Orion is well-known as one of the world's best telescope makers, and their Astroview 90mm refractor is ideal for beginners who want to see our solar system up close without breaking the budget. Read our Orion astroview 90mm eq refractor planetary telescope review here.

This is an air-spaced achromatic doublet refractor scope. While it lacks the clarity of an apochromatic doublet, it does provide amazingly sharp and vivid views of the night sky at a far lesser cost.

In the Fraunhofer arrangement, this f/10.1 achromatic doublet uses a flint glass lens. The 90mm AstroView exhibits apparent chromatic aberration due to a mixture of achromatic glass and a sluggish focal ratio.

Brighter objects with chromatic aberration have extra or bleeding color on the edges. The limb of the moon, for example, shows yellowing. This is a result of physics with refractors of this price range, but it has no effect on the view, which is remarkably sharp for such a low-cost device.

When working inside this budget range, the optics are usually the first item to go. Inferior glass is used, scopes are frequently inadequately baffled, and the internal paint is unappealing. With the AstroView 90mm, none of these difficulties exist, and you'll be presented to a wonderful optical experience with no stray light or glare issues.

This 90mm refractor is one of Orion's AstroView line of telescopes, which further comprises the AstroView 6 reflector and the 120ST refractor telescopes. The AstroView 90mm is the most cost-effective scope in our lineup, costing little under $300.

Before purchasing the 90mm AstroView, there are a few things to think about.

The AstroView 90mm refractor will delight the majority of beginners and novice astronomers. The places where Orion had to take shortcuts to keep the price low can readily be improved in the future.

The slow focus ratio of this scope makes it perfect for seeing objects in the solar systems including the planets, moon, and double stars. Because it is slower, it can provide more magnification with wider eyepieces than a faster variant. And, because of its narrow aperture, it's great for observing the night sky's smaller, clearer objects.

The solar system is full with amazing things to see, and those who are particularly interested in having a closer look at these items will adore this telescope.

What else has this telescope got to offer?

Meanwhile, if you want to look at deep-sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae, this isn't the greatest scope for you. While the AstroView 90mm can see certain deep-sky objects, they will be weak and hazy, and fainter things will be out of range.

Features and Advantages

Whether you're contemplating the AstroView as your first telescope or searching for something reasonable and portable to take on vacation, this budget Orion telescope has a lot to offer.

If you're considering this scope or another model, a number of factors will determine whether or not it'll be a good fit for your needs. The quality of your telescope and how good it will function are determined by five parameters.

• Optical Performance
• Mount Performance
• What You Can See
• Included Equipment
• Set-up & Use

Optical Performance

You'd think that the optics of this scope was an afterthought, given how inexpensive it is. Thankfully, nothing could be far from the truth. The AstroView 90mm has a remarkable level of optical performance that so many refractors at this price point can't match.

The AstroView 90mm is an entry-level scope in the AstroView line, however, that doesn't mean the optical tube assembly (OTA) is of lower quality than the other scopes in the line. At approximately half the price of the other AstroView refractor, the 120ST, the 90mm provides comparable quality.

Handful scopes can match with this AstroView's optical quality or construction quality when compared to many other refractors that cost roughly the same as the 90mm AstroView.

However, there's no denying that 3.5 inches is a narrow aperture; even the greatest optics can't compensate for it. This model, like any telescope with a sub-4′′ aperture, does quite well with bright objects, hence the reason it's perfect for observing the moon, stars and planets.

More features of this amazing telescope!

The 120ST is ideal for seeing deep-sky objects because of its bigger size.

This scope is slow due to its long focal length and tiny aperture, making it excellent for lunar and planetary observation. Viewers will be treated to razor-sharp views of the moon, complete with all of its lovely details, as well as stunningly sharp images of double stars, planets and even brighter deep-sky objects like the Andromeda Galaxy.

Mount Performance

To keep this scope inexpensive while maintaining optical performance, Orion has to make certain compromises. Regrettably, this implies that the mount isn't the best.

This lightweight aluminum mount comes with slow motion controls, dual setting circles and a compact accessory tray for eyepieces and other frequently used accessories.  For hands-free control, the mount can be equipped with EQ-2M motor drive system from Orion.

Orion astroview 90mm eq refractor planetary telescope

Equipment Included

Aside from the mount and telescope, Orion includes a few extras that make studying the sky a breeze.

Two Sirius Plössl eyepieces with 10mm and 25mm focal lengths are also included. They enable 36x and 91x magnifications, respectively, with this scope.

The eyepieces have a 52-degree apparent visual field which are multi-coated for improved optical quality. While viewing the heavens through these eyepieces, you'll be comfortable thanks to the molded rubber eyecups.

It also comes with a 6x30mm finderscope, allowing you to more quickly locate items in the sky that you want to examine carefully through the telescope. The finderscope is useful, but it's not really fun to look through, and the images appear dark.

Setup & Use

Starting with the AstroView 90mm as a beginner telescope couldn't be easier. Observing the sky is as easy as connecting the OTA to the mount, setting it to your latitude, and inserting an eyepiece once you've unpacked everything.

This scope is extremely light, weighing in at less than twenty four pounds with the counterweight. There aren't a good number of telescopes that are better for traveling than this compact alternative.

There is no motor drive or GoTo controller to set up when using this manual telescope.