Meade Instruments, a company familiar to any backyard astronomer who's drooled over their telescopes, has filed for bankruptcy. The company has fallen on hard times in recent years, as they've faced increasing competition. Meade also recently lost a lawsuit, which pushed them over the edge into bankruptcy.

Is Meade telescope company still in business?

Meade is still selling products on its site as usual. In posts on Facebook, Meade Instruments stated, “We will continue to support our products, our customers, and our network of dealers throughout this process. Our customers will remain our highest priority.

Did Orion buy Meade?

Orion Telescopes & Binoculars has acquired the famous telescope manufacturer Meade. ... For over four decades, Meade Instruments has been one of the world's largest designers and manufacturers of telescopes and accessories for amateur astronomers.

Why are telescopes out of stock everywhere?

In 2020 and into 2021, the telescope industry has experienced record demand that has resulted in very limited supply. We are sold out of many models, with hundreds of telescopes on backorder with manufacturers. We can't predict when specific models will be available, and have therefore chosen not to offer pre-sales.

Who bought Meade?

Telescope maker Meade Instruments has been sold to affiliates of Chinese manufacturer Ningbo Sunny Electronic Co. for $5.9 million, ending months of speculation over the future of a storied Irvine firm.

DO NOT BUY MEADE TELESCOPES

Is Meade a good telescope brand?

There's no debate, Meade and Celestron both make excellent telescopes of all levels. ... Still, you can't go wrong with a telescope from either brand at any level. They both make great telescopes for all astronomers from enthusiasts to professionals.

Are Meade telescopes made in China?

All Celestron's scopes' components are made in China. Some are still assembled here, including Edge scopes. Meades are still made in Mexico, though I believe that may change in the future.

Are all telescopes on backorder?

What is the telescope backorder situation all about? Due to COVID shipping and manufacturing delays, AND the increase in astronomy product demand that has occurred at the same time, most telescopes and many accessories are on backorder -- some telescopes are on extended backorder.

Is a telescope a good investment?

Most telescopes that cost less than $300 aren't really worth it. ... A telescope's most important attribute is its size, meaning the diameter of its main mirror or lens. The bigger the telescope, the more light it collects, which allows you to see dimmer objects. A popular first telescope is a Dobsonian.

Why are telescopes so expensive right now?

Types of Telescopes

It is recognized as a long tube that increases in length until it gets to the lens. This lens requires special crafting, which is why they are so expensive. The second one on the list would be the reflector telescopes.

Are Meade telescopes made in USA?

The Meade Instruments (also shortened to Meade) is an American multinational company headquartered in Watsonville, California, that manufactures, imports, and distributes telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes, CCD cameras, and telescope accessories for the consumer market.

Are any telescopes made in USA?

(per US Stuff visitor email 2-18-02) 32 Elkay Dr. Watch out for: a telescope made in Japan & Russia and telescopes made and/or assembled in another country.

Who owns Celestron?

Celestron is a company based in Torrance, California, United States, that manufactures telescopes and distributes telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes, and accessories manufactured by its parent company, the Synta Technology Corporation of Taiwan.

Where is Meade made?

The Meade facility in Irvine, California is one of the largest and most advanced commercial telescope manufacturing operations in the world and includes only the very latest Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) glass and metalworking machine tools, electron beam vacuum coaters, interferometric and laser autocollimator ...

Who owns Orion telescopes?

In January 2005, Orion was acquired by Imaginova, the U.S. conglomerate founded in 1999 by CNN business anchor Lou Dobbs. Orion then began to sell non-Orion brand products, such as Tele Vue eyepieces and even Celestron 8-inch (200 mm) and 11-inch (280 mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes.

Does Bushnell still make telescopes?

It is based in Overland Park, Kansas and is a subsidiary of Vista Outdoor. Bushnell's produces binoculars, telescopes, spotting scopes, riflescopes, red dot sights, GPS devices, laser rangefinders, game cameras, night-vision devices and other optical equipments.

What telescopes should I not buy?

• Leah Tiscione / S&T.
• Even a great scope can be a hobby killer if it's too difficult to carry. ...
• Avoid scopes that use 0.965″ eyepieces. ...
• An equatorially mounted telescope is a poor choice for a beginner.
• Ads can be deceptive.

Is there a shortage of telescopes?

"In 2020, the entire worldwide telescope industry, including manufacturers and retailers, have seen an unexpected and unprecedented demand for products due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the media attention for Comet NEOWISE, causing some products to temporarily run out of stock.

Are Dobsonian telescopes good?

Dobsonian telescopes are incredibly good and are great for amateurs and professional astronomers alike. They are also very economical compared to other telescopes. ... The benefit of this type of optical arrangement is the telescopes light gathering ability. The more light gathered, equals more fainter objects to be seen.

Which company makes the best telescopes?

• Orion SpaceProbe II. ...
• Celestron Nexstar 8SE. ...
• Unistellar eVscope eQuinox. ...
• Nasa Lunar telescope for kids. ...
• Celestron Travelscope 70 Portable. ...
• Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ. ...
• Svbony SV25 Refractor Telescope. ...
• Celestron 76mm Firstscope Apollo 11 Edition. A tabletop telescope for lunar lovers.

How big of a telescope do you need to see Saturn rings?

The rings of Saturn should be visible in even the smallest telescope at 25x [magnified by 25 times]. A good 3-inch scope at 50x [magnified by 50 times] can show them as a separate structure detached on all sides from the ball of the planet.

Which is better Orion or Celestron?

When looking for a decent telescope, the two most prestigious brands that come in your mind will be Orion and Celestron. When it comes to comparing between Orion and Celestron, clearly Celestron is one of the most trusted brands with too many options topping the best-seller list. ...

Is Celestron a Chinese company?

Celestron. Celestron is a company based in Torrance, California, USA that manufactures telescopes and distributes telescopes binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes, and accessories manufacture by its parent company, the Synta Technology Corporation of Taiwan.

Is sky watcher owned by Celestron?

The best explanation as to whether Skywatcher is the same brand as Celestron is this: Celestron's parent company is Synta Technology Corporation of Taiwan and this company, Synta, owns SkyWatcher. ... The Synta company established the brand SkyWatcher in 1999.