Orange County Telescope - Santa Ana, California

John Narmontas

I recently got into astronomy and have been doing my research on entry level telescopes. I had something in mind but didn’t feel super comfortable ordering it online. I made the trek up to OC Telescope from San Diego and it was definitely worth the trip!

I spoke with Mike for 20 minutes who gave me great insight about the hobby and the gear that comes with it. It’s clear that this shop truly cares about their customers having a positive experience and wants more people to fall in love with the hobby. I’ve always been a huge fan of small hobby specific shops like this and this is a great one if you’re in the market for a telescope.

White Fang (Guilty Gear X)

5 Stars

I recently purchased a mount and filter for my astrophotography setup from Orange County Telescope, and I couldn't be more satisfied. Thanks to the high-quality gear, I'm now able to capture stunning images right from my parking lot in the city, despite the light pollution. The staff at the store were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to help me find exactly what I needed. Their expertise made the experience smooth and enjoyable. Even though I live 1-2 hours away, I'll definitely be returning for future purchases. The team's professionalism and passion for astronomy really set this shop apart!

Eric Randler

I placed an order for multiple items, one of them was a Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro Mount (S30400). The mount did not arrive with the other items and after giving it a few days to allow for the bigger package I still got nothing. I sent a note to OC's customer service, and Mike replied in a few hours. Not only did he let me know that the item was in transit directly from Sky-Watcher, he got a UPS tracking number from them and sent it to me.

It's not a huge deal but sometimes these little things make a difference, he (Mike) gave me peace of mind knowing that everything was under control.

Nora Lee

This place is awesome! The customer service is next level. Mike, the owner, is so lovely and gracious and knowledgeable and his counterpart Lorenz is equally as amazing. This is the place to go if you are looking for anything astronomy! They are extremely helpful and they clearly care about their customers satisfaction with their products and services offered. Go check this place out! Highly recommend!

T P

MLK - Mike, Lawrence or Kai, take your pick they're all awesome. I'm a relative newbie but they've all helped me at one time or another. What I love about this place is that the service doesn't just end once you make a purchase. They support you for the life of your scope. Even better, any time I struggle I can give them a call and theyve always been helpful, walked me through it step by step, and go the extra mile when needed. Only place to shop if you're in southern California

Jose Gonzalez

OC Telescopes. Great little store. Both Mike and Lorenz are very knowledgeable and extremely friendly. Great pricing and family friendly place to shop. I highly recommend these guys and store for anything in the telescope genre.

Maximum Astronomy

Got me some equipment faster than any other dealer when the Seestar came out. Super nice and shipped quick! I’ll be back for sure

Damon Scott

A Man Named Mike: A story of excellent service!
I'm a level below a beginner when it comes to Astrophotography (AP) to say the least. However, as I am slowly gaining traction on the learning curve, I reached the milestone which allows me to operate my telescope and mount wirelessly and slightly remotely (within my car when it's 30-40 degrees outside at night). With my particular motorized mount, I was looking for the controller's wifi adapter to connect to mount wirelessly. After researching purchase options and being impatient, I found Orange County Telescope was only 1.5 hours away. This is when I first encountered Mike.
I called in and explained what I was looking for to see if they had the product in stock before making the drive. Mike answered the phone very friendly and welcoming. It reminded me of the phone greeting from the major branded hotels I once worked in. He knew he carried the product, but he took it a step further and checked his inventory. Within one minute, Mike returned to the phone and said "You can only purchase no more than 3." We both chuckled before he reminded me of store hours and we ended the call.
Upon arrival, I come inside to see a lively and consultative conversation between Mike and two women who were just starting their journey with astronomy. I listened as he gave advice and guidance that helped these ladies feel more confident about their new telescope. Mike reassured them that they were doing well with the learning curve and then used his experience and knowledge of what their goals were to advise the ladies that they would be ready for the next phase in a few months. You could see how happy these customers were as they left the store.
Mike promptly turned to me and began answering my questions. within 3-5 minutes in, he got a phone call and asked if I could give him a moment to answer. Once again, Mike engaged his customer on the phone perfectly. He told the customer that he could answer any questions in 15-20 minutes and verified the phone number to call back. Again, this was top notch because Mike heard the customer's situation and not only confirmed the phone number, but also asked for a mobile number to ensure Mike did connect and follow-through on his promise.
Mike came back to me without skipping a beat. He allowed me to ask questions, which led him to advise me on a better solution for my longer term goals. I ended purchasing the ASIAir Controller Interface which will help solve multiple challenges I'm facing now on the learning curve and also serve me as continue to grow and upgrade equipment.

Overall Mike was friendly, consultative, concise, relatable, and honest. Although Orange County Telescope already has a 4.9 star rating with 165 reviews, I wanted to make sure I contribute as well. Yea, I could have ordered that wifi adapter online and paid to have it overnighted to me, but I'm glad I decided to come here and interact with someone who truly cares and uses his 32 years of experience to be a guide for others on their astronomy or AP journeys. Kudos to you Mike and I'm looking forward to only coming to you for anything AP that you can provide me.