Meade began offering optical tube assemblies for reflectors in 1976. Since then they have passed through several stages in quality and continue to stay up to date with market demand.
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Starting in 1977 entire telescope packages were offered with a very nice 1" ball-bearing equatorial head on a pedestal base. The tube could be rotated when loosening the rings and was accompanied by a 6x30 finder, 1 ¼" focuser and eyepieces. The 6" f/8 version was called Model 618, with an electric drive it became Model 628. Similarly, a 6" f/5 version without the drive became Model 635, and with the drive Model 645. Finally Model 816 carried a 8" f/6 optical tube and Model 826 added the drive motor. Later the 826 was also called 826C. | |
| Model 635 | ||
| In 1978 Meade began producing Model 591, which was developed for head to head competition with the immensely popular RV-6 Criterion reflector. This model was almost identical to its competition and came with a 1 ¼" focuser, 2 eyepieces, 6x30 finder and clock drive on a pedestal mount GEM. Although it looked much like the Meade 600 series telescopes the GEM did not have a ball-bearing in the mount. In 1982 this model was renamed the 592. In 1982 a simple version of the 8" reflector was also added to the line. This used the same accessories as the 592 and was called Model 791. | ||
| In 1979 Meade introduced a "Research Grade" line of reflectors. These were impressive telescopes with heavier pedestal German equatorial mounts with ball bearings and 1 ½" shafts, true rotating rings, a better drive system, 8x50 finder and 2" focusers. These models included the 880, with a 8" f/6 optical tube, Model 1060, with a 10" f/6 tube, and Model 1266, with a 12 ½" f/6 system. | ||
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In 1982 the DS series was introduced. This represented a low price option for a large reflector on a German equatorial mount. The optical tubes were fixed, on a low height pedestal GEM. The DS-10 had a 4" pedestal with a 1" shaft diameter mount. The DS-16 had a 6" pedestal with a 1 ½" shaft diameter mount. Both were supplied with a1 ¼" focuser and no finder. AC drives were available as an option. In 1988 another package was also made available with a 2" focuser the AC drive as standard. The names of these new models were adjusted to DS-10A and DS-16A. | |
| DS-10 | ||
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In 1985 some short focal length telescopes were added to the line. They were mounted on a sturdy tripod and slo-mo GEM and came with 6x30 finders and a 1 ¼" focuser with accessories. Model 6600 sported 6" f/5 optics and Model 8800, 8" f/4.5 optics. | |
| Model 8800 | ||
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In 1989 a more common 4.5" f/8 reflector was added to the line. The 4420 was mounted on a generic equatorial mount with 1 ¼" focuser and 5x24 finder. Later this model was renamed the 4500 and the finder was increased to a 6x30. | |
| Model 4500 | ||
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Along with its very impressive line of technically oriented telescopes in 1992, Meade did something for the beginner as well with the release of the Starfinder series. These reflectors were introduced with quality features at a reasonable price. All units were Newtonian optical tubes with a 1 ¼" focuser and eyepiece and a 6x30 finder. All were mounted on a uniquely designed, pedestal mounted, 1" shaft German Equatorial Mount. It allowed a 7" diameter setting circle in right ascension, although circles were provided on both axes, and an AC worm gear drive was standard. These included the Starfinder 6 with 6" f/8 optics, the Starfinder 8 with 8" f/6 optics, and the Starfinder 10 with 10" f/4.5 optics. A Starfinder 16 was also released with a large 16" f/4.5 optical tube. The mount for the 16" system was, by necessity different and larger. It was the same basic mount as provided on the DS series, but somewhat upgraded. The accessories on the 16" consisted of a 2" focuser and 8x50 finder. Straps on the mounting plate allowed for rotating the tubes of all telescopes inlcuding the 16". | |
| Starfinder 10 | ||
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In 1994 a Starfinder Dobsonian line was introduced. These were the same low cost, good quality optical tubes as the equatorially mounted line, but mounted on laminate covered particleboard rocker boxes. These telescopes were manufactured in the same sizes as the Starfinder equatorials and supplied with a 1 ¼" focuser and eyepiece, but no finder. However, a Starfinder 12.5 was added to the Dobsonian that never made it in the equatorial line. It included a 12 ½" f/4.8 optical tube. The 16" was supplied with a 2" focuser, but like the rest of the Dobsonians did not include a finder. | |
| Starfinder Dob 16 | ||