Telrad

Telrad Reflex Sight Finder

Zero-power · 3-ring reticle

Projects three glowing target rings onto the sky so you can point the scope at exactly the right spot by eye, the fastest way to find anything.

90/ 100

Polaris Score

#1 of 8 finders we recommend

Where to buy

High Point ScientificCheck price→

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What problem does this solve?

The hardest part of a star hop is knowing where to start.

A magnifying finderscope shows a tiny, often upside-down patch of sky, useless for judging where you are among the naked-eye stars. Beginners spend the whole night lost, swinging the scope and hoping.

A Telrad is a zero-power reflex sight: look through its window and three concentric rings (0.5°, 2°, 4°) float against the real sky. Those rings match the circles printed on every star atlas, so you set the scope on a target by eye in seconds, no magnification, no reversal, no guesswork.

You need one if

You need one if you find objects manually (no GoTo) and want star-hopping to actually be quick and enjoyable.

You can skip it if

You can skip it if you rely entirely on a GoTo mount, though many owners still fit one for fast initial alignment.

01Will it fit my setup

Compatibility.

What this accessory works with — check the fit before you check the price.

Any telescopeDobsonianNewtonianRefractorSCTManual star-hoppingIts own base

Note✕Adds some bulk✕Not magnified, pair with a finderscope for faint hops

02The numbers

Key specifications.

Optical

Magnification1x (zero power)

Reticle3 rings · 0.5° / 2° / 4°

BrightnessAdjustable dial

WindowTilted glass combiner

Physical

MountingAdhesive base + dovetail

Power2× AAA

Extra basesAvailable, share across scopes

Weight~300 g

03Before you buy

Good to know.

The honest caveats — the things that save you a return, a bad first night, or a second purchase you didn't need.

The rings match your star atlas.

That 0.5° / 2° / 4° pattern is drawn on Telrad-ready charts, so you literally overlay the printed circle onto the real sky. This is the whole trick.

Buy a second base, not a second Telrad.

The finder pops off its adhesive base in a second, stick a spare base on each scope and move one Telrad between them.

Turn the brightness down.

Under dark skies the reticle should be barely visible, just bright enough to see against the faintest stars, or it will swamp them.

04Completes the kit

Related accessories.

Share across scopes

Extra Telrad base

Stick one on every telescope and move a single finder between them.

Keeps the window clear

Telrad dew shield

The tilted glass dews up first, a shield keeps the reticle visible.

For the faint hops

Right-angle finderscope

Pair zero-power aiming with a magnified finder for dim star-hops.

90/ 100

Telrad Reflex Sight Finder

Zero-power · 3-ring reticle

Projects three glowing target rings onto the sky so you can point the scope at exactly the right spot by eye, the fastest way to find anything.

High Point ScientificCheck price→