal length of -169mm (think: reduction). Great for artists and crafters. Edges might have some slight chips, but that's surplus for you.

This green, rubber-coated 4X binocular from Celestron® is kid-sized but otherwise very high quality with coated lenses, an 18" neck cord, belt-mount carrying pouch and lens cloth. Has 30mm objective lens diameter and a 4.3 degree X 225-foot field of view at 1,000 yards.

A Sherlock Holmes-type magnifying glass is good, but this is better. It frees your hands and throws light on the subject! This 120-volt magnifying desk lamp has a white or black (our choice) heavy 7-3/8" x 5-1/2" x 2" base with a power switch, standard lamp cord, and 11" gooseneck ending in a 5-1/4" dia shade. Under the shade is a circular fluorescent bulb and a 3-3/8" dia lens with a flip-back cover. The box says the lens is 5X, we think it's closer to 2X. Either way, it's a major improvement if you need help to examine scientific specimens, to inspect stamps or jewelry, or just to read. And we won't even talk about how your nail care is going to improve after you see your cuticles under this thing!

Capture stars and amoebas on your smartphone with the Orion® SteadyPix™, which allows you to take phone pics through a telescope, binocular, spotting scope, and some microscopes. The rubber-coated clamp fits phones from 2-1/8” to 3-3/4” wide, and the twist-lock clamp fits devices with eyepieces between 1” and 1-3/4”. For best results, set the phone timer so you don’t have to touch it and cause vibrations.

This 20-200X digital microscope from Celestron® has a built-in 5-megapixel digital camera that will take still photos and video of any scientist's discoveries. It's easy to use--perfect for looking at stamps, bugs, coins, rocks, circuit boards, plants and tons of other tiny things. Good for professionals but completely appropriate for curious kids, too. Has a manual trigger on the USB power cord, plus an 8-LED illuminator and a 6" adjustable stand on a 6-5/8" x 4-3/4" base. Comes with Celestron® Micro CapturePro software for Windows XP/Vista/7/8 and Mac OSX 10.6-10.7. USB 2.0.

This 96pp, full-color, heavily illustrated book, "The Usborne Internet-Linked Book of Astronomy & Space," is written with a quick-link to the publisher's website, where there are updated links to internet sites that correspond to specific pages of the text. Sections include the solar system, stars, constellations, telescopes, photography and a plethora of astronomical facts and lists. From Usborne Publishing.

This extremely good quality folding jeweler's loupe is in polished aluminum and folds into a protective cover. It measures 1-5/8" x 13/16" and is teardrop-shaped when closed. Doublet lens, 18mm dia, 10X, lit by (2) very bright white LEDs, powered by (3) button-cell batteries that are included. It has a small loop for a chain, and comes in a plastic case with a small tool for accessing the batteries.

Begin their microscopic education here, with this 40-640X student microscope from Levenhuk®. Featuring an adjustable eyepiece, variable white LED illuminator, and adjustable iris. Comes with a cover; (5) blank and (5) prepared slides; pipette; brine shrimp, yeast, sea salt and glue samples; forceps; a microtome; 58-page user guide; and a 23-page manual. Includes (2) “AA” batteries and a lifetime warranty through the manufacturer.

Up close and personal. From My First Lab™, these prepared microscope slides are Biology 101 in a box. Fungus slides (“Fun Guys”) have bread mold, penicillum, lichens, mushroom and yeast samples. The guts group has human stomach, heart and blood, plus brain and kidney cells from a small mammal. For ages nine and up.

These 9mm dia (PCX) plano-convex glass lenses have a 268mm focal length, and are perfect for arts and crafts projects, or for making the worlds tiniest telescope. May have a few small chips but we will sort them as best as we can. Call about larger quantity discounts!

Our newest Celestron® compound (biological) microscope is even better than the last one we offered. This one comes with a 3.5" color LCD viewing screen that rotates 180° for easy sharing in a lab, classroom or at home. It has an upgraded 5-megapixel camera that can record 625 hi-res photos or 20 minutes of 30fps video to the included 1GB SD card. The 4X, 10X and 40X objectives provide 40X, 100X and 400X optical magnifications, and the digital zoom raises it up to 1600X. On-screen, button controlled settings allow you to easily adjust exposure, image effects, a digital measuring reticle and other visual tweaks. Top and bottom independently adjustable LED illumination and a built-in 6 position filter wheel allow complete light adjustability. Also included are an AC adapter with 3 extra European adapters for those who travel, (5) prepared slides, USB and video out cables and a rigid lined 15" x 7" x 8.5" OA carrying case with a suitcase-handle and shoulder strap, for storage, field work or classroom visits. Carries a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.

You’re bound to be able to read through one of the lenses on this triple-lens hand-held magnifier. You pick. There’s a large, 5-1/4” acrylic lens at 1.5X with a 1” dia bifocal on the left at approx 2X and a doublet in the handle at approx 7X. (Ignore the surplus-inducing mis-marked lens powers; we tested ’em and the powers listed here are accurate.) Has (3) white LEDs under the main lens for your viewing pleasure and measures 10-3/4” long . The other is the same thing in a slightly smaller size, 8-3/4” long overall with a 3-3/8” x 1.5X main lens with a 1” dia bifocal on the left at approx 3X and a doublet in the handle at approx 7X. You add (3) “AAA” batteries for the LEDs.

Frees up your hands while you examine whatever you’re examining. The approx 2-1/2" dia acrylic lens is 2X (ignore the surplussing 2.5X on box) and is mounted in a black fold-out frame with a pair of white LEDs underneath the lens for your examining pleasure. Measures 4-1/4” long and includes 2 replaceable AG7 batteries.

Nothing to it if you have these 20 x 70 binoculars with rubber-coated housing for ruggedness, blue-coated optics, and a K9 prism for sharp images. Great for camping, wildlife viewing, more and large enough for you to enjoy viewing the night sky. Measure 11-1/4” long overall and come with folding eye-cups, right-eye diopter adjustment, a standard tripod mount between the optics, adjustable neck strap and a carrying case.

Nothing is certain except death, taxes and smudges. Take care of at least one with these lens-cleaning kits. They include a 7”-square lens cloth, (5) double-headed swabs, and a 1-oz vial of ammonia-based cleaning fluid in a spritz bottle.