This is the newest Meade telescope. It’s a great looking scope, very light and portable and the optics are quite good for a telescope in this price range. My first night out with this Meade telescope was under clear dark sky. I viewed Jupiter and could clearly see 3 cloud bands and Jupiter’s moons.
I then viewed Saturn and the Cassini division in Saturn’s rings. The views were clear with some detail. Then I went on to view the brighter objects in the Milky Way, The Orion Nebula (M42), Pleiades (M45), M81, and M82, and though small all were good viewing.
In my opinion the new DS-2114 Meade telescope gives great views for a scope in this price range.
I have heard that people have had trouble with the Autostar on this Meade telescope. I have had no such problem but I must point out that when you start to deal with technology things can go wrong. If you find you are having trouble through no fault of your own, then please return it to Meade or the dealer you purchased the Meade telescope. Meade has a good reputation for fixing any problems you may have with their telescopes.
The one problem I did find on this scope is the flimsy aluminum tripod, they call it “heavy-duty”. It is simply too light for the scope and has a bad habit of shaking at the slightest touch. If you can’t afford a decent tripod, try this trick. Put rubber caps on the end of each leg of the tripod, this will help stop vibrations, then fill a small bag with sand and hang it underneath from the center of the tripod. This will help greatly in keeping the tripod steady by weighing it down.
Also you must have the tripod level if you ever want the Autostar to align. To help you with this problem I would suggest you tape a “bubble level” to the tripod, in this way you will always know if your tripod is truly level or not.
Product Description for DS-2114ATS
- Meade telescope Aperture – 114mm
- Autostar observing 1,500 objects
- Aluminized and multi-coated primary mirror
- Meade telescope F=1000mm f/8.8
- Giant rack-and-pinion focuser
- 6×30 viewfinder
- Dual-Motor Electronic Control System with control motor
- 4-speed Electronic Controller
- Eyepieces – MA 25mm, MA 9mm
- Heavy-duty aluminum field tripod
- Meade Star-Navigator PC-compatible astronomical software with database of over 10,000 celestial objects
Recommendation
This Meade telescope will suit the beginner on a budget. Completely re-engineered and redesigned, the views of the planets and the brighter objects in the Milky Way are excellent
