S&T Test Reports: Telescopes
Note that product prices and specifications may have changed since the reviews were originally published in the magazine. Please check the advertisements in the current issue of Sky & Telescope, or visit vendors' Web sites, for the most up-to-date product information.
Archive subscribers may download reviews without restriction; nonsubscribers may buy them for $3.95 per article or pay $6.95 for a one-month pass to the archive. The price of a one-year archive subscription is $19.95; Sky & Telescope magazine subscribers save 50% and pay just $9.95 per year. (All prices are in US dollars.)
For expert advice on choosing the telescope that's best for you, please consult the Choosing Your Equipment pages in our Equipment section
Triple Play: The ZenithStar 66 Refractors
Portability, performance, and pleasure — these refractors from William Optics offer all three, but which one is right for you? Reviewed May 2006.
Celestron's Revamped 8-inch SCT: The CPC 800 GPS
The new line of CPC telescopes melds Celestron's venerable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with a state-of-the-art mount designed for observers and astrophotographers. Reviewed March 2006.
Meade's RCX400: Raising the Bar
Can the first radically new telescope design in more than 30 years live up to its advertising hype? Reviewed February 2006.
Low-Cost Starter Scopes
We test 11 telescopes, looking for ones that successfully combine good basic features with budget price tags. Reviewed December 2005.
Coronado's SolarMax CaK Calcium-Light Solar Telescope
The world's leading manufacturer of hydrogen-alpha solar telescopes turns its attention to the other end of the spectrum. Reviewed November 2005.
A Preview of Meade's RCX400
Here's a behind-the-scenes peak at what some people are calling the biggest news to hit the commercial telescope market in years. Previewed May 2005.
Orion's SkyView Pro 3.6-inch Clear-Aperture Reflector
Do perfect color rendition and an unobstructed optical system make for an ideal telescope? We find out. Reviewed April 2005.
Hydrogen-Alpha Viewing on a Budget
Coronado's Personal Solar Telescope promises to bring hydrogen-alpha solar viewing to the masses. Reviewed February 2005.
Pint-Size Powerhouse: Tele Vue's TV-60
If you think that size matters, and that bigger is always better when it comes to telescopes, think again. Reviewed December 2004.
Orion's 8-inch SkyQuest XT IntelliScope
A new approach to entry-level Dobsonians mixes low and high tech. Reviewed November 2004.
William Optics' Fluoro-Star FLT-110 Apochromat
With the family of premium, modest-aperture refractors constantly growing, here's one that warrants a closer look. Reviewed June 2004.
Hardin Optical's 10-inch Deep Space Hunter
Can $500 really buy a quality 10-inch telescope? We put one through its paces to find out. Reviewed May 2004.
Celestron's CGE 1400 Telescope
This handsome update of Celestron's 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain is as exciting to look through as it is pleasing to look at. Reviewed March 2004.
An Apochromat for the Masses
Don't be misled by its relatively low cost — Orion's 80mm ED refractor can proudly carry the title "apo." Reviewed February 2004.
TEC's 5½-inch Apochromat
There's no denying that high-end apochromatic refractors are enjoying an unprecedented wave of popularity. Here's one of the reasons. Reviewed December 2003.
Discovery's 12.5-inch PDHQ Dobsonian
Nice touches on this user-friendly reflector make it a great way to enter the world of large-aperture observing. Reviewed November 2003.
A Stellarvue Duo
An up-and-coming brand name in telescopes offers a pair of portable refractors — the AT1010 Nighthawk and SV85S Apo — that promise quality a cut above the mass market. Reviewed September 2003.
A Classic Returns
A staple of amateur astronomy for generations, the 6-inch f/8 Newtonian reflector is back on the scene in the form of Orion's SkyView Pro 6LT EQ. Reviewed August 2003.
Breaking New Ground in the Beginner's Market
Orion's ultraportable StarBlast sports features that many bigger, costlier Dobsonian telescopes lack. Reviewed June 2003.
A Siberian Achromatic Refractor
In a world filled with premium apochromatic refractors, is there still a place for a classic two-lens achromat? We test the rugged TAL-100R from Russia to find out. Reviewed April 2003.
Brains and Brawn: Meade's 8-inch LX200GPS
Simply turn it on and this telescope aligns to the sky all by itself, ready to show you thousands of objects at the push of a button. Reviewed March 2003.
Meade's LXD55 Schmidt-Newtonians
For the second time in a decade, Meade Instruments has upgraded its basic 6-, 8-, and 10-inch reflectors, adding features for visual observers and beginning astrophotographers alike. Reviewed December 2002.
The Questar 50th Anniversary Edition Telescope
This 3.5-inch telescope is celebrating its golden anniversary. But is this enduring icon worth its weight in gold? Reviewed November 2002.
Solar Observing to the Max
Viewed in hydrogen-alpha light, the Sun is alive with activity. Coronado's 40-mm SolarMax filter and MaxScope dedicated solar telescope are priced to bring these dramatic sights to more observers than ever before. Reviewed August 2002.
Premium Refractors: Part II
Some claim that a 4-inch high-end refractor is as close as you can get to an all-purpose telescope. We rounded up a handful of "likely suspects," and this month we finish interrogating them. Reviewed June 2002.
Premium Refractors: Part I
Wide-field sweeping and high-power planetary views (and did we mention astrophotography?) — these telescopes promise it all. But can they deliver? Reviewed May 2002.
Three New Maksutovs
The more Maks the merrier? We test three new models to find out if all that glitters is optical gold. Reviewed March 2002.
The NexStar 11 GPS: Beauty and Brains
We've all heard that beauty is only skin deep, but it's what inside that makes this scope attractive. Reviewed February 2002.
William Optics Megrez 80 Refractor
A new "short-tube" 80-millimeter refractor neatly fills a niche between entry-level scopes and ultra-expensive apochromatic refractors. Reviewed October 2001.
A Dob for the Deep Sky
Orion's line of Dobsonians continues to grow with a new 10-inch model. Reviewed September 2001.
Meade's Newest "Go To" Telescope
Autostar and an 8-inch aperture — it's been worth the wait. Reviewed July 2001.
Celestron's "Go To" Maksutov
The latest entry in the roboscope sweepstakes promises sharp views and computerized pointing, but does it deliver? Reviewed June 2001.
Five "Go To" Telescopes for Beginners
There is a new breed of computerized Go To telescopes anyone can afford. Are they too good to be true? Reviewed May 2001.
The Little Dob That Could
Orion takes a shot at producing an entry-level telescope well suited to just about everyone. The result? A good starter scope with quality features. Reviewed April 2001.
The Tele Vue-102
The Tele Vue line of premium refractors grows larger with the introduction of this 4-inch f/8.6 instrument. Reviewed February 2001.
Celestron's NexStar 8 "Go To" Scope
There's more than just 3 inches of additional aperture in the newest member of Celestron's NexStar family of telescopes. Reviewed November 2000.
Two Large, Low-Cost Refractors
A complete 6-inch refractor for little more than $1,000? A 4.7-inch for well under $1,000? Too good to be true? Reviewed October 2000.
Takahashi's FSQ-106 Fluorite Refractor
A top-quality refractor that's built for astrophotography. Reviewed April 2000.
Three Wide-Field Reflectors
Two new entries join the venerable Edmund Astroscan in the portable reflector market. Reviewed March 2000.
Go To Telescope Showdown
Once again Celestron and Meade are competing head to head with telescopes that sound remarkably similar on paper. Reviewed February 2000.
Six 8-Inch Dobsonians
A Dobsonian telescope offers big aperture and easy, simple use at a low price. We compare the six competing 8-inch f/6 models to see how well each of them performs. Reviewed January 2000.
A Trio of Vixen Refractors
They look similar, but price and performance set these three Vixen refractors apart. Reviewed November 1999.
Meade's ETX 125EC — A First Look
This 5-inch Maksutov telescope stars where the original 3.5-inch left off. Reviewed October 1999.
Robotic Telescopes for the Masses
Meade's DS line will change the way people think about "department-store" telescopes. Reviewed September 1999.
Celestron G-5: Changing with Time
A new mounting gives a seasoned telescope lots of versatility at an attractive price. Reviewed June 1999.
A Hot Telescope Gets Even Hotter
Meade's ETX-90/EC sets a new standard by providing user-friendly capabilities never before available from an inexpensive telescope. Reviewed May 1999.
A Pair of High-Performance Maksutovs
Here's the optical lowdown on a pair of high-end Maksutov catadioptrics from Russia. Reviewed April 1999.
Tele Vue 85-mm Refractor
A premium, small-aperture refractor delivers eye-popping performance, and raises the standard of excellence for highly portable instruments. Reviewed September 1998.
The Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain
This is the telescope that set the standard for mass-marketed, computer-controlled telescopes. It continues to evolve, and today's models are better than ever. Reviewed April 1998.
Sovietski 6-inch Newtonian Reflector
A telescope imported from Russia may rekindle interest in a design that once dominated the world of amateur instruments. Reviewed December 1997.
Celestron's Ultima 2000
Melding modern computer technology with a time-proven optical system makes for an exciting way to explore the heavens. Reviewed November 1997.
Three Portable Rich-Field Telescopes
These telescopes may be small, but they offer bright, wide-field views to comet watchers and casual cruisers of the Milky Way. Reviewed March 1997.
Meade's ETX 90-mm Astro Telescope
Combining portability, fine optics, and a bargain price, Meade Instruments has produced a winner with the ETX. Reviewed January 1997.
Three 6-inch Dobsonian Reflectors
Can you get a good, solid fun telescope for under $500? Telescopes from Meade, Celestron and Orion are put to the test. Reviewed December 1996.
