This Meade telescope has to be one of the most reviewed telescopes on the net, sorry but here we go again. I purchased the Meade Dobsonian about 3 years ago and it has been one of my favorite telescopes to use.

One of the things I like about this type of telescope is the large aperture you get for your money, this is due to their simple mounting design (no expensive mount to add to the price). Aperture is everything when you’re talking telescopes, and this Meade telescope certainly has that. Read my page on Telescopes – Myths and Misconceptions where I discuss the importance of aperture and the myths of magnification.

The Dobsonian Meade telescope always pulls a crowd, with people wanting to take a quick look through them. The optics are very good and are suited for both planetary and deep space viewing.

This is a big telescope but not so big that you can’t transport it. The Dob breaks down into three pieces for easy transport, I’m able to transport and set it up without any assistance. I have had some wonderful nights viewing with this telescope, viewing stunning Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters, and the list goes on. This Meade telescope will simply take your breath away on a clear nights viewing.

I have read a lot of reviews that put this great telescope down, cool down time is slow, the azimuth bearings are crap, the altitude bearings stick, etc, etc. But I have had no such problems with this telescope and one of the reasons why is that Meade have been doing some redesigning.

The cool down time is a lot quicker and Meade has done work on the rocker base to make it more sturdy and user friendly. I have found problems with the 16″ Dob but this is due to the weight of this very large telescope.

If you’re looking to see some amazing objects in the night sky, this Meade telescope won’t let you down. I found it does exactly what it should, you won’t be disappointed. This Meade telescope was $1350 when I purchased mine, but you can now buy them for less.

The only thing I would suggest is that you buy the deluxe accessory pack. With the deluxe package you will get a much better focuser, the 2″ giant rack-and-pinion focuser. Also included is the 6x30mm achromatic viewfinder, eyepieces MA 9mm, 12mm, and 25mm.

Product Description

•  Aperture – 12.5″
• f/4.8
• 6×30 Viewfinder
• Eyepieces – 1.25″ 3000 series Plossl, 26mm, 9.7mm

 Recommendation

If you’re looking for a large aperture telescope at a low price, look no further, this is it. And if deep sky viewing is your first love then I can highly recommend the Meade Dobsonian, you are going to have a lot of fun with this Meade telescope as I have done over the years.

I have purchased and sold a lot of telescopes in my time, but the Dob will always have a place in my home. For the best merchants on the Dobsonian Meade telescope and other top Meade telescopes try the Discovery Store