Gear Database

William Optics Pleiades 181

William Optics

William Optics Pleiades 181 is a 181 mm Seven-element APO astrograph for deeper refractor imaging, smaller galaxies, and high-quality visual observing.

telescope flagship
William Optics Pleiades 181

Best Current Offer

High Point Scientific logo
High Point Scientific
In stock
$18,998.10

Other retailers

Specifications

Optics

Optical design
Seven-element APO astrograph
Aperture
181 mm
Focal length
998 mm
Focal ratio
f/5.5
Dawes limit
0.64"
Glass / elements
7-element astrograph with three Super ED elements

Imaging

Image circle
55 mm
Camera format
Medium format / full frame / APS-C / Micro 4/3
Full-frame coverage
Yes
Back focus
No flattener required; M68, M54, and M48 camera adapters included
Corrected field
Native medium-format flat field

Mechanical

Focuser
4.1-inch rack-and-pinion focuser
Weight
15 kg / 33.07 lb
Tube length
1231-1496 mm
Dovetail
Losmandy-style dovetail

Astrophotography Fit

Best for deeper refractor imaging, smaller galaxies, and high-quality visual observing when the mount, camera format, and correction hardware are chosen as one system.

William Optics Pleiades 181 sits in the telescope slot for deeper refractor imaging, smaller galaxies, and high-quality visual observing. The useful headline specs are aperture 181 mm, focal length 998 mm, f/5.5.

Camera coverage: Medium format / full frame / APS-C / Micro 4/3. Image circle: 55 mm. Back focus: No flattener required; M68, M54, and M48 camera adapters included.

Refractors keep the field routine calmer: no regular collimation, predictable cooldown, and a clean path to autofocus and filtered imaging. The tradeoff is aperture and reach.

Weight matters here: 15 kg / 33.07 lb. Leave payload headroom for the camera, guider, focuser, dew control, and cables instead of judging the mount by bare tube weight alone.

Best paired with

  • Corrected field flattener or reducer when the design requires one
  • Cooled APS-C or smaller astro cameras matched to the image circle
  • Autofocus, guide scope or OAG, and a mount with comfortable payload margin

Not recommended for

  • Large full-frame sensors unless the corrected field supports them
  • Very small travel mounts near their realistic imaging payload limit
  • Buyers expecting one telescope to be ideal for every target size

Where To Buy

Some links on this page are affiliate links. Prices and availability are pulled automatically from each retailer and updated daily.

Retailer Price Availability View Offer
High Point Scientific logo
High Point Scientific
High Point Scientific
$18,998.10
In stock
Updated 11/3/2026
View Offer - $18,998.10
Cloud Break Optics logo
Cloud Break Optics
Cloud Break Optics
$19,998.00
In stock
Updated 11/4/2026
View Offer - $19,998.00
Mile High Astronomy logo
Mile High Astronomy
Mile High Astronomy
$18,998.00
Out of stock
Updated 11/4/2026
View Offer - $18,998.00

Price History

Chronological retailer pricing with out-of-stock points shown at reduced opacity.

Cloud Break Optics High Point Scientific Mile High Astronomy
$20,118.00 $19,704.67 $19,291.33 $18,878.00 Oct 1, 2026 Oct 18, 2026 Nov 4, 2026 Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 1, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 2, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 3, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 4, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 5, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 6, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 7, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 8, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 9, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 10, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 11, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 13, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 14, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 15, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 16, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 17, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 18, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 19, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 20, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 21, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 22, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 23, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 24, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 25, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 26, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 27, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 28, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 29, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 30, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Oct 31, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Nov 1, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Nov 2, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Nov 3, 2026 - In stock Cloud Break Optics - $19,998.00 - Nov 4, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 1, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 2, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 3, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 4, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 5, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 6, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 7, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 8, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 9, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 11, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 12, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 13, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 14, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 15, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 16, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 17, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 18, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 19, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 20, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 21, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 22, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 23, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 24, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 25, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 26, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 27, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 28, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 29, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 30, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $19,998.00 - Oct 31, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $18,998.10 - Nov 1, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $18,998.10 - Nov 2, 2026 - In stock High Point Scientific - $18,998.10 - Nov 3, 2026 - In stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 2, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 3, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 4, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 5, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 6, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 7, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 8, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 9, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 10, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 11, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 12, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 13, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 14, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 15, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 16, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 17, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 18, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 19, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 20, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 22, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 23, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 24, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 25, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 26, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 27, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 28, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 29, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 30, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Oct 31, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Nov 1, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Nov 2, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $19,998.00 - Nov 3, 2026 - Out of stock Mile High Astronomy - $18,998.00 - Nov 4, 2026 - Out of stock