Tele Vue · Eyepiece
Tele Vue Ethos 17mm
Tele Vue Ethos 17mm: a 100-degree immersive wide-field eyepiece built for serious visual astronomy
Price updated Mar 29, 2026
Performance Scores
Overview
The Tele Vue Ethos 17mm is one of the most respected wide-field eyepieces available to amateur astronomers, and for good reason. Its 100-degree apparent field of view delivers a genuinely immersive experience, particularly valuable when scanning open clusters, large nebulae, or sweeping the Milky Way. At 17mm focal length, it provides a useful balance between magnification and exit pupil, making it versatile across a wide range of telescope focal ratios.
The 15mm of eye relief is comfortable for extended sessions, and eyeglass wearers will find it manageable, though the wide field does require some repositioning to take it all in. The fully multi-coated optics produce bright, high-contrast views with minimal ghosting or internal reflections, which matters on faint deep-sky targets. The 2-inch barrel ensures broad compatibility with modern telescopes.
At just under $1,000, this is a significant investment, and it is worth being honest: the price places it firmly in premium territory. However, for observers who prioritize expansive, sharp, well-corrected views, it consistently earns its reputation. With only 7 Amazon reviews, most community feedback lives in dedicated astronomy forums, where it is widely praised.
At a Glance
17mm
Focal Length
Specifications
Key Features
- 100-degree apparent field provides one of the widest immersive views available in a commercial eyepiece
- 17mm focal length suits both open clusters and large extended objects like nebulae and star fields
- 15mm eye relief supports comfortable extended viewing, including for observers who wear eyeglasses
- Fully multi-coated optics deliver strong light transmission and high contrast on faint deep-sky targets
- 2-inch barrel fits a broad range of telescopes, adding long-term versatility to your eyepiece collection
- Build quality and optical correction reflect Tele Vue's reputation for precision, reducing edge distortion across the full field
- Premium price point is best justified for observers who regularly push wide-field visual work to its limits
Customer Reviews
7 reviews
Amazing clarity with great field of view
This eyepiece has an excellent large field of view in both my 8" f/10 SCT and my 14" f/4.6 dob. It is one of the best eyepieces I have ever used. Additionally, the shipping from third-party seller Agena Astro was quick and responsive; the purchase was excellently handled.
I had a chance to run this eyepiece through its paces on 17 Jan 09 and I must say, for a deep sky observer with 40+ years experience, I was disappointed. First off, I'm a "hard-core" deep sky observer, and I've learned over the years that to see the really faint stuff, the more lens elements and the...