The Model 4500 provides stunning optical performance on the Moon, planets, and in deep-space, where its larger aperture is most advantageous. The telescope includes a high-precision equatorial mount with manual slow-motion controls on both axes. The all-aluminum tripod allows for a solid, but lightweight, observing platform.

#531 Electric Motor Drive: For fully automatic tracking of astronomical objects, the Meade #531 Motor Drive is available for attachment to equatorial telescope Models 285, 395, and 4500.

A Word about “Power:” When buying a telescope one of the least important factors to consider is the power, or magnification, of the instrument. The key to observing fine detail, whether on the surface of the Moon or on a license plate one mile in the distance, is not power, but aperture- i.e.., the diameter of the telescope’s main (objective) lens or primary mirror. The power at which a telescope is operating is determined by the eyepiece employed; all Meade telescopes include one or more eyepieces as standard equipment, and optional eyepieces are available for higher or lower powers. Within reason power is useful, but the most common mistake of the beginning observer is to “overpower” the telescope and to use magnifications which the telescope’s aperture and typical atmospheric conditions can not reasonably support. The result is an image which is fuzzy, ill-defined, and poorly resolved, through no fault of the telescope. Keep in mind that a smaller, lower-power, but brighter and well-resolved, image is far superior to a large, high-power, but dim and poorly-resolved, one.

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