Meade Telescopes: Brand Review & Best Models

Meade is the other name that comes up whenever Celestron does. The two brands have been the default rivalry in US amateur astronomy since 1980, when Meade entered the Schmidt-Cassegrain market and went head to head with Celestron for the first time. Before you shop the ETX or LX lines, though, there's something more recent about Meade's status as a company that matters more than any spec sheet.

What Happened to Meade, and Why It Matters Before You Buy

Meade was founded in 1972 as a mail-order refractor seller, started manufacturing in-house in 1976, and added reflectors the following year. It launched the ETX Maksutov-Cassegrain line in 1996 and acquired the solar-filter maker Coronado in 2004. That's the Meade most buyers picture: a long-running, independent optics company.

The more recent history is messier. Meade filed for bankruptcy in December 2019, and Orion Telescopes & Binoculars acquired it out of bankruptcy court in June 2021, forming Meade Acquisition Corp. to keep building and distributing Meade-branded telescopes. That arrangement didn't last. In July 2024, the parent company by then holding both Meade and Orion, Optronic Technologies, closed its California facilities and laid off its entire staff. By December 2024, the assets of Meade, Coronado and Orion Telescopes & Binoculars were listed for auction, and both companies had stopped operating as manufacturers. In February 2025, High Point Scientific bought the leftover Meade, Orion and Coronado inventory that hadn't sold at auction and put it up for sale at 40–60% off, reported as a stock liquidation, not a relaunch of production.

What that means in practice: Meade telescopes are no longer being newly manufactured as of this writing. What you can still buy is remaining inventory, through retailers still holding stock, or through High Point Scientific's liquidation sale. OPT Telescopes still shows active Meade category pages at the time of this research, but availability of any specific model should be double-checked before you rely on it, since there's no ongoing production behind it and warranty support going forward is an open question the sources consulted don't answer.

The ETX Line: Meade's Signature Compact Scope

The ETX series is what most people mean when they picture a Meade telescope: compact Maksutov-Cassegrain tubes in 90mm, 105mm and 125mm apertures, built around portability. The modern ETX Observer variant pairs the optics with Meade's AudioStar hand controller, which carries a database of more than 30,000 objects.

StarNavigator and the LX Series

Below the ETX in price sits the StarNavigator line, positioned as Meade's answer to Celestron's NexStar SE, the LX65 variant in particular uses a distinctive single-arm mount that can accept different optical tube assemblies rather than being locked to one tube.

Above the ETX sits Meade's premium tier: the AutoStar-based LX series, spanning roughly 6 inches to 16 inches of aperture across the LX85, LX90, LX200, LX200 ACF and LX600. That's a serious jump in light-gathering and resolving power over the ETX line, aimed at buyers who've outgrown a compact scope and want deep-sky detail rather than portability.

Meade vs. Celestron

The rivalry is real, but it's worth stating plainly rather than assuming readers already know the context: Celestron remains an active, independently manufacturing brand, while Meade's manufacturer has ceased operations and what remains on shelves is existing stock. If ongoing manufacturer support and a company still actively building new units matters to you, that's a meaningful factor to weigh alongside the optics themselves, see our Celestron brand review for the direct comparison.

Where to Buy Meade in the US

OPT Telescopes lists Meade product categories, from complete telescopes to optical tube assemblies and solar accessories. Given the manufacturer's status, confirm current stock and pricing directly before assuming any specific model is still available, this is one brand where "check availability first" matters more than usual.

FAQ

Is Meade still a reliable brand to buy from in 2026?

Meade's manufacturer, Optronic Technologies, ceased operations in 2024. What's currently available is existing inventory sold through retailers and through High Point Scientific's 2025 liquidation of remaining stock, not newly manufactured units.

What's the difference between the ETX and LX series?

ETX is Meade's compact, portable Maksutov-Cassegrain line (90–125mm apertures). LX85 through LX600 is the premium AutoStar platform, spanning roughly 6 to 16 inches of aperture for far more light-gathering power.

What is the AutoStar / AudioStar system?

It's Meade's GoTo hand controller platform. The ETX Observer's AudioStar version carries a database of more than 30,000 objects.

Is Meade better or worse than Celestron?

Both brands have historically offered comparable Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov-Cassegrain designs. The deciding factor today is less about optics and more about company status: Celestron continues active manufacturing, while Meade does not.

Read Also

• Best Telescope Brands Compared
• Celestron Telescopes: The Complete Brand Review

Sources

• [S001] meadestore.com : Meade Telescopes
• [S002] Wikipedia : Meade ETX telescope
• [S003] Wikipedia : Meade Instruments
• [S004] Hackaday : Orion Ceases Operations, Future Of Meade Unclear
• [S005] Sky & Telescope (X/Twitter) : High Point Scientific acquisition sale announcement
• [S006] OPT Telescopes : Meade collections