Meade Instruments 216002 Polaris 80 EQ Refractor Telescope (Blue)

Developed for beginner and amateur astronomers, the Meade Polaris Series delivers an experience that will have you looking to the skies for many nights to come. Combining an equatorial mount and quality optics with superb value, the Meade Polaris refracting and reflecting telescopes are your gateway to the cosmos.

The Polaris 80 refracting telescope is great for beginners and amateurs who want to discover more. With an 80mm (3.1″) aperture size, the Polaris 80 will deliver bright, clear images for the aspiring astronomer to enjoy. Whether you’re viewing details on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, polar caps on Mars, or terrestrial objects, the Polaris 80 Refractor allows the first-time observer to explore the world, solar system, and beyond.

Pros:
Right-side up image means you can use it for daytime observing (birds, hunting, ocean, etc)
Once polar aligned, the equatorial mount allows you to locate and track celestial objects because it rotates with the Earth, instead of the up-down left-right directions of an altazimuth
Refractor means you don’t have mirrors to align (collimate); it’s ready to go out of the box

Cons:
Not as much detail seen from deep-sky objects when compared to our reflecting telescopes

Q: How is this telescope different than other Polaris models (127, 114, 90, etc)?
A: The differences between each model are aperture size and telescope type. The bigger the aperture, the more light-gathering power the telescope will have, resulting in brighter, detailed images. The Polaris 114, 127, and 130 are reflecting telescopes, meaning they use mirrors to produce an image. The Polaris 70, 80, and 90 are refracting telescopes, which use lenses to produce an image. The Polaris 80 has an 80mm aperture, smaller than the Polaris 130, 127, and 114 reflectors, but it is the second largest refracting telescope of the series.