Reviews

We test-drive Meade’s latest computer-controlled catadioptric reflector. Meade’s freshly minted LX65 8-inch telescope certainly has extras. It boasts Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) optics, a computerized GoTo mount with motorized tracking, capacity for two telescopes and Meade’s AudioStar control system software, which offers brief “Astronomer Inside” recorded voice descriptions of chosen celestial objects.

The LX65 series from Meade Instruments provides amateur astronomers with (1) a simple-to-use and portable deep sky visual observation rig and (2) a budget-friendly way to pursue planetary/lunar astrophotography.

"This is really amazing technology, and it sets the LX600 apart from any other fork-mounted telescope on the market, bar none. In a nutshell, every time you slew the LX600 to a new target, StarLock automatically acquires a suitable guide star and begins guiding the telescope accurately enough for astrophotography."

Can this mount’s full-time automatic autoguiding make everyone a deep-sky astrophotographer? There are more active deep-sky astrophotographers today than ever before.

"My biggest surprise was how much I enjoyed using this small scope visually. While there’s no such thing as an all-purpose telescope, this excellent instrument was as close to that as any telescope I’ve used in a long time."

The Meade premium optics stood out once again with the reviewer stating that “optically in our visual test of the field of view it was pin sharp across the whole view”.