Helpful and knowledgeable staff. They are very active in the Seattle Astronomy community and house the Seattle Astronomical Society telescope library. They offer advice and help for both visual and imaging astronomy. Excellent selection. Being in Seattle, I will order inline and pickup in the store. read more

Having sat on the fence for what seems forever, I [we] finally decided to buy a seeStar s50 to dive into astrophotography. We have disputed buying telescope systems over the years, as everyone knows there's this to buy and learn, then that to buy and learn, plug that into this; you get the idea. When we heard about the seeStar system, we thought it'd be perfect for our vision into the night sky. We aren't the only ones thinking that too, as we have read enough reviews and seen enough photos to crack any walnut's shell easily! BUT the reviews and pictures weren't enough to turn the tide till just days ago, when we saw by chance images captured with a seeStar BUT unlike any seeStar images we've already seen! Now we were sold on the concept with the only question where to buy it. To be honest we used amazon and found one quickly, purchased it, then watched as it sat and sat and sat for over many hours AFTER the shipping label was created. Sure a shipping label was made, but I didn't buy a shipping label; I purchased and wanted a seeStar! Though it finally did ship over 13hrs AFTER the shipping label was created, it was my waiting endlessly for the actual shipment to start that I decided to already get another one for the wife after all two minds and two sets of hands can't use a single seeStar at the same time! Aside from a slight billing problem that was quickly resolved, Cloud Break Optics created their shipping label and the transport service they use had the package to deliver, ALL within three hours! Compare that with the amazon vendor who took over a whole half DAY after the label was created, before the transport company actually HAD the package! Plus the pricing was LOWER than the amazon purchase by over $60, even considering that shipping through Cloud Break Optics was additional! I haven't even received the seeStar from Cloud Break Optics yet but I already looove how Cloud Break Optics functions quickly and treats its customers! I'll update this once I get my package[s], and both deliveries will be delivered by the same delivery truck and driver!! Really! UPDATE 19Feb2024: It arrived on time and via the same delivery van! Practiced with it indoors due to extreme freezing air temps the first day, then the second day and today, went out in less freezing temps (only 31°f with 21° windchill with wind) and got pixs of the Moon, and today used the solar filter for the first time and snapped the sun and the Moon again today! Thanks much for such a smart-than-me telescope that is compact, light,"easy" to use, and gets the job done!! read more

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This is an excellent shop. Since loving astronomy as a kid and continually being fascinated, I have dreamed of getting back into it more seriously. Well this year at 46 I finally made the plunge. I attended my first Star Party and I was hooked. While there I learned about Cloud Break Optics and met Matt the owner. Following the party, I went to CBO and started just asking questions. I spoke with Jon and Stephanie who were incredibly helpful and ended up spending about 6 hours just hanging out, looking at scopes and learning. I also did a follow up call and spoke for a few hours to Matt. They took hours to talk to me, understand what I was looking for, explain the nuances of different scopes, and also how to think about astrophotography. After a few days of researching, I decided to go for the Celestron Nexstar Evolution 8. Jon took the time to show me how to assemble it in the store and then I took it home to play. Over the next few months I had many questions and CBP always made time for me, whether through phone or email. If you are considering getting into astronomy or AP this is the place to go. The staff are so patient and encouraging. Aside from running a business they honestly love seeing folks take this on as a hobby. Though I was a complete noob, they always made my questions welcome. The other thing that is really nice is their upgrade path program, they will help you sell your equipment when it is time to upgrade. As to my scope, I have had it 6 months, I love it and use it whenever I can whether on my driveway in Seattle, or in the mountains away from the city lights. read more

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Great telescope and accessories store. Lots of gear for the star gazer: all styles of telescopes, quality eyepieces and more. And the owners, Stephanie and Matt know a ton about all things astronomy related and are always willing to spend time sharing that knowledge. Fun place to spend a Saturday afternoon! read more

We have purchased a solar scope and new mounts from this place. Stephanie and Matt have been amazing. They have walked us through how to properly use and align our new gear, given us suggestions on ways to improve our photography, and have even ordered additional items in case our initial request didn't meet our needs. We are customers for life! The best telescope shop I've ever been to! They will also assist you in finding viewing spots and fellow amateur astrophotographer groups to hone your skills. Couldn't ask for a better experience! read more

My teenager son and I have visited this store many times and have always had a great experience, whether purchasing equipment or consulting with the amazing staff. What impresses me time and time again is the incredible sincerity and patience Jon, Matt, Stephanie, and Rayna have each exhibited toward my teen, who has had no less than a gazillion questions for them, having entered the astronomy world less than a year ago. We are always met with smiles and thoughtful answers from this highly knowledgeable and friendly team. Recently, my son had a firmware issue with his mount, so we made a visit to the store for help. Stephanie dropped what she was doing to spend a good 30 minutes troubleshooting the issue and treating it like a fun puzzle to be solved and the highlight of her day to figure it out. You can't get better service than this! It's a non-pressure sales environment and they recommend only the best equipment for your particular setup and needs. They clearly care tremendously about their customers, which makes it very fun to keep returning to the store. Quite an array of high-quality telescopes and accessories dot the showroom floor and make your eyes drool at the viewing possibilities. There's something for every budget and level of expertise, and if they don't have what you're looking for in stock, they will happily locate it for you. The team also hosts viewing events where you can join them and learn even more. Five stars all the way! read more

The couple who owns and runs this store are the best! My wife bought me a telescope and stand for xmas and they helped her for over 2 hours in selecting one. They even swapped out a stand that wasn't part of the original kit. I received a catadioptric scope as a gift and thought I may want a refractor. They explained to me for over an hour and let me try out a refractor at home. I ended up getting some additional lenses, moon filter etc., some stuff you can easily find on Amazon but it's people and shops like this I want to support. They love it and are great at it. Thank you! read more

I went to Cloud Break Optics in search of accessories for my Skywatcher Star Adventurer. Jon was extremely helpful in telling me what I needed, and most importantly, what I didn't need. We also looked at binoculars and left with a pair that we love. They cost only slightly more than Amazon. For the help in narrowing choices and for the opportunity to try them out before taking them from the store, the extra cost was totally worth it. We are proud to do a tiny part to support a small business and we only hope that we can find a reason to buy more from this exceptional store, filled with knowledgeable and friendly personnel. read more

Having recently gotten back into the Astronomy hobby, I learned of Cloud Break Optics via the gentleman I acquired my telescope from. With a day or two of clear skies predicted, I decided to order a couple of eyepiece kits to provide optimum viewing for the rare event. After ordering I realized that one of the items was not in stock so I messaged immediately and within a few hours I had received a reply. Not so unusual except that the reply came from one of the owners who was out of the office (vacation?) and the response came well before the start of the workday. What really struck me was that the message was to thank me for my business. Not a generic, auto response type message but a genuine "I really appreciate your business" response. Who does that? I'll tell you who...someone who really cares and appreciates their customers. Since she wasn't in the office she could not address my issue but a few hours later, I called the store and a gentleman named Jon answered and as it turns out, he was already in the process of figuring out how to help me resolve my problem which he did with ease. Having been out of the hobby for so long, I had so many questions for him and during this conversation I asked what their policy was on taking trade ins because, prior to even looking through the scope I had just purchased, I had concluded that I wanted a larger aperture scope. After telling him what scope I had, he enthusiastically talked to me about how awesome the one I already have is and assured me that I would be very happy with it once I had the chance to test it out. So he had the opportunity to up sell me on a scope that I didn't need but instead convinced me to first give the one I had a chance. This solidified one thing in my mind: when it is time to upgrade I will be purchasing everything from them. Back to the dilemma I had with my order....so John told me that the specific eyepiece kit that was not in stock would make it to me within 5 to 7 business days. Because I am so impulsive, I was tempted to cancel the remainder of my order and run over to amazon and order the kit but because of their superior customer service, I refuse. If a business cares so much about their customers that they go above and beyond to help them even if it costs them revenue, then I can not even imagine not reciprocating with a little loyalty. So...all of that said, they deserve the highest rating possible and will be my go to place for all things astronomical. Just amazing! Thanks!!! *Update: Received my order with a handwritten note on the invoice from Jon thanking me again for my business and genuinely excited for me to try out the new scope. I would encourage anyone interested in astronomy or in need of a telescope to do all of your business with them. You can guarantee that they will be there to answer any questions while you are shopping and post shopping. Very happy! read more

Found the shop online after searching to buy our first telescope. This was the only store available that had quality scopes to buy in person. My husband and I spent time talking with the owner about what our options were. We decided on a Celestron 6SE and set it up that evening. We are happy with our purchase and experience at Cloud Break Optics! read more

I live in Portland, Oregon and called them to get help in purchasing my first astrophotography setup. While I had narrowed down what I wanted going in, Jon at Cloud Break was extremely helpful in working through the pros and cons of what the various choices would be, gave other suggestions of things that might work well and helped to make sure that I had all of the necessary components considered. As he also does this hobby, it was great to get advice from someone who actually uses the equipment and active in the astrophotography "scene" in his area. Very patient over the phone; he then built an invoice and emailed to me, which was easy to then click through to pay for. And - everything was the same price that is found on the web - but you get all the great advice and support to go with it - what a bargain! I'm eager to stop in to say hello and check out your store the next time I'm in Seattle! read more