Having a portable microscope was invaluable for this as well ... Swift makes a trinocular version with higher magnification and XY mechanical stage — the Swift SW380T. For complete beginners ...

The Openflexure is a microscope stage that offers a mechanical stage that can be maneuvered precisely. The optics can be swapped out so it uses anything from a webcam to a very high-powered 100x ...

Let's take a look at how to observe cells under a microscope. No prizes for guessing ... off the cut onion. Move the stage (the flat ledge the slide sits on) down to its lowest position.

The plastic base is the same size and thickness as a glass slide and fits onto the mechanical stage of the microscope in the same manner as a slide. The thermal stage can therefore be moved ...