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Meade Instruments20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 114 ratings
Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
Brand MEADE
Model Name 20218
Objective Lens Diameter 70 Millimeters
Telescope Mount Description Altazimuth Mount
Focus Type Manual Focus
Finderscope Reflex
Item Weight 9.8 Pounds

About this item

  • Refracting Telescope Perfect For Land Or Sky Viewing
  • slow Motion Controls On Both Axes
  • find & Track Objects With Precision Controls
  • Includes A Red Dot Projection Viewfinder
  • heavy-Duty Steel Tube Tripod Provides A Rock Solid Platform
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Meade Instruments20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope
Meade Instruments20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope
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PriceCurrently unavailable.$189.99-8% $329.99
List: $359.99		$239.99$329.39$49.99
Delivery—
Get it as soon as Monday, May 20
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 21
—
Get it May 20 - 23
Get it May 20 - 21
Customer Ratings
4.24.2 out of 5 stars114
4.24.2 out of 5 stars13
4.74.7 out of 5 stars944
4.34.3 out of 5 stars148
4.64.6 out of 5 stars10
3.83.8 out of 5 stars32
Easy to assemble
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5.0
4.6
5.0
—
—
For beginners
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4.3
4.6
4.6
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Sold By
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Spectrum Optical Instruments
Koolpte
Celestron Direct
Agena Astro
Orion Telescopes & Binoculars
focus type
Manual Focus
Manual Focus
Manual Focus
Manual Focus
Manual Focus
Manual Focus
objective lens diameter
70 millimeters
70 millimeters
90 millimeters
114 millimeters
—
—
telescope mount
Altazimuth Mount
Altazimuth Mount
Vertisteel Altazimuth Mount
Altazimuth Mount
—
—
weight
9.8 pounds
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—
9.85 pounds
10.83 pounds
0.4 pounds
finderscope
Reflex
Reflex
Reflex
Reflex
Reflex
Reflex

Product Description

Product description

Explore the world beyond our atmosphere with the Meade NG-70ST 70mm altazimuth refractor telescope. It features a 70mm lens diameter that lets you see detail on the moon, view the main division in the rings of Saturn, and observe brighter star clusters, double stars, nebulae and more.

Amazon.com

Meade 20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope Meade's value priced NG-70SM Altazimuth Refractor is an affordable entry level telescope that features an easy to use Altazimuth mount with slow motion controls for precise tracking. The complete package includes a sturdy metal tripod, a red dot viewfinder, two 1.25 inch eyepieces and a star diagonal, and a software DVD with instructional video.

The NG-70SM Refractor Telescope comes disassembled in a compact box, but the instructional DVD video guides you through all the steps required for assembly. Go ahead and try it out in the daytime, that's the best time to align the red-dot finder scope while looking at a distant tree or telephone pole.

The optics of Meade's NG-70SM produce an image that is right side up but the diagonal mirror reverses the image left-to-right. That's no problem most of the time, but an optional correct image diagonal is available. The low power 25mm eyepiece produces a magnification 28X which is just right for spotting the Moon or the planets, while the 9mm eyepiece (78X magnification) can be used to zoom in for more detail. The MH25 eyepiece at 28X shows a lovely view of the Lunar disk in a dark sky, while the MH9 eyepiece at 78X shows literally hundreds of craters on the Moon and begins to show the rings of Saturn and the cloud bands of Jupiter. For even better views it's easy to add better eyepieces. My best view of Saturn, for example, came with an optional 6.4mm Super Plossl eyepiece, about 110X magnification.

The Altazimuth mount included with Meade's NG-70SM is lighter and easier to use than an Equatorial mount, yet the slow motion knobs make it easy to keep objects in view. The rotation of the Earth causes the Moon or planets to appear to drift out of the eyepiece, but the slow motion knobs make it easy to keep the telescope on target, even with a high power eyepiece. The telescope is sensitive to vibration, however, so a high power eyepiece can be difficult to focus.

Meade's NG-70SM is a good entry level telescope at a very good price. The optics are good, the Altazimuth mount is easy to assemble and easy to use, the instructional DVD includes a nice Lunar Atlas as well as planetarium software, and it's easy to add better eyepieces to improve your view of the planets. –Jeff Phillips

Pros:

  • Light and easy to use
  • Altazimuth mount includes slow motion knobs
  • Easy to add better eyepieces
  • Instructional DVD included;


  • Cons:
  • MH eyepieces have narrow field of view
  • Vibrates while focusing at high power

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Meade Instruments20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope

Meade Instruments20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
114 global ratings

Customers say

Customers like the quality, value, appearance and ease of use of the telescope. For example, they mention it's well made, easy to use and set up and that it offers great views of the moon. Some appreciate the performance, saying that it works fine and is perfect for the price.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

45 customers mention36 positive9 negative

Customers like the quality of the telescope. They say it's well built, sturdy, and not cheaply made. Some mention that the optics are ok and it'll be a good starter telescope.

"...For the money it is a very good looking telescope. The stand or tri-pod is sturdy...." Read more

"...Pros:Metal optical tubeNice optical lensSturdy mount and TripodCrisp views out of the boxNeutral:..." Read more

"...I noticed the lenses (they are not cheep) inside nice protective cases along with a nice lens accessory tray between the legs of the stand...." Read more

"...Plastic parts inside the house unit and are easy to break,light weight to handle and it does the job." Read more

32 customers mention32 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the value of the telescope. They say it's a well-made product for the money, worth the purchase, and a good telescope for beginners.

"Bought this telescope for my son's 10th birthday. Price was excellent. Assembly was very easy...." Read more

"...Also great for watching wildlife during the day. Not to mention pretty cheap for a lifetime of beauty and wonder." Read more

"...to look at the stars or any object in space this is a very good telescope for starter...." Read more

"...This not withstanding this telescope is an exceptional value and is a very good beginner telescope...." Read more

28 customers mention28 positive0 negative

Customers like the appearance of the telescope. They mention it's easy to use and set up, and provides great visuals. Some say that the quality of the optics is good, and that it offers some incredible sights. They say it'll allow you to see stars fairly closely and craters on the moon. Overall, most are happy with the quality and performance of this telescope.

"...For the money it is a very good looking telescope. The stand or tri-pod is sturdy...." Read more

"...Pros:Metal optical tubeNice optical lensSturdy mount and TripodCrisp views out of the boxNeutral:..." Read more

"...With some practice, could view craters on the moon very well. Was even able to see stripes on Jupiter and recognize four of its moons...." Read more

"...Also great for watching wildlife during the day. Not to mention pretty cheap for a lifetime of beauty and wonder." Read more

25 customers mention25 positive0 negative

Customers find the telescope easy to use and set up. They say it's sturdy, easy to construct, and provides slow, precise movement for tracking. They also say the motion of up, down, and side to side is easy, but does take some practice. Customers also mention that the dials are easy to operate and provide slow, accurate movement for track.

"...Using the view finder is straight forward.Once assembled it was easy to point it at the moon and view it, first time for me, up close...." Read more

"...Price was excellent. Assembly was very easy. Brought a lot of initial excitement from my son and his younger siblings...." Read more

"...I love that it folds easily and is relatively easy to figure out once you get the hang of it. Also great for watching wildlife during the day...." Read more

"...The dials are easy to use and they provide slow precise movement for tracking objects...." Read more

10 customers mention10 positive0 negative

Customers like the performance of the telescope. They say the telescope itself works fine, and gives good views of the moon and planets. The laser finder works fine. Some customers say the price was perfect. The slow motion controls work nicely, and the red dot scope is very accurate once set.

"...the house unit and are easy to break,light weight to handle and it does the job." Read more

"The telescope itself works fine and gives good views of the moon and planets...." Read more

"...a good purchase. Slow motion controls work nicely, red dot scope is very accurate once set up properly...." Read more

"...Magnification isn't bad, you get what you pay for. For the price, it was perfect." Read more

5 customers mention5 positive0 negative

Customers find the telescope easy to carry around. They also say it has a metal optical tube and heavier than expected mount.

"...Overall weight of this scope is light enough to easily be your go-to stargazing device...." Read more

"...Plastic parts inside the house unit and are easy to break,light weight to handle and it does the job." Read more

"...Its been a blast every since. It looks amazing, its lightweight for easy movement, I couldnt be happier." Read more

"...Telescope is sturdy and light enough for her to carry. Magnification isn't bad, you get what you pay for. For the price, it was perfect." Read more

8 customers mention0 positive8 negative

Customers are dissatisfied with the field of view of the telescope. They mention that the image is inverted, and it's not really suitable for earthbound viewing. They also say that the telescope is useless for night sky viewing, with a missing angle eye piece and a small viewfinder that doesn't do what it'd be expected to do.

"...It's not even very good for terrestrial viewing...." Read more

"...The image is inverted and IMO not really suitable for earthbound viewing couple this with the narrow field of view and there are better instruments..." Read more

"...We did try once but were unsuccessful in seeing anything so we will read the directions again to see what we did wrong." Read more

"...the only think that I have had difficulty with is the small viewfinder is not doing what it's supposed to be doing, but I've made the best of it :)" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

louispz
5.0 out of 5 stars Meade 20218 NG-70SM 70MM Altazimuth Refractor Telescope
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2011
Verified Purchase
The Meade 20218 NG-70SM 70MM Altazimuth Refractor Telescope is a telescope for beginners and this is why I bought it. First for me to learn how to use a telescope and then how to apply it for sky watching, that would be learning the basic in astromony, reading basic star charts, learning the basic vocabulary of star gazing etc.. Second it is for my grand son who is five years old.

The Scope was very easy to assemble (there was a delay explained below). For the money it is a very good looking telescope. The stand or tri-pod is sturdy. Controlling the motion of up and down and side to side is easy, but does take some practice. Using the view finder is straight forward.

Once assembled it was easy to point it at the moon and view it, first time for me, up close. I have only used the least powerful lens and it was amazing. My grand son took a look and he said it was a planet. I am sure he is still digesting the information gotten from using the telescope.

The telescope came with an instructional dvd, and other basic software on it, a Autostar Suite, and a Moon chart. I found it very useful, for instance it showed me how to install the view finder and calibrate it.

The one item that delayed me in using the scope was the view finder that came with the on and off switch broken, I called the Meade service number and it was replaced within the week, really about three days. The Meade serive desk was Very professional and helpful.
20 people found this helpful
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Joxer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent value for the money.
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2011
Verified Purchase
What a great scope for only $60. I don't know how long this price will last, but if you are in the market for an excellent starter scope, I highly recommend the NG-70SM. The build quality is higher than expected. With a metal optical tube, a heavier than expected mount, and a decent metal tripod. Overall weight of this scope is light enough to easily be your go-to stargazing device. The eyepieces aren't something to sing about, but they are decent for a scope at this price point. I suspect I will be ordering some plossl ep's in the near future, and a 2x barlow lens. The focus and slow motion knobs are plastic. On the Focus, it feels great actually. But the slow motion knobs leave something to be desired. They are somewhat twitchy, and I think the plastic has something to do with that.

Pros:
Metal optical tube
Nice optical lens
Sturdy mount and Tripod
Crisp views out of the box

Neutral:
Semi decent eye pieces. Not bad, but not great.

Cons:
Plastic tray does not fold well with tripod.
slow motion controls can be a little twitchy, but there is a way to adjust the tension.
slow motion controls can be hard to reach, but a little muscle memory and practice makes them easier to grab while looking through the EP.
8 people found this helpful
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anewell71
4.0 out of 5 stars Great beginner telescope!
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2011
Verified Purchase
Bought this telescope for my son's 10th birthday. Price was excellent. Assembly was very easy. Brought a lot of initial excitement from my son and his younger siblings. Unfortunately, the red-dot viewfinder on / off switch is flimsy and broke after a couple of uses. I haven't contacted the manufacturer, yet, but have heard they are great to work with. With some practice, could view craters on the moon very well. Was even able to see stripes on Jupiter and recognize four of its moons. Son's initial excitement didn't last long, but he's enjoyed looking through it, and learned how to adjust it to find what he was looking for. Would definitely recommend this telescope as a first telescope for the young (or young-at-heart) beginning astronomer.
3 people found this helpful
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Tessa
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful for an amatuer who wants to look at stars, the moon, and supermoon.
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2013
Verified Purchase
I usually whip out this bad-boy when the moon is bright over the ocean, leaving beautiful, meandering, luminous water in it's trail.

Or when I sit on my roof as the rest of the world seems to sleep or read books in their rooms and watch the stars and moon shine above the pine trees and the creek.

I love that it folds easily and is relatively easy to figure out once you get the hang of it. Also great for watching wildlife during the day. Not to mention pretty cheap for a lifetime of beauty and wonder.
2 people found this helpful
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Robert
5.0 out of 5 stars Suprised
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2011
Verified Purchase
I must say this is a big improvement over my last telescope. I was eager to put it together. After I got the box open and the stand together, I mounted the scope. the azimuth mount feels more like an equatorial mount with out the weights and cables. The dials are easy to use and they provide slow precise movement for tracking objects. I noticed the lenses (they are not cheep) inside nice protective cases along with a nice lens accessory tray between the legs of the stand. I can't wait until the weather clears so I can take this outside.

70 MM aperture, steel leg tripod with accessory tray, azimuth mount for ease of control, and a great pair of lenses plus software for finding those stars.

what else could you ask for besides a starry night.

please remember lenses make the telescope, better lenses make the telescope better.
71 people found this helpful
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R. MATEEN
3.0 out of 5 stars Good telescope for the money
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2010
Verified Purchase
This is a good telescope for the money. If you have grandchildren or want to look at the stars or any object in space this is a very good telescope for starter. Plastic parts inside the house unit and are easy to break,light weight to handle and it does the job.
14 people found this helpful
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