Some opinions about meade telescope?

Question

i want to buy one as a gift for my husband. He's a theoretical physicist and amateur astronomer will enough knowledge. Is meade telescope a good gift for such a person?

Answer 1

The trouble with Meade is that they put their brand name on some very fine high-end telescopes, but also on a lot of total junk, so you can't rely on the brand name alone. I prefer to buy telescopes from Orion, where they don't put their name on junk, so that whatever you buy will probably be a good deal for the price.

I'd also recommend consulting with your husband before buying a telescope for him. Most amateur astronomers have very clear ideas about what sort of telescope they'd like, and the choice is very personal. Also, _choosing_ a telescope is almost as much fun as _using_ a telescope. It may spoil the surprise, but there's also less risk of disappointing him with the wrong telescope.

Why not buy him a copy of Phil Harrington's book Star Ware (Wiley) to help him choose, and enclose a gift certificate from a telescope store? Don't _ever_ buy a telescope from a department or discount store, or online from eBay or Amazon: all junk. Buy from a telescope store, either locally or online.

Answer 2

Meade makes lower end models and upper end models so I can't advise whether or not it's a good telescope based on the brand.

While your intentions are good, and I know you want to surprise your husband, he is probably more knowledgable about telescopes and I think you would both be happier if he had some say in the matter as he might want something specific.

This is what I have seen recommended before in gift situations.

1. Get your husband a set of high quality telescope eyepieces.

2. Get him a Well's Fargo gift card with the amount you were going to spend on the telescope on it.

3. Get him a copy of Sky and Telescope magazine

4. Wrap it all up in the same box

That way he gets a nice surprise and gets to pick his telescope.

Answer 3

There are services that offer control of a nice telescope in Europe, online. This is a good option for people who want a nice viewing experience without spending tons of cash.

Generally meade has moved into the lower end of the market as well as the higher end. A telescope should be high quality or not at all. No two are the same. No two are suitable for the same purposes and people. This is one gift he might want to have some say in getting since he might already have an idea of what he wants.

Otherwise, I would not suggest getting him a telescope. Instead, get him a quality pair of binoculars with not too much magnifying power. These are much better for celestial observations and won't break the bank. Get a guide along with it, too.

Answer 4

A 12" LX200 is a great scope but the OTA is cumbersome & very heavy. If you can put up with this it will be by far the more capable scope (you won't get one for £400 though). Unless you've got a permanent setup the 12" is hopeless for having a quick look when you haven't got much time but the 8" would be much easier which means you'll use it more. My only gripe about these and other compound scopes is the huge focal length, which gives very high mag and so a fairly narrow field. Great for imaging, but slightly annoying for visual work IMHO. I've never used an LX90 8" but knowing Meade they'll be a good product. I have an 8" & a 12" Newt both by Orion Optics and the 12" is jaw dropping compared to the 8" so aperture is your main concern for superb views.

Answer 5

Meade is certainly a very good brand of telescope. But they make many different varieties for different purposes. If he is an amateur astronomer he is sure to have an opinion about what he wants/needs. Discuss this with him before laying out a lot of cash.

Answer 6

mead is a reputable telescope brand however as well as some good equipment they also sell some low end equipment that isnt suitable for anyone other than a beginner. if your husband is an amateur astronomer you may want to consult with him before paying for a scope that is below his ability level. for an intermediate astronomer its difficult to find a suitable scope for under 800-1200. a cheap telescope is a waste of money in my opinion.

also important to note is that different kinds of telescopes specialize in different kinds of viewing. refractors make good images of relatively bright small objects such as planets, reflectors excel at viewing dim objects with a wide field of view such as galazies and nebule. cassagrains are compact and are the jack of all trades master of none. they also are the most expensive.

my advice would to be to consult with your husband with regards to the kind of observing he wants to do and if this seems expensive you may want to get him a set of astronomical binoculars. good luck.

Answer 7

Meade is certainly a good scope. However, they make several kinds of scopes, and each does a very different thing. If you do not know which one he is interested in, I would not hesitate to ask - because it could make a difference on how happy he is to get it. Telescopes are great gifts, but they tend to be tailored to individual tastes and needs. Good luck - hope you both enjoy it. Merry Christmas!

Answer 8

A rule I've learned after years of giving and receiving gifts is, never give someone a prezzie to do with their field or hobby unless you know they want it. You may end up getting him the equivalent of a Mickey Mouse watch when he's the manager of Greenwich Observatory.

Concur with Geoff. Ask hubby, and have some fun looking together. He'll know what he wants. The real gift will be knowing that you want to get something he enjoys.