Best Meade Instruments Telescopes Buyer's Guide

Choosing the right type of Telescope is no easy task! Meade Instruments is one of the leading brands within the Astronomy market. Read our review of their top Telescopes and purchase today.

There are many companies that manufacture optical devices, but not many of them ace at producing quality devices of all kinds. One of the most delicate and profound instruments manufactured by any company is a telescope.

If a company succeeds in creating all the different types of telescopes while maintaining the quality at its finest, then and only then, we consider it successful. Since the beginning of the twentieth century and normalization of astronomical devices to induce the interest of the young generation in this field, the industry has revolutionized itself to cater to all kinds of people.

Whether you are a professional astronomer or a student that follows the field keenly, we assure you that you can find the perfect telescope by Meade that will perfectly suit all your needs.

Let’s take a look at the best meade instruments telescopes that you will find out in the market!

Our Overall #1 Rated Pick


Meade Instruments- S102mm
  • Sturdy tripod
  • Unique design structure 
  • Collapsible tripod 
  • Red-dot viewfinder

The Meade Instruments have been manufacturing the finest and exceptional telescopes for a very long time. It is one of the best refracting telescopes, among other Meade Instruments. It has a 102mm aperture, and you can easily observe divine celestial and terrestrial objects.

The telescope has quite a fantastic frame structure that is feasible for both kids and adults. It has all the required accessories like a sturdy tripod, two replaceable eyepieces, a 2x Barlow lens, and slow-motion panning control.

The 10 Best Telescopes Comparison Chart

The 10 Best Telescopes Out There

In this section, we review the Top 10 telescopes available for amateurs and professions.

Meade Instruments- S102mm

The Meade Instruments have been manufacturing the finest and exceptional telescopes for a very long time. It is one of the best refracting telescopes, among other Meade Instruments. It has a 102mm aperture, and you can easily observe divine celestial and terrestrial objects.

The telescope has quite a fantastic frame structure that is feasible for both kids and adults. It has all the required accessories like a sturdy tripod, two replaceable eyepieces, a 2x Barlow lens, and slow-motion panning control.

You can also attach your smartphone with the telescope for a better view of stars, moon, and rings of Saturn. It comes with a universal smartphone adapter that is compatible with all mobile phone models available.

Moreover, this telescope has a wide aperture that brings the celestial objects closer to you, and you can enjoy watching them.

The tripod mount is adjustable, so you can easily adjust it at your desired angle. It has a slow-motion panning that makes the motion smooth and jerk-free. The telescope is collapsible and easy to carry around.

PROS

  • Sturdy tripod 
  • Unique design structure 
  • Collapsible tripod 
  • Red-dot viewfinder 
  • Universal smartphone adapter 
  • Slow-motion panning 
  • Replaceable eyepieces
  • Easily removable OTA

CONS

  • It is a beginner telescope
Meade Instruments Infinity 70mm

The Meade Instruments Infinity series of the telescope has been widely used by amateurs and professionals. It is used to view deep space objects and vast earth landscapes. The Meade Instruments has never disappointed its users and always keeps up the quality of products.

This telescope has a large 70mm objective lens. It is considered a great start as a hobbyist and amateur astronomer. You can easily spot all the celestial objects and take it with you for stargazing at night. The telescope comes with additional required accessories that you can use observing far away objects.

The tripod is sturdy and robust and facilitates to provide a stable view. Telescope also has a slow-motion control pan that helps you adjust the telescope at your desired position. So, you can observe the distant object in a comfortable position. The aperture is sufficient to view faraway space objects at day or night.

Moreover, the additional accessory includes three replaceable eyepieces, a 2x Barlow lens, a precise tripod, and a free astronomical software DVD. It also has a complete user manual that helps a lot if you are a first-time user.

PROS

  • Sturdy frame 
  • Replaceable eyepieces 
  • Tripod 
  • 2x Barlow lens 
  • Red dot viewfinder
  • Travel-friendly
  • Slow-motion panning control 
  • Free Astronomical software
  • Instruction guide

CONS

  • It is a beginner telescope
Meade Instruments Polaris 127mm

The telescopes of Meade Instruments are widely used by entry-level and hobbyist astronomers. It is one of the best telescopes to view celestial and terrestrial objects. The 90mm objective lens aperture is wide enough to spot deep-sky objects like the moon, star clusters, and rings of Saturn.

You can easily view the wide earth landscapes and spot the flying birds. The telescope has all the required accessories. It has a sturdy and large equatorial mount with slow-motion controls that helps in smooth tracking of celestial objects.

You can also adjust the angle at your desired position and observe the deep space objects in a comfortable environment. The additional eyepieces and 2x Barlow lens for higher magnification are also included in the packaging.

Moreover, it also comes with setting circles for latitude and longitude adjustment. The tripod is quite sturdy and robust. It gives a stable surface to the telescope to observe distant sky objects and focused images.

PROS

  • Sturdy framing 
  • Easy to assemble 
  • Red dot viewfinder
  • Replaceable eyepieces 
  • Diagonal prism
  • Adjustable equatorial mount
  • Tripod
  • Astronomy software
  • Complete user guide

CONS

  • It is an entry-level telescope
Meade Instruments Polaris 114mm

The finest Meade instruments telescope available. It has a 114mm object lens aperture that creates high-quality, detailed, and bright images. The telescope has a robust framing and durable structure. That is why you can carry it with you throughout your stargazing trips.

It has a straightforward assembly that requires no high-end tools and skills. The robust structure of the telescope is surprisingly lightweight. It produces images that have a sharp focus, and details of faraway astronomical objects.

The firm tripod that creates a stable foundation for observing the celestial objects. The telescope has extra accessories like replaceable eyepieces, Barlow lens, and viewfinder. It will boost the eyepiece magnification and create detailed images.

Moreover, the mount of the tripod is moveable, and you can adjust at the desired angle. That helps you to view the far away galaxies, star clusters, and moon comfortably. The red dot viewfinder helps to navigate the space objects and locate them without a struggle.

PROS

  • Sturdy
  • Durable frame 
  • Premium quality 
  • Laser finder
  • Replaceable eyepieces 
  • Lightweight
  • Moveable mount
  • Precise mount movement
  • Easy to assemble

CONS

  • The telescope has a few plastic components 
  • It shows slight chromatic aberration
Meade Instruments- StarPro AZ 80mm

The Meade Instruments are famous for manufacturing entry-level and beginners’ telescopes for viewing deep space objects. The 80mm aperture of an objective lens is sufficient for producing bright and sharp images.

It captures enough light into your images and makes them observable. The telescope has a smartphone adapter attachment that helps you to observe the moon, star clusters, and far away objects on your cell phone screen.

This telescope comes with additional accessories like replaceable eyepieces and a 2x Barlow lens. It will boost the magnification power of the telescope, and images become more focused and magnified. This telescope is a good option for traveling.

Moreover, the tripod has an adjustable mount. You can set it at a desired angle or position to view the sky. The tripod gives you a stable and less shaky foundation to view the celestial and terrestrial objects.

PROS

  • Strong
  • Durable frame 
  • Adjustable tripod
  • Viewfinder 
  • Elegant moveable mount 
  • Smartphone adapter

CONS

  • It is an entry-level telescope
Meade Instruments- Polaris 70mm

Meade Instruments 70mm telescope is one of the most available telescopes. It has effortless assembling and travels friendly. If you are going on countryside trips to observe and capture deep star clusters, far away galaxies, and the ring of Saturn, then this telescope is a must-have on the trip.

It is an exceptional telescope for amateur and hobbyist astronomers who started following their astronomy passion. The large 70mm objective lens aperture is sufficient to create bright, sharp, and focused images.

It also has replaceable eyepieces and a Barlow lens that enhances the telescope magnification. Moreover, the telescope comes with a complete user manual that helps from assembly to the pro features. It is a travel telescope.

That is why people mostly travel with it when you go stargazing in the mountains. The sturdy frame structure keeps it safe from getting damaged. Large aperture gives you clear images of the moon, stars, far away galaxies, and rings of Saturn. 

PROS

  • Sturdy 
  • Moveable mount
  • Travel-friendly 
  • Complete user guide 
  • Scope finder 
  • Astronomical software 
  • Easy to assemble

CONS

  • It is a beginner's telescope
Meade Instruments StarNavigator NG 114mm

It is one of the finest telescopes of Meade Instruments. The 114mm aperture of an objective lens successfully captures amazing earth landscapes and far away galaxies. It allows sufficient light to enter the lens and capture bright and sharp images at day or night.

The frame structure is robust and lightweight. That is why it is safe for travel, especially for a trip towards high mountains for stargazing. The telescope has a computerised mount that operates quite smoothly and precisely. This feature has made it stand out among other telescopes.

Amateurs and hobbyist astronomers prefer this telescope because of its easy understanding and maintenance. Moreover, the additional accessories that come with the telescope include replaceable eyepieces and a 2x Barlow lens.

It helps in enhancing the telescope magnification. That results in producing high-quality, detailed images of a faraway celestial object. The red dot finder helps to navigate the sky object.

PROS

  • Robust 
  • Durable framing 
  • Easy to assemble
  • Travel safe 
  • Viewfinder
  • Lightweight
  • Moveable mount
  • Precise mount movement

CONS

  • The components are made of plastic
Meade Instruments Polaris 127mm

The telescopes of Meade Instruments are widely used by entry-level and hobbyist astronomers. It is one of the best telescopes to view celestial and terrestrial objects. It has a 127mm objective lens aperture that creates quite sharp and focused images.

The rack-and-pinion focuser of this telescope facilitates to produce optimally focused images. It also has a feature named setting circles that controls the movement latitude wise. If you are a hobbyist, and amateur astronomer, then this telescope is all you need.

It will enhance your productivity during traveling trips if you want to observe celestial and terrestrial objects. The tripod has a slow-motion movable mount that helps to track the deep sky and earth objects easily.

Moreover, the telescope has additional accessories that include three eyepieces and a Barlow lens that increases the telescope magnification power. The telescope also has a red dot viewfinder and an accessory tray.

The tray helps to store accessories while observing the sky. The best thing about the telescope is that it comes with an astronomical software and a complete user manual.

PROS

  • Sturdy 
  • Travel-friendly 
  • Replaceable eyepieces
  • Precise moveable mount 
  • High magnification
  • Tripod
  • Easy to assemble
  • Astronomical software 
  • User manual 

CONS

  • It is an entry-level telescope
Meade Instruments Infinity 60mm

The Meade Instruments Infinity series of the telescope has been widely used by amateurs and professionals. It is used to view deep space objects and wide earth landscapes. The Meade Instruments has never disappointed its users and always keeps up the quality of products.

This telescope has a large 60mm objective lens. It is considered a great start as a hobbyist and amateur astronomer. You can easily spot all the celestial objects and take it with you for stargazing at night. The telescope comes with additional required accessories that you can use observing far away objects.

The tripod is sturdy and robust and facilitates to provide a stable view. Telescope also has a slow-motion control pan that helps you adjust the telescope at your desired position. So, you can observe the distant object in a comfortable position.

The aperture is sufficient to view faraway space objects at day or night. Moreover, the additional accessory includes two replaceable eyepieces, a 2x Barlow lens, a precise tripod, and a free astronomical software DVD. It also has a complete user manual that helps a lot if you are a first-time user.

PROS

  • Sturdy
  • Durable tripod 
  • Replaceable eyepieces 
  • High magnification
  • Red dot viewfinder 
  • Astronomical software
  • User manual 
  • Easy to assemble
  • Smooth moveable tripod mount

CONS

  • It is an entry-level telescope
Meade Instruments Polaris 130mm

The Meade Instruments manufacture telescopes for beginners and amateurs. It has 130mm objective lens aperture that helps to create bright and sharp images. You can see all celestial objects both at day and observe faraway galaxies and star clusters at night.

If you are going on a countryside trip, then this telescope is all you need. It has a sharp focus, travel-friendly, lightweight. The assembly of the telescope is easy and requires no tools. It has a solid tripod that creates a stable foundation for observing the celestial objects.

The telescope comes with additional accessories like eyepieces, a Barlow lens, and viewfinder. The Barlow lens enhances the magnification power.

Moreover, the telescope has an adjustable equatorial mount that has smooth and precise movement to track faraway objects. The red dot finder navigates the astronomical objects. It is the best telescope to purchase.

PROS

  • Sturdy  
  • Durable framing
  • Replaceable eyepieces
  • High magnification
  • Astronomical software
  • User guide
  • Red dot viewfinder
  • Travel-friendly
  • Sharp focus
  • Adjustable tripod mount

CONS

  • It is a beginner's telescope

Buyers’ Guide for Best Meade Instruments Telescope

Choosing a telescope, to accompany you on your adventures in extrapolating the truth of the universe by sighting its various celestial bodies, is a tricky business. There are many variants of a telescope and many external accessories that need to be perfectly picked up to align with your plans.

Before breaking out your wallet and pouring the money out, it is vital that you must understand what type of telescope you want and its basic functionality. The practicability of all the telescopes differ greatly and is dependent on a variety of factors. 

To ease your burden of purchasing the perfect telescope, we have broken down the key aspects and mechanisms involved in conjuring a telescope and thoroughly explained them in simple words. Once you go through our buying guide, you will be good to purchase the ultimate telescope of your dreams.

About Meade Instruments

The Meade Instruments Corporation is an American multinational brand that manufactures and imports optical devices such as telescopes, cameras, binoculars, etc. Meade Instruments is the largest manufacturer of telescopes, and it has reached this height of success only by not compromising on the quality of its devices ever. 

Its products are also sold under the brand name ‘Coronado.’ The company was founded in 1971, later than other telescope brands, yet it has managed to climb at the top of the trail beating all of its competitor brands. Meade Instruments offer a variety of telescopes with differing features and aspects; some of them are mentioned below.

  • Advanced Coma-Free Telescopes: They are an altered version of the classing Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. There are four different models of ACF telescopes offered by Meade;

  1. LX-90 (8”-12”)
  2. LX-200 (8”-16”)
  3. LX-400 (16”-20”)
  4. LX-800

  • Maksutov Telescopes: They are catadioptric telescopes and are from the ETX series.
  • Schmidt-Newtonian Telescopes
  • Dobsonian Telescopes
  • Equatorial Reflecting Telescope
  • Apochromatic Refractor
  • GoTo Telescopes

Types of Telescopes 

There are plenty of types of telescopes that are available in Meade’s inventory, from beginner’s telescopes to professional LX models. Generally, there are two types of telescopes, reflector telescopes and refractor telescopes. 

The main difference between these two types of telescopes is the objective lens. The refractor telescopes deploy the more common curved lens on their aperture whereas the reflector telescopes use a mirror instead of a lens as their primary objective. 

A third telescope is also pretty common amongst the beginners in the field of astronomy, the catadioptric telescopes. They are a creative turn of the classic Schmidt camera and are commonly referred to as Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. Catadioptric telescopes have an aspheric lens instead of a convex lens or mirror as in the more common and professional reflector telescopes.

Magnification Power

The primary function of a telescope is to make objects appear closer and make them viewable that would have otherwise been impossible for the unaided human eye. A telescope deploys a complex system of mirrors and lens inside a spherical tube that ultimately leads to the result of celestial objects appearing bigger than they actually are to us. 

This feature is the result of the magnification power offered by a telescope; it is more like a professional zoom to an ordinary camera.  The information about the magnification power of a telescope is mentioned in the title or the description as it is the second most essential feature of the telescope. 

The magnification power is often mentioned with a small ‘x’ with the number signifying that the telescope holds power to make a distant object appear that is many times closer than it actually is.

The focal length of an optical device is the scientific feature that influences the magnification power of a telescope, and the field of view is the aspect that is being influenced by the magnification power.

Focal Length 

The focal length or ‘f’ is the distance from the center from the primary objective, lens or mirror, to the focal plane, where the image is projected. The higher the focal length, the greater the magnification power ensues for a telescope. 

It will not be incorrect to state that focal length and magnification power have a direct relationship with each other. This phenomenon is applied in almost all-optical devices, and it is critical to understand its functionality before shifting the magnification power of a telescope.

Aperture

The most important aspect of a telescope is its aperture. The aperture of a telescope is the distal end of the device that holds the primary objective, either a lens or mirror in it. From this information, we can deduce that the aperture is responsible for a lot more than it is credited for. 

One way it helps produce a clearer image is by capturing as many light rays from the surrounding to illuminate the focal plane and creating a brighter image. Aperture size correlates with the quality of the image in another way. 

The way is that the objective lens is responsible for capturing the light rays that reflect from distant objects such as stars and then converging in at one point, focal point, to create a magnified image. 

If the aperture has a smaller width and a larger focal length, there is a great chance of the optical device, only producing images with darker backgrounds. 

Field of View

The field of view of a telescope defines the area it can cover at any given instance. The field of view and the magnification power of a telescope has an inverse relationship with each other, which dictates that the field of view of a telescope decreases as the magnification power increases. 

Since a typical telescope does not have a wider field of view, it often makes it difficult to find small or scarce objects in deep space. But this problem can be easily solved as the newer telescopes eloped with advanced technology have automatic systematic controls. 

The systemic controls give you the option to download star maps that can help you locate any star or planet in the range of your telescope without going through the hassle of manually locating the distant object.

Portability

Telescopes have a lot of uses, and they can be used to view the stars from your rooftop or even from an open window. But more often than usual, the important astronomical events and special appearance of objects can only be viewed from deserted areas or high planes. 

The city lights and pollution are the obstructions that become a major issue in creating a restrained image. For a full experience, astronomical adventurers have to take the road and get to the point where one can easily view the mysterious universe in which we so graciously exist. 

For such purposes, a travel bag is vital that is specifically made to store the delicate device. The weight of the device is also a crucial factor as most often, a hike is required to reach the higher planes. 

Some telescopes have the ability to dissociate from their body parts, and this feature makes them easily portable than an intact telescope.

Cost

Since Meade offers a wide range of telescopes that cater to almost all people that are interested in the field of astronomy based on their brilliance in the field, the cost of the telescopes varies a lot as well. 

The most advanced telescopes mostly aimed for professionals, ACF LX series by Meade are the most expensive as they go from a couple hundred to many thousands, most LX series telescopes are above 1000 dollars. 

The Maksutov Cassegrain telescopes belonging to the ETX series for the beginners start from below 500 hundred dollars, and most of them end below 1000 dollars, so they are easily affordable for the general public.

The Newtonian reflector telescopes are the cheaper telescopes offered by Mead as they start from as low as 150 dollars, and most of them are under 1500 dollars. The Apochromatic Refractor telescopes are one from the higher end as most of them are above 1000 dollars and go as high as 10000 dollars. 

The range of refractor telescopes is also cheap as they start from only 200 dollars. The solar telescopes due to their advanced technology are also one of the expensive ones as they mostly lie in the range of thousands of dollars.

FAQs

How magnified can a celestial object appear in a telescope?

Telescopes are built on the technology that makes faraway objects seem closer than they are to the unaided eye. The magnification power of a telescope, along with many other factors, defines how big things will appear in the eyepiece. A simple 25x telescope can easily help you view the Saturn rings if pointed correctly.

Should we use a telescope during the day?

It is absolutely safe to use a telescope during the day time when the sun is out. Although a little precaution is ensued, as you must not point the telescope in the direction of the sun. Scientists have long used telescopes in the day time to observe Mercury as it is almost impossible to track Mercury during the night.

What is the most important aspect of a telescope?

The aperture of a telescope is the most vital aspect of such an optical device. As we have explained earlier in the buying guide section, the wider the aperture, the more light rays it will be able to capture, and thus, it will produce a clearer and brighter image.

Which series of telescopes is the best for viewing planets?

The LX series is the most recommended as Meade has deployed its best technology in its Advanced Coma-Free telescopes. To view closer planets and stars, we would recommend the LX 200 as it is cheaper than the rest and offers the perspective of a professional astronomer.

But if you are adamant on purchasing from other categories, then the second choice for the professionals while remaining in a budget calls for Newtonian reflector telescopes.

Best Meade Instruments Telescopes – Final Word

Meade Instruments is one of the few fastest growing brands in the optics industry as it has continued to prove its worth by maintaining its quality in terms of all-optical devices.

Human ability to continuously improve its way into acquiring knowledge and quenching its thirst for exploring the boundaries of its galaxy is amazing. It won’t be incorrect to say that Meade Instruments has created an enterprise that has never ever failed the scientific curiosity of its customers.

Take a look at the top 10 best Meade instruments telescopes that we have reviewed above and choose one that fits your needs perfectly.

Happy Stargazing, People!