OPT Telescopes
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersCarlsbad, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
OPT Telescopes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OPT Telescopes
- Legal name
- OPT Telescopes
- Website
- https://optcorp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OPT Telescopes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telescope and Astronomy Equipment Retail
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Binoculars, Scopes & Sport Optics Retail (CRACAHAI)
Keywords
Where OPT Telescopes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carlsbad
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
OPT Telescopes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of telescopes, cameras, mounts, eyepieces, filters, and accessories. Sales include both new and used/pre-owned equipment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level telescopes for beginners |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-level amateur equipment |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Professional and observatory-grade equipment |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Used and pre-owned equipment |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
OPT Telescopes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OPT Telescopes (Oceanside Photo & Telescope) is an online-only retailer selling new and used telescopes, astronomy cameras, mounts, eyepieces, filters, and supporting accessories from major brands including Celestron, Meade, Sky-Watcher, William Optics, Orion, Takahashi, ZWO, Explore Scientific, iOptron, and Planewave. The company served amateur astronomers and research institutions with same-day shipping, financing options, expert guidance, and an educational content platform (OPT University). The company permanently closed in 2023 with customers redirected to Agena Astro.
Product overview
OPT Telescopes operates as a specialized telescope and astronomy equipment retailer, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products across multiple categories. The core offerings include telescopes (reflectors, refractors, catadioptrics, Dobsonians, Ritchey-Chretiens, and optical tube assemblies), specialized astronomy cameras (CCD, CMOS, deep space, planetary), telescope mounts (equatorial, alt-azimuth, computerized GoTo systems), eyepieces, optical filters, and supporting accessories. The company also provides used equipment, sport optics, microscopes, educational resources through OPT University, and financing services. OPT positions itself as a full-service astronomy retailer serving beginners through professional astronomers since 1947, though the company has announced permanent closure with customers redirected to Agena Astro.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OPT University: Educational platform offering telescope buying guides, astrophotography tips, and learning resources for amateur astronomers.
- Space Junk Podcast
Products and services
- Telescopes Comprehensive selection of telescopes including Reflector, Refractor, Catadioptric, Dobsonian, Cassegrain, Ritchey-Chretien, Apochromatic, SCT (Schmidt-Cassegrain), and Optical Tube Assemblies (OTA) for visual astronomy, astrophotography, and scientific research applications.
- Telescope Cameras Specialized astronomy cameras including CCD Cameras, CMOS Cameras, Deep Space Cameras, Planetary and Solar Cameras, Guide Cameras, All Sky Cameras, and Astronomy Video Cameras for astrophotography and imaging applications.
- Telescope Mounts Telescope mounting systems including Equatorial Mounts, Alt-Azimuth Mounts, Star Trackers, Computerized GoTo Telescope Mounts, Hybrid Telescope Mounts, Single Arm Mounts, Fork Mounts, Motorized EQ Mounts, and Manual Equatorial Mounts.
- Telescope Eyepieces Eyepieces for telescopes including Reticle Telescope Eyepieces, available in various sizes (0.965, 1.25, 2, 3 inch) to fit different telescope designs.
- Telescope Filters Optical filters including Narrowband Filters, Imaging Filters, Visual Filters, Light Pollution Filters, Planetary Filters, RGB Filters, Solar Telescope Filters, and Filter Bundles for various astronomical observation and imaging needs.
- Telescope Accessories Supporting equipment including Telescope Accessories, Astrophotography Accessories, Telescope Focusers, Telescope Camera Adapters (T-Rings), Astronomy Accessory Kits, Astronomy Software, Telescope Tripods and Piers, Collimation Tools, Barlows/Correctors/Reducers, Smartphone Accessories, Portable Power Supplies, and Observatory Accessories.
- Used Telescopes and Astronomy Equipment Pre-owned telescopes and astronomy equipment including Used Telescope Mounts, Used Astro Kits, Used Telescope Cameras, Used Telescope Eyepieces, and Used Telescope Filters.
- Sport Optics Binoculars and other sport optics equipment for daytime outdoor observation.
- Microscopes
Companies that use OPT Telescopes
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
OPT Telescopes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
OPT Telescopes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CelestroncoreOPT was an authorized dealer for Celestron telescopes, including StarSense Explorer smartphone telescopes, NexStar computerized telescopes, EdgeHD optical systems, and RASA astrographs. Celestron products were prominently featured on the OPT website.
- Meade InstrumentscoreAuthorized dealer for Meade telescopes including LX200, LX90, LX600, and LX850 series with ACF optics. Products ranged from 8-inch to 16-inch apertures.
- Sky-WatchercoreAuthorized dealer for Sky-Watcher telescopes and mounts including EQ6-R Pro, Dobsonians, and Evostar APO refractors. Featured prominently on the homepage and staff picks.
- William OpticscoreAuthorized dealer for William Optics APO refractors including RedCat, Gran Turismo, and ZenithStar series. Featured in staff picks.
- Orion Telescopes & BinocularscoreAuthorized dealer for Orion products including SkyQuest Dobsonians, EON refractors, and ED80T carbon fiber APO refractors.
- TakahashicoreAuthorized dealer for Takahashi premium refractors including FSQ-85EDX, TOA-150B, and FS-60CB fluorite refractors. High-end Japanese-made telescopes.
- ZWOcoreAuthorized dealer for ZWO astronomy cameras including ASI2600MC Pro and planetary cameras. Major brand in the astrophotography camera market.
- Explore ScientificcoreAuthorized dealer for Explore Scientific telescopes including ED APO triplet refractors, Dobsonians, and FirstLight packages.
- iOptroncoreAuthorized dealer for iOptron mounts and Ritchey-Chretién telescopes including Photron series and Cube II computerized mounts.
- Coronado Solar TelescopesminorAuthorized dealer for Coronado solar telescopes including PST (Personal Solar Telescope) and SolarMax III double-stack systems for h-alpha solar observation.
- Lunt SolarminorAuthorized dealer for Lunt Solar h-alpha telescopes and filters for dedicated solar observation.
- Planewave InstrumentscoreAuthorized dealer for Planewave observatory-grade telescopes including the CDK (Corrected Dall-Kirkham) series. Featured a $575,000 1-meter observatory telescope on their website.
- Agena AstroProductsminorFollowing OPT's closure, customers were redirected to Agena AstroProducts to find similar gear. Agena AstroProducts acquired or partnered with OPT to serve existing customers.
- Clear Skies NetworkminorPartner for live streaming content. OPT used Clear Skies Network for their live stream broadcasts to the astronomy community.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
OPT Telescopes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Agena AstroProducts: Direct competitor in the telescope and astronomy equipment retail space. Agena explicitly absorbed OPT's customer base following OPT's 2023 closure, making it the most directly comparable peer in terms of product mix, target customer, and channel.
- High Point Scientific: Specialty retailer of telescopes, mounts, cameras, and astronomy accessories serving amateur astronomers and astrophotographers. Closely comparable to OPT in product assortment, customer segmentation (beginner to advanced amateur), and educational content approach.
- Astronomics: Long-established telescope and astronomy equipment retailer with deep expertise in amateur astronomy. Operates a similar multi-brand authorized dealer model and serves the same beginner-through-professional customer spectrum as OPT.
- Woodland Hills Camera & Telescopes: Telescope and astronomy equipment retailer with a physical showroom, competing in the same amateur astronomy market with comparable brand mix (Celestron, Meade, TeleVue, etc.) and customer base.
- Orion Telescopes & Binoculars: Direct competitor historically offering its own line of telescopes plus authorized brands. Served the same amateur astronomy hobbyist market with comparable product tiers from beginner to advanced.
- Explore Scientific: Both a manufacturer and direct retailer of telescopes, eyepieces, and astronomy accessories. Operates dual business model (sell-through + own-brand) comparable to OPT's dealer relationships.
- Sky-Watcher USA: Manufacturer and direct seller of telescopes and mounts that OPT carried as a core authorized brand. Competes with the same customer base via direct sales alongside dealer relationships.
- Celestron: Largest telescope and optics manufacturer whose products dominated OPT's assortment. Sells directly to consumers through its own site, increasingly disintermediating specialist retailers like OPT.
Broad incumbents
- B&H Photo Video: Large multi-category photo/imaging retailer that carries telescope and astronomy equipment as part of a much broader optics, camera, and electronics catalog. Competes with OPT in astrophotography cameras and accessories but is not a telescope specialist.
- Adorama: Broadline photography, video, and electronics retailer that sells telescopes and astronomy accessories alongside cameras, lighting, and audio gear. Overlaps with OPT in astrophotography-adjacent categories but telescopes are a small slice of its catalog.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
OPT Telescopes social profiles
Digital presenceOPT Telescopes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OPT Telescopes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
OPT Telescopes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OPT Telescopes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OPT Telescopes
What does OPT Telescopes do?
OPT Telescopes (Oceanside Photo & Telescope) is an online-only retailer selling new and used telescopes, astronomy cameras, mounts, eyepieces, filters, and supporting accessories from major brands including Celestron, Meade, Sky-Watcher, William Optics, Orion, Takahashi, ZWO, Explore Scientific, iOptron, and Planewave. The company served amateur astronomers and research institutions with same-day shipping, financing options, expert guidance, and an educational content platform (OPT University). The company permanently closed in 2023 with customers redirected to Agena Astro.
Is OPT Telescopes a public or private company?
OPT Telescopes is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was OPT Telescopes founded?
OPT Telescopes was founded in 1947. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is OPT Telescopes based?
OPT Telescopes is headquartered in Carlsbad, United States, in the North America region.
How does OPT Telescopes make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are OPT Telescopes's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Agena AstroProducts, High Point Scientific, Astronomics, Woodland Hills Camera & Telescopes, Orion Telescopes & Binoculars, Explore Scientific, Sky-Watcher USA and Celestron. Broad incumbents are B&H Photo Video and Adorama.
Does OPT Telescopes have an API?
No public API is recorded for OPT Telescopes.
What industry is OPT Telescopes in?
OPT Telescopes's product category is Telescope and Astronomy Equipment Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAHAI, Binoculars, Scopes & Sport Optics Retail. Its SIC code is 3827.