Last updated: September 1, 2026.
The short version
Lens & Lightyear is published information, not professional advice. Read it, use it, argue with it. We cannot guarantee that every figure is current, we do not sell anything, and what you buy from a retailer is between you and that retailer.
Using this site
By using Lens & Lightyear you accept these terms. If you do not, that is entirely reasonable — please do not use the site. We may update these terms; the date above tells you when we last did.
What our content is
- Published information and opinion, based on manufacturer specifications and arithmetic we show our working for.
- Not professional, educational or safety advice, and not a substitute for the manufacturer's own manual and warnings.
- Not a guarantee of outcomes. We cannot promise a particular child will enjoy a particular telescope, and we say so on the pages where that question comes up.
- Not tested. We have not handled most of the products described here and we never claim to have. See our methodology.
Accuracy
We take accuracy seriously — every figure is traceable to a linked source and the editorial policy sets out how corrections are handled. We still cannot warrant that everything here is complete or current at the moment you read it. Manufacturers revise specifications, products are discontinued, and prices change constantly.
Where a price appears, it comes from a live feed with the date it was checked and expires automatically after 48 hours. The retailer's own page is always the authority on price and availability at the moment of purchase.
Safety — please read this one
Optical equipment intended for children should be used with adult supervision, and the manufacturer's own age guidance and safety instructions take precedence over anything written here. Tripods can topple, small parts can be swallowed, and telescopes get used outdoors in the dark. Follow the manual.
Purchases
Lens & Lightyear does not sell anything. Buy buttons take you to a third-party retailer, and the sale, payment, delivery, warranty and returns are entirely between you and that retailer under their terms. We are not a party to it and cannot resolve a problem with an order.
We earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through those links, at no extra cost to you. The full statement is on the affiliate disclosure.
Third-party links
We link to manufacturer pages, retailers and other publications. We do not control them and are not responsible for their content, their accuracy or their privacy practices. A link is not an endorsement of everything else on that site.
Intellectual property
The text, analysis and page structure on this site are ours. Product names, brands and trademarks belong to their owners and are used for identification. Photographs are licensed stock or the property of their respective owners; product specifications are quoted from manufacturer pages with attribution.
Quoting a short passage with a link back is welcome. Republishing pages wholesale is not. If you want to use something substantial, ask — the answer is often yes.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, this site is provided as is and without warranties of any kind. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of the site or from a purchase you make after reading it, including any dissatisfaction with a product we recommended.
Contact
Questions about these terms go to info@lensandlightyear.com, or use the contact page.