The American made Questar telescopes have for more than fifty years represented the state of the art of precision made "Catadioptric" (mirror-lens) telescopes. These are highly evolved instrument systems, each made to a research grade of excellence. Questar systems provide apochromatic image clarity and contrast that is matched or surpassed only by the very best 3.5 to 4 inch aperture Apochromat refracting telescopes, and yet a Questar is physically only 1/4 or less their length. The conventional observing and astronomical models incorporate features that have made the Questar a most "user friendly" system since the days of slide rules. The industrial quality of construction guarantees a life of good service even under adverse conditions. These Maksutov-Cassegrain "Catadioptric" telescopes have the features of refractor and reflector telescopes; two mirrors and a corrector lens (the glass plate at the front) gather and reflect light to focus at a point at the rear of the telescope.

Left: Questar Standard 3-1/2 telescope, right (East) side view (15,103 bytes).

Immortalized in film and in books by respected people including Johnny Carson a national television icon, and renaissance man Arthur C. Clarke who wrote "the finest small telescope ever built--the 3-1/2 inch Questar, a jewel of precision optics which has produced close-ups of the moon that could easily be mistaken for Mount Wilson photographs". Dr. Wernher Von Braun's telescope made in May 1959 remains in service with the Kennedy Space Center amateur astronomy club. The Questar is considered such an accomplishment that one Questar Standard 3-1/2 resides in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum of Technology in Washington, D.C.; it is a unique cut-away instrument that reveals the various innovations unique to the Questar.

Questar's founder was Mr. Lawrence E. Braymer (b. 1901, d. 1965). A commercial artist by trade, Braymer developed the concept of a Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope noteworthy for its excellence of materials and craftsmanship and unprecedented ease of use. The high measure of user friendliness of most Questar consumer models is attained through its incorporation of a Control Box with numerous patented built in convenience features. The original Standard telescope had been in development since 1946 and entered commercial production in 1954 selling for $995. Understand that $995.00 in 1954 had about the same buying power as $7,808.00 in 2008. Since 1954 there have been advances in Questar optical and mechanical production techniques, improved coatings, and electronics that were never imagined in 1954. And so when one looks at the Questar telescope over time it has been improved, it has not kept up with inflation, and this was accomplished without compromising those aspects that are valued by its owners.

Each Questar telescope sold was accompanied by a typed letter hand signed by Mr. Braymer. This was the promise to the buyer of that instrument that he stood behind the integrity and promise of each instrument, just as we at Company Seven work with todays staff in New Hope to maintain his vision. Image at right is from Company Seven's archives (4,421 bytes).

After the death of Mr. Braymer his widow Peggy became the sole owner of the company. In 1976 Dr. Douglas M. Knight was hired as the new President by Mrs. Braymer. And even after the passing of Mrs. Braymer and Dr. Knight, Questar Corp. continues to be American owned and operated; entirely "Made in the USA". And Questar remains the only American manufacturer of amateur and consumer telescopes that has prospered continuously since 1954.

For birding and for surveillance the systems based on the Questar Field Ranger 3.5, Questar Field Model, and Questar Birder telescopes remain the standards of excellence against which others are measured. It can be argued that in astronomical applications, for the cost of a Questar one can buy other much larger telescopes - but that is exactly the point: it requires a much larger, less portable and more complicated telescope with mount and accessories to match all that a simple, compact Questar provides. And for many people, the choice of a telescope that will be used most is the best choice.

When you buy a Questar, you have the same assurance of quality no matter how your telescope is equipped. The options offered with our telescopes represent the state of the art in design and manufacturing processes; there is no compromise in quality of workmanship or materials. And this is how it has been since Questar incorporated on 3 April 1950!

How to choose a Questar: To read a good overview of the decision making process of buying a Questar, we suggest you read our article Selecting an Astronomical Questar Telescope. While this article is geared more towards the astronomical 3-1/2 inch models, there are concise explanations of the various configurations and of the major optical and accessory choices which apply to most other consumer models including the Birder and Field Model, and the larger Questar 7 models.

Above right: Black and white Questar logo used from early 1950's to the mid 1960's.