EXHIBIT 5.1

June 3, 2003

Meade Instruments Corp.
6001 Oak Canyon
Irvine, California 92618

     Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Meade Instruments Corp. (the “Company”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     In my capacity as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Meade Instruments Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), I have, at your request, examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (“Registration Statement”) to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of 2,300,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”).

     It is my opinion that the Common Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and that the Common Shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

     I hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to me under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting part of the Registration Statement.

Respectively submitted,

MEADE INSTRUMENTS CORP.

  /s/ Mark D. Peterson Mark D. Peterson
Senior Vice President and General Counsel