An in depth look at the models, and which one is right for your needs.

Objects may be easily viewed through Meade 60mm and 70mm DS models, however, the larger apertures of Meade DS-80EC, DS-90EC, DS-114EC, and DS-127EC telescopes show all of these objects in greater resolution and in wider extension, in proportion to the additional aperture and light-collecting area of the telescope.

The Orion Nebula (M42), for example, is easily visible through the DS-60EC; the nebula?s four central stars (in the form of a trapezoid) are readily resolved and a good deal of tenuous nebular structure can be observed.

Through the larger aperture of the DS-114EC, however, the nebula becomes more than three times brighter at the same magnification, filling the field of view at moderate powers and with outer extensions of the gas cloud now observable.

The Pleiades (M45), an open star cluster in the constellation Taurus, displays perhaps one hundred stars in a low-power field of the 60mm telescope, while the DS-127EC permits observation of over 250 stars.

The larger instrument also enables, under dark-sky conditions, the resolution of faint nebulosity around some of the primary stars in the Pleiades.

Telescopes of 60mm and 70mm aperture have historically been entry-level instruments for many thousands of amateur astronomers who later advanced to larger telescopes; these apertures provide a satisfying level of celestial detail, while confirming the user?s interests before the purchase of a larger telescope.

For many, however, Meade 80mm through 127mm DS-telescopes fulfill all requirements for a lifetime of astronomical and terrestrial study. The prospective purchaser is advised to consider the likelihood of his or her sustained interest in astronomy and purchase a telescope appropriate in aperture and specifications to this defined level of interest