7-inch Telescopes (180mm)

7-inch telescopes are basically for amateurs though there are some advanced telescopes for professional astronomers with this aperture. Overall, they provide 500-2700 mm focal lengths, and a range of focal ratios from f/2.8-f/15. They can magnify objects 356 times the human eye. They also can resolve double stars at 0.65 arcsec. You can get 7-inch telescopes from different brands in the price range of 1,350-5,500$.

What is a 7-inch telescope?

A 7-inch telescope refers to a telescope having an aperture (the diameter of the objective lens) of 7-inch (180 mm). A 7-inch telescope is considered to be in the category of a medium size telescope. 

What can you see with a 7-inch telescope?

  • The Moon and its craters 
  • Jupiter with its cloud belts, and the Great Red Spot
  • Saturn and its bands, the Cassini Division
  • Uranus and Neptune
  • Galaxies like M 83, Whirlpool Galaxy, M81 and M82
  • Globular star clusters like M5, M13, M15, and M92.
  • Nebulae like NGC 7027 in Cygnus, etc

Types and Technical Specifications of 7-inch telescope

Types (Optical Design)

Dall Kirkham: Example: Takahashi Mewlon 180 C· f/ 12 Dall Kirkham Reflecting Telescope.

Hyperbolic Newtonian: Example: Takahashi Epsilon E-180 180mm ED Astrograph OTA.

Maksutov Cassegrain: Example: Sky-Watcher 180mm Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope OTA, Celestron CGX 700 Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope, Celestron CGEM II· 700 Maksutov Cassegrain, Celestron 700 f/15 Maksutov Cassegrain OTA, Celestron Advanced VX 700 Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope Bundle – CE-12035.

Maksutov Newtonian: Example: Sky-Watcher 190mm Maksutov-Newtonian Telescope OTA.

Technical Specifications

Aperture: 7-inch (180 mm)

Focal Length: 500-2700 mm 

Focal ratio: f/2.8-f/15

Highest Magnification: 360x

Light Gathering Power: 660x

Price: 1,350-5,500$

Images taken with 7-inch telescopes

Examples of 7-inch telescopes

  • Celestron Advanced VX 700 Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope Bundle – CE-12035
  • Celestron 700 f/15 Maksutov Cassegrain OTA
  • Celestron CGEM II· 700 Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope
  • Celestron CGX 700 Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope
  • Sky-Watcher 190mm Maksutov-Newtonian Telescope OTA
  • Sky-Watcher 180mm Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope OTA
  • Takahashi Epsilon E-180 180mm ED Astrograph OTA
  • Takahashi Mewlon 180 C· f/ 12 Dall Kirkham Reflecting Telescope

How do 7-inch telescopes compare to other size-telescopes

7-inch vs 8-inch telescope

8-inch telescopes provide focal lengths of 800-2415 mm (f/4-f/11.5), while 7-inch vary in focal lengths from 500-2700 mm ( f/2.8-f/15). On average 8-inch telescopes provide the highest magnification of 300-480x, whereas 7-inch telescopes can magnify 360x. However, their price range is similar, sometimes 7-inch telescopes cost more than 8-inch telescopes.

7-inch telescope8-inch telescope
Aperture7-inch (180 mm)8-inch (203 mm)
Focal Ratiof/2.8-f/15f/4-f/11.5
Focal Length500-2700 mm800-2415 mm
Highest Magnification360x300-480x
Price1,350-5,500$570-5,000$

7-inch vs 9.25-inch telescope

7-inch telescopes provide a focal length of 500-2700 mm with a focal ratio of  f/2.8-f/15. In contrast, 9.25-inch telescopes vary from 2350-2500 mm in focal length with a focal ratio of f/10. Moreover, 9.25-inch telescopes provide 406-555x the highest magnification, which is 360x in the case of 7-inch telescopes.

7-inch telescope9.25-inch telescope
Aperture7-inch (180 mm)9.25-inch (235 mm)
Focal Ratiof/2.8-f/15f/10
Focal Length500-2700 mm2350-2500 mm
Highest Magnification360x406-555x
Price1,350-5,500$1,899-8,320$

7-inch vs 10-inch telescope

7-inch telescopes have less aperture than the 10-inch telescopes. They offer a focal ratio of f/3.9-f/10 whereas the 7-inch telescopes provide f/2.8-f/15. Besides, 7-inch telescopes offer a focal length of 500-2700 mm whereas the 10-inch telescopes vary from 1000-2500 mm in focal lengths. Though sometimes you can get 10-inch telescopes at a lesser price than a 7-inch scope.

7-inch telescope10-inch telescope
Aperture7-inch (180 mm)10-inch (254 mm)
Focal Ratiof/2.8-f/15f/3.9-f/10
Focal Length500-2700 mm1000-2500 mm
Highest Magnification360x500-600x
Price1,350-5,500$630-10,000$

7-inch vs 11-inch telescopes

7-inch telescope has less aperture than the 11-inch telescopes. They offer a focal ratio of f/2.8-f/15 whereas the 11-inch telescopes vary from f/2.2-f/10. Besides, 11-inch telescopes offer a focal length of 620-2800 mm whereas the 7-inch telescopes start from 500 mm to 2700 mm mm in focal lengths. Moreover, 7-inch telescopes provide 360x the highest magnification, whereas 11-inch telescopes can magnify up to 558-558.8x..

7-inch telescope11-inch telescopes
Aperture7-inch (180 mm)11-inch (279 mm)
Focal Ratiof/2.8-f/15f/2.2-f/10
Focal Length500-2700 mm620-2800 mm
Highest Magnification360x558-558.8x
Price1,350-5,500$2,400-6,500$