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Meade 114EQ-AST Telescope
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- Optical Diameter: 114 mm
- Max Useful Magnification: x 225
- Mount Type: Equatorial
- Finderscope: Optical
- Motorized: No
- Focal Length: 1000 mm
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Meade 114 reflector telescope OK
Pros
simple design with nice images
Cons
You will want to upgrade to a better scope
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Good beginner scope due to bright image. However, sharpness will soon cause you to want something better.
The 114 reflector telescope is a nice beginner scope(certainly MUCH better than the typical 60mm scopes that come out at Christmas). I used this for a while but upgraded to an ETX model. The reflector 114's stand is a bit shakey and could be a bit more solid. The slightest vibration would tend to distort the image. The scope is very light and so there is very little weight to anchor the telescope in place. Vibration pads will help, but the real answer lies in a better tripod(tubular steel type).
The Meade 114mm scope has a nice bright image. That was the tradeoff when I bought my ETX90...the ETX90's image is a bit darker(although much sharper). You might consider looking at the ETX90 as an alternate choice. You can find them on Ebay sometimes for less than the price of a new 114 meade reflector telescope.Additionally, if the autostar feature is not a big deal, the older ETX Astro model is VERY affordable and has the same optics as the more expensive later models.
The compact design of the 114EQ scope, in my opinion, gave up a bit of the sharp focus that the longer tube of the previous model had(I compared them at a starwatching event).
All in all, It is a good scope and will spark interest to keep with the hobby of astronomy. However, you WILL want to get another scope after using it a while and seeing other scope designs.
If choosing between a typical department store 60mm scope and this one...GET THE MEADE 114mmEQ! It is far better to learn the basics!
Oh yea, one last item. Buy one of the "red dot" type finder scopes($20-30) as a secondary(or perhaps primary) finder. They are easy to use and allow you to look at the night skies through it with both eyes open.
The Meade 114mm scope has a nice bright image. That was the tradeoff when I bought my ETX90...the ETX90's image is a bit darker(although much sharper). You might consider looking at the ETX90 as an alternate choice. You can find them on Ebay sometimes for less than the price of a new 114 meade reflector telescope.Additionally, if the autostar feature is not a big deal, the older ETX Astro model is VERY affordable and has the same optics as the more expensive later models.
The compact design of the 114EQ scope, in my opinion, gave up a bit of the sharp focus that the longer tube of the previous model had(I compared them at a starwatching event).
All in all, It is a good scope and will spark interest to keep with the hobby of astronomy. However, you WILL want to get another scope after using it a while and seeing other scope designs.
If choosing between a typical department store 60mm scope and this one...GET THE MEADE 114mmEQ! It is far better to learn the basics!
Oh yea, one last item. Buy one of the "red dot" type finder scopes($20-30) as a secondary(or perhaps primary) finder. They are easy to use and allow you to look at the night skies through it with both eyes open.
