Microscopes use compound lenses to magnify objects by bending, or refracting the light, which makes the object beneath them appear closer.  They are designed for viewing small cells, or thin sections of organs or tissues placed on a glass mounting slide.  The specimens are thin enough that light can pass through them from below.

A stereoscope is a binocular microscope (also known as a “dissecting microscope”) that magnifies at a relatively low power for viewing three-dimensional, opaque objects, such as flowers, insects, mineral specimens, fossils, coins, or really anything! Generally the magnification of a stereoscope is between 20x and 50x, and specimens are lighted from above.

The Celestron C5 spotting scope has a near focus of approximately 20 feet, allowing easy plant or wildlife observation.  It can also be used as an astronomical telescope.  Most digital camera can fit over the eyepiece, allowing users to take pictures of what they see through the telescope.