Explore Scientific is the “new kid on the block” in the astronomical equipment world. With some bare years since its founding in July 2008, it is amazing to me just how fast Explore Scientific Company has overtaken the amateur astronomy hobby.
Explore Scientific was founded by Scott Roberts, a former Meade Instruments employee who held several high-ranking positions within that company. In addition to Explore Scientific and its subsidiary, Explore One, Roberts runs a number of non-profit astronomy outreach groups, serves on the board of US-based Astronomers Without Borders, and has contributed to a number of documentary films.
Explore Scientific Product Range
Explore Scientific sells a number of different telescopes and accessories, including:
- Carbon fibre, FCD100, and other apochromatic triplet refractors for both imaging and visual use
- AR-series fast achromatic refractors for visual use on a budget, using the same mechanical components as their apochromatic triplets
- Maksutov-Newtonian and Newtonian optical tubes for imaging or visual use
- Truss-tube and solid-tube Dobsonians
- 120°, 100°, 92°, 82°, 68°, 62°, and 52° argon-purged waterproof premium eyepieces
- Its FirstLight beginner telescope line
- PMC-Eight Wi-Fi controlled equatorial mounts, though with limited availability in the UK
- Twilight and EXOS manual alt-azimuth and equatorial mounts
Additionally, ES sells a number of binoculars, microscopes, and other non-astronomical optical devices.
Optics You Can Trust, Service You Can Rely On
While the FirstLight telescopes are a little compromised when it comes to their mounts and accessories, every Explore Scientific telescope that I’ve tested has been superb optically. Mechanically, most of the stuff ES sells is no slouch either.
Explore Scientific’s customer service is some of the best I’ve ever seen in the US and is an absolute hallmark of the industry. In the UK, Explore Scientific is distributed by the German telescope company, Bresser.