Meade LXD-55 Schmidt Newtonian

This new line of telescopes by Meade looks like a classic but is 21st century all the way.
By | Published: May 19, 2009 | Last updated on May 18, 2023
Meade LXD-55 8-inch Schmidt-Newtonian telescope
Meade’s LXD-55 8-inch Schmidt-Newtonian has the classic look of telescopes from an earlier era. The aluminum tripod of the LXD-55 is light, adjustable, and sturdy.
Astronomy: William Zuback

This review appeared in the August 2003 issue of Astronomy magazine

On a dark night, an observer seeing a Meade LXD-55 Schmidt-Newtonian for the first time could be forgiven for thinking he had been transported in time back to the 1960s. Forty years ago, the most common commercial telescope was probably the 6-inch f/8 Newtonian on a clock-driven (110 Volts AC), pier-supported equatorial mount. Larger sizes were much less common.

Today, Meade offers a range of telescopes, updated mechanically and optically, for observers in the 2000s. With the LXD-55, the classic lines are all there, but our observer wouldn’t take long to realize this instrument is clearly a telescope of the 21st century. The new LXD-55 line boasts 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch models. Astronomy received the 8-inch SN-8 to test for this review. Click here to download and read a PDF of the entire Meade LXD-55 Schmidt Newtonian review.

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