Orion bought Meade, which had bought Coronado. Then Orion went out of business in the summer of 2024. In January, 2025, High Point Scientific purchased the remaining inventory of new equipment and is selling it off in a fire sale.
Here is what you need to know to get some great deals on some great equipment.
Quick Background
The short version: In 2021, Optronic Technologies, Inc., better known to backyard astronomers as Orion Telescopes & Binoculars, announced the acquisition of Meade Instruments following the approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Previously, Meade had purchased Coronado, maker of some very popular solar telescopes, including the SolarMax II DST that I own.
Fast forward to 2024 and Orion went out of business, and closed up shop. They were going to have an auction of all remaining stock in January, 2024, but shortly after the auction started, it was cancelled and it was soon announced that High Point Scientific had bought all of it.
Now, HPS is selling it all off to all of us who weren't going to be able to agree to the terms of the auction anyway.
Why you Should Care?
According to HPS's web site:
Most Items Offered Between 40%-60% off! In some instances, discounts will be even greater than 60% off. In other instances, they will be slightly less than 40% off.
Verified Compatibility & Exceptional Quality All items are new and in their original boxes, and we’ve personally inspected and looked through most of the solar telescopes. We’ve spot checked telescopes, tested the binoculars, and confirmed QC procedures that were used after production. Our team verified everything for you!
Assuming an average of 50% off, that's quite a discount! Also, they're offering their normal 30 day returns plus Meade Telescopes & Coronado Solar Telescopes will have a "robust warranty" from their partner, Extend. So rather than buying stuff at the aborted Orion auction in January, you can
How The Sale Works
Starting February 12th, HPS will launch a new, out of this world, sale every 4 or 5 days. Some sales will have extensive inventory, while others will not. Once a product sells out it’s gone, and no backorders will be accepted. In order to know what the sale is a little early you can visit the sale page and sign up for their emails.
You've already missed out on 8", 10" and 12" LX90 SCT telescopes. Sorry. Binoculars are going on now, as are smaller accesories and random bits.
February 17th (which is tomorrow as I write this) starts solar scopes. Keep your eyes peeled for potentially incredible deals on SolarMax III 90mm DST telescopes, one of which I may have to buy. Februrary 20th starts the "big aperture" telescope sale, and if you have any Nvidia stock, now might be the time to sell it and pick up a 12", 14" or maybe even a 16" telescope at an unbelievable price!
Final Thoughts
I can't say for sure what's on the sale, but I know it's a little bit like being a kid in a candy store. The gear has all been vetted by HPS, it's offered new, with warranty, and it's tough to beat it for what it is. Don't expect PlaneWave scopes and AP mounts, but if you were going to drop $2000 on a new $2000 scope, maybe you'll be able to drop $2000 on a $3000 scope instead.
Happy hunting!
Until next time, clear skies and I'll see you in the dark! Connnect with me quickly at BlueSky! Want more content? Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Or you can (usually) watch live sessions on Twitch. Or even better, help support me in creating new content, getting new equipment to test, and to gain access to all of my digital imaging raw data! All content is copyright 2024 by astropotamus.com
Pixel sizes (and why they matter) C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS