9 Best Starter Telescopes For Beginners 2026
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In this article, we’re going to look at the best starter telescopes for beginners because the first model you choose can mean the difference between a lifelong obsession or a fleeting interest in stargazing.
Getting the right start in astronomy is important for building a long-term love of it.
Stargazing helps in broadening our views. Whether you want to get a good look at the night sky or actually want to be more involved in the field of astronomy, a beginner’s telescope can help you point out the best stars in the night sky.
Best Starter Telescopes For Beginners
Beginner’s Telescopes - Reviews
1. Celestron Signature Series Moon FirstScope Telescope
- Compact and portable tabletop telescope designed for beginners and astronomy enthusiasts.
- Features a 76mm aperture for clear and detailed views of celestial objects.
- Dobsonian mount for easy and intuitive pointing and tracking.
- Includes a custom moon map wrap for identifying lunar features.
- Bonus astronomy software package for enhancing your stargazing experience.
The Celestron Signature Series Moon FirstScope (22016) is a compact tabletop Dobsonian-style reflector telescope that makes a fun and approachable first telescope for beginners, kids, and casual stargazers. Featuring a 76 mm aperture and 300 mm focal length, it’s designed to deliver bright, wide-field views of the Moon, planets, and larger deep-sky objects like star clusters.
This model has a Newtonian reflector design with a low focal ratio of f/3.95 — meaning it gathers light quickly for a bright image and has a nice, wide field of view for exploring star fields. Because it uses a simple tabletop Dobsonian mount, pointing the telescope and tracking objects manually is intuitive: just move the tube toward what you want to see.
The Signature Series version adds a decorative Moon graphic wrap inspired by lunar imaging work, giving it a bit of personality and inspiring curiosity in young astronomers. A pair of eyepieces (20 mm and 4 mm) provides basic magnification options right out of the box.
2. Celestron - AstroMaster 70AZ
- POWERFUL TELESCOPE FOR BEGINNERS: The AstroMaster 70AZ is the perfect entry-level telescope for adults and kids eager to explore the night sky. You get bright, clear views and simple, intuitive operation.
- HIGH-QUALITY 70MM OPTICS: Enjoy crisp, detailed views through the fully coated 70mm (2.8") achromatic refractor — perfect for observing the Moon, planets, bright star clusters, and even terrestrial landmarks.
- VERSATILE DAY & NIGHT USE: Designed for both astronomical and land-based viewing, the AstroMaster 70AZ lets you explore the stars at night and enjoy daytime views of wildlife or distant landmarks.
- EASY-TO-USE ALT-AZIMUTH MOUNT: Smoothly navigate the sky with a manual alt-azimuth mount and easy-to-use panhandle, which lets you point the telescope up, down, and side to side with precision.
- QUICK SETUP: With just a few key parts to assemble, you can go from box to backyard in minutes—no tools required. The sturdy, adjustable tripod provides stable, comfortable viewing tailored to your height, perfect for adults or kids, standing or seated.
Specifications
- Type:Refractor
- Aperture: 70mm (2.8″)
- Focal length: 900mm
- Focal Ratio: f/13
- Mount: Alt-Azimuth
- Eyepiece: 20mm,10mm
- Magnification: 45x, 90x
- Weight: 11.0 lbs (5.0 kg)
The AstroMaster 70AZ is an incredibly affordable scope that’s easy to set up and simple to use.
This is one of the best value telescopes for beginners and it is also ideal for children, or anyone looking to explore the night sky.
This refractor telescope offers a 70mm aperture and an f/13 focal ratio that’s enough to enjoy the Moon, stars, and bright planets in fascinating detail.
It can also be used as a terrestrial telescope, which means you can use it while hiking or camping to get stunning views of distant mountain peaks, deep canyons, or lush valleys.
You can also take this with you on your boat and use it to get views of the horizon to spot passing birds or ships or other sea life.
Read the full-page review of the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ.
This telescope has an alt-azimuth mount and comes with an adjustable full-height tripod.
The mount offers an easy-to-grip panhandle to adjust the altitude and azimuth axes. Turn the handle to loosen it for movement and then lock it back in place.
It comes with bonus software for use with a PC, Mac, or laptop, the Starry Night Basic Edition.
This software is very helpful particularly for beginners as it will allow easy access to maps of the night sky so they can figure out exactly what they’re looking at.
For a decent inexpensive refractor telescope that comes with good accessories and can be used as a terrestrial scope for under $150, it’s a good buy for the beginner or a teenager as a starter telescope.
The telescope’s 70mm aperture can produce clear, sharp images of night sky objects.
It also comes with two Kellner eyepieces. One of them, at 20mm, offers 35x magnification, and the other one, 10mm, offers 70x magnification.
It’s great with double stars, the Moon’s craters, and brighter planets, but delivers a limited performance on dimmer objects.
With a 70 mm aperture, deep sky object viewing will be a challenge although some brighter nebulae and star clusters can be seen.
Pros
- Requires little to no maintenance
- Cheap refractor for beginners
- Great views of the moon & planets
- Limited DSO capability
- Decent accessories
- Lightweight and portable
- Usable for terrestrial viewing
Cons
- Small aperture
- Mount is not the steadiest
3. Celestron - NexStar 5SE GoTo Telescope
- ADVANCED TECH MEETS ICONIC DESIGN: The NexStar 5SE pairs Celestron’s legendary orange tube with a fully computerized GoTo system—ideal for those ready to step up from manual scopes and explore more of the night sky with precision and ease.
- 5-INCH SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAIN OPTICS: The 5" aperture gathers enough light to reveal fine lunar details, cloud bands on Jupiter, and deep-sky objects like galaxies and globular clusters—all in a compact, portable form factor.
- FULLY AUTOMATED GoTo MOUNT WITH NEXSTAR+ HAND CONTROL: Use the NexStar+ hand control to select from a 40,000+ object database. The computerized mount then automatically slews to your target and tracks it—no star charts or manual alignment needed.
- FAST & EASY ALIGNMENT WITH SKYALIGN TECHNOLOGY: SkyAlign gets you observing fast—just center any three bright stars or planets, even if you don’t know their names. The system then calculates your position and aligns the mount in minutes.
- BUILT-IN WEDGE FOR ASTROIMAGING: Capture long-exposure images of the night sky—perfect for entry-level astrophotography. The integrated wedge lets you polar align the mount, reducing field rotation for improved tracking during imaging.
Specifications
- Optical design: Schmidt-Cassegrain
- Aperture: 5 inch (125mm)
- Focal length: 1250mm
- Focal ratio: f/10
- Optical tube length: 330mm
- Total kit weight: 8kg
- Includes: Optical tube, single-arm fork mount, steel tripod, red-dot finderscope, NexStar+ hand controller, 25mm eyepiece, star diagonal
- Power: 8xAA batteries, 12V external source
The NexStar 5SE telescope combines portability and quality to create a small, simple to use telescope that will appeal to those who want to travel often with their telescope, prefer the convenience of having GoTo for automatic object locating and slewing, and who want to maximize their planetary observations and possibly planetary imaging.
The NexStar SE line features a massive built-in database of stars and celestial objects, a fully motorized goto mount, and quality optics which makes it perfect for a beginner who wants to grow with the telescope.
Read my complete detailed review of the Celestron NexStar 5SE GoTo Telescope.
The Celestron NexStar 5SE is a future-proof starter telescope and is a great investment for beginners who don’t want to keep buying a new telescope every year.
Moreover, the telescope is built to last, so a beginner can use it for many many years to come, provided it’s maintained as recommended.
The NexStar 5SE is a portable compact telescope. Like many SCTs, it comes on a computerized alt-azimuth fork arm mount.
The 5” primary aperture is great because it allows for a lot of light-gathering ability without being too large or unwieldy. The visual quality of this scope is simply fantastic.
The NexStar 5SE is one of the best GoTo starter telescopes for planets and the moon. You can see surface details with great contrast and brightness with its f/10 focal ratio and 1250 mm focal length.
It also comes with a database of over 40,000 stars, planets, and other celestial objects. This database has been integrated with a fully motorized goto mount meaning that the telescope can find any one of these objects if they are viewable in the sky.
All you have to do is select an object on its handheld controller and the telescope will automatically slew itself towards that sky object for you to view through the eyepiece.
This is really great for beginners as it takes all of the guesswork, adjustments, pointing, and searching out of the equation and allows you to simply look at the objects in the sky without any frustration or hassle.
Pros
- Computerized goto mount
- Great optics
- Produces crisp images
- Massive database of sky objects
- Limited astrophotography
Cons
- Expensive
- No built-in power supply
4. Astronomical Professional 150EQ Reflector Telescope
- 150mm Large Aperture: The Dianfan 150EQ astronomical telescope features a 150mm aperture and a 650mm focal length.Its powerful light-gathering ability delivers sharp,bright, clear images—perfect for beginners, experienced stargazers and families to explore the wonders of the night sky
- High Magnification & Flexible Viewing: Equipped with two eyepieces and a 2× Barlow lens, this telescope offers magnification from 26x–130x.It delivers detailed lunar views such as craters and lunar seas.It is great telescope for adults high powered
- Easy to assemble and use: Pre-assembled equatorial mount for convenience, it takes beginners about 20 minutes to set up the telescope.Enjoy smooth, precise tracking with a German-style new EQ mount featuring intuitive dials and slow-motion control cables. Ideal for exploring both the starry sky and distant landscapes, it offers inverted daytime views for terrestrial objects without affecting celestial observation
- Comprehensive Kit & Portability: It includes a red dot finderscope, a phone adapter, a moon filter and a carry bag for versatile use.Sturdy, custom-fit carrying bag is designed for easy transport and storage to protect the telescope. The bag measures 35.4 inches in length, 13.9 inches in width, and 9.4 inches in height, weighing 14 kg. It can be carried by hand or over the shoulder, offering convenient portability for outdoor stargazing
- Stable Tripod: Comes with a stainless steel tripod that provides solid support and stable views. The telescope height is 48.4–66.2 inches,it is easy to set up and user-friendly. Durable and reliable for every session,making stargazing and sky exploration effortless
The Astronomical Professional 150EQ Reflector Telescope is a manual equatorial mount telescope designed for beginners and hobbyist astronomers who want a more capable observing setup without spending high prices.
With a 150 mm (about 6″) aperture and ~650 mm focal length, this scope gathers a significant amount of light, making it well-suited for viewing the Moon, planets like Jupiter and Saturn, star clusters, and many brighter deep-sky objects — all with enhanced brightness and detail compared to smaller beginner telescopes. Amazon
The package includes two eyepieces and a 2× Barlow lens, giving a useful magnification range (roughly ~26× to ~130×) for different sky targets.
Additionally, accessories such as a phone adapter, moon filter, carrying bag, and a stainless-steel tripod are included, which help enhance user experience right out of the box. Amazon The German equatorial mount with slow-motion control cables allows smoother tracking of celestial objects once polar alignment is set up — a valuable learning feature for users who want to progress beyond basic alt-azimuth mounts.
5. SARBLUE Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope (Mak70)
- 【Might Mak】Mak-cass design brings several benefits which distinguishes the telescope from others. Foremost, it largely reduces aberrations and renders crisp and clear views. Plus its quality fully multi-coated optical components, high precision, high reflectivity of the coating and not easy to oxidize. Make terrestrial objects look more vivid and vibrant, and celestial objects magnificent.
- 【Compact & Powerful】Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design allows 1000mm focal length folded in 210mm length tube. 70mm aperture allows the greater the amount of light entering the telescope and the higher the resolution. It's a camping telescope, easy to pack the compact and lightweight telescope in any backpack and take it for travel.
- 【Micro Tripod Design】In pursuit of a more precise and comfortable calibration experience, Sarblue equipped the MAK70 with a micro-movement tripod. The perfect combination of quick motion and slow motion can make you regret not having it sooner.
- 【Adjustable Tripod】The tripod can be adjusted from 23inch to 56inch. It can support most available telescope tubes, as well as most DSLR cameras which it with a dovetail. You can attach the telescope to a field tripod with a 3/8" or 1/4"-20 threaded post.
- 【Accessories】This telescope comes with 20mm quality eyepiece which brings 50X magnification, 10mm photographic eyepiece which brings 100X magnification. A universal phone mount with 1.5X Barlow Lens to attach your phone and do simple astrophotography. 5X24 finderscope with adjustable angle and position.Aluminum alloy integrated telescope tube brings more stronger texture.
The Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope (often referred to as Mak70) is a compact catadioptric telescope that combines mirrors and lenses in a folded optical path to deliver a long focal length in a very short tube — making it highly portable without sacrificing magnification power.
This design is especially good for crisp, high-contrast views of planets and the Moon thanks to its 70 mm objective and ~1000 mm effective focal length.
Despite its small size, the Mak70 packs a punch: the Maksutov-Cassegrain design corrects many common telescope aberrations and delivers sharp, detailed views compared with basic refractors of similar physical length.
It’s versatile enough for both celestial and terrestrial use, and the included adjustable tripod and slow-motion gimbal mount help make aiming and fine-tuning your view easier.
This model typically includes a 20 mm eyepiece (~50×) and a 10 mm eyepiece (~100×), giving a useful range of magnifications for exploring lunar features, observing the rings of Saturn, and studying cloud bands on Jupiter. A smartphone adapter also lets you try casual astrophotography right through the eyepiece.
6. Celestron - 114LCM Computerized Newtonian
- COMPUTERIZED AUTOMATIC TELESCOPE: The Celestron 114LCM Computerized Newtonian Telescope with all glass optics can automatically locate 4,000 celestial objects with its computerized GoTo mount.
- TAKE THE SKY TOUR: If you’re not sure of what to observe, the Sky Tour button will do the work for you. Simply press the button and your computerized telescope will generate a list of the best objects currently available to view in the sky.
- EVERYTHING YOU NEED: The Celestron LCM telescope comes with everything you need for stargazing, including a full-height tripod, 2 high-quality eyepieces (25mm & 9mm), and a StarPointer red dot finderscope.
- BONUS FREE STARRY NIGHT SOFTWARE: This Celestron 114LCM Computerized Telescope includes a FREE download of one of the top consumer rated astronomy software programs. Simulate the night sky from any location on Earth or plan your next observing session.
- UNBEATABLE WARRANTY & SUPPORT: Buy with confidence from Celestron, a leading telescope brand in California since 1960. Your purchase includes a 2-Year US Warranty and unlimited support from our team of US-based experts.
Specifications
- Type: Newtonian Reflector
- Aperture: 114 mm (4.5″)
- Focal length: 1000mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8.8
- Mount: Motorized; Alt-Azimuth
- Eyepiece: 25mm,9mm
- Magnification: 40x, 111x
- Weight: 15 lbs. / 6.8 kg
Celestron’s 114LCM Computerised Telescope combines decent optics with a computerized mount to give beginners a great starter telescope with which they can begin their adventures in astronomy.
The Celestron LCM 114 GoTo Starter Telescope is compact and pretty lightweight. In addition to this, it comes with almost everything you need to start observing: two eyepieces, a red dot star finder, a computer controller, a tripod, and astronomy software (The SkyX).
The 114LCM consists of an optical tube with a 4.5-inch mirror and a focal length of 1,000mm giving a focal ratio of f/9.
It has a basic rack and pinion focuser that takes 1.25-inch eyepieces: 25mm and 9mm eyepieces are provided giving magnifications of 40x and 111x.
The 114LCM comes with a NexStar hand controller that has a database of 4,000 objects from the main deep-sky databases (Messier, NGC, and Caldwell).
Also included are the Solar System, variable stars, and double stars.
This Celestron Newtonian is a wonderful way to start observing the rings of Saturn, Jupiter’s belts of clouds, or even Jupiter’s moons and brighter DSOs.
As for how to power the mount on, you can either place 8 AA batteries inside or use a 12-volt power supply.
The telescope enjoys the advantages of the SkyAlign system, which is fast and easy to use.
Simply enter in the day, time, and coordinates where the scope is set up, and the Sky Align algorithms will go to where three prominent objects should be in the sky.
Simply confirm each one is in the center of the eyepiece and the scope is aligned with the GoTo system orientated.
Due to this computerized tracking system, there isn’t much you have to do, which is great for beginners and novices.
Pros
- Large aperture
- Computerized mount
- Easy to use for beginners
- Easy to move around
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Burns through batteries easily
- Shaky mount
7. Celestron – StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ
- SMARTPHONE-POWERED SKY TOUR: No experience needed! Just dock your phone, launch the StarSense Explorer app, and follow the on-screen arrows to locate stars, planets, nebulae, and more.
- PATENTED STARSENSE TECHNOLOGY: Unlike other astronomy apps, StarSense Explorer uses sky recognition technology to turn your phone into a celestial navigation system, analyzing star patterns overhead to pinpoint your telescope’s position.
- TONIGHT’S BEST TARGETS, INSTANTLY: The app generates a curated list of the top objects to see based on your time and location. See planets, bright nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters from the city—and even more from dark skies.
- SIMPLE SETUP, SMOOTH TRACKING: Features a manual altazimuth mount with altitude slow motion adjustment with a sliding rod. Follow the on-screen arrows to your target; when the bullseye turns green, you can view it clearly through the eyepiece.
- 80MM REFRACTOR WITH IMPRESSIVE VIEWS: The 3" Refractor with high-reflectivity coatings delivers sharp, vivid views of the Moon, planets like Jupiter and Saturn, and deep-sky favorites like the Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy.
Specifications
- Type: Refractor
- Aperture: 80mm(3.1”)
- Focal length: 900mm
- Focal Ratio: f/11
- Mount: Altazimuth Mount
- Eyepiece: 25mm,10mm,5mm
- Magnification: 24x, 60x, 120x
- Weight: 9.2 lbs. / 4.2 kg
The StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ is designed for beginners or for someone who doesn’t want to invest too much at the start.
The telescope takes advantage of a smartphone app that helps it locate objects in the sky, a kind of telescope that is growing in popularity among people looking for a starter telescope.
This innovative integration of smartphone and telescope offers beginner astronomers a fast and easy way to discover what’s up in the night sky and where to view it.
The StarSense Explorer app calculates your position in real-time and guides you with a list of currently visible objects.
The StarSense Explorer app uses your phone’s camera to stream a constant series of images and compare them to an internal database to identify the starfield and determine its location.
Basically, as you aim the telescope into the sky, the app will pick up on things, while also naming what you’re looking at with your eye.
Even better, the app will let you know objects that are viewable every night, when they’re rising and setting and wherein the sky they’re located.
The LT 80AZ gathers enough light to show you the Moon in all its glory, as well as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and many bright deep-sky objects.
It can also double as daytime terrestrial spotting scope as well, although you would forego using your smartphone when viewing earth-based objects.
This 80 mm refractor also comes with a 1.25” diagonal and a 2X Barlow lens. You also get two eyepieces, one that’s 25mm and one that’s 10mm, and a full-sized tripod, which can be toggled to different heights. That’s a perfect solution for families as it can grow with children as they get older too.
The StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ is a solid option for those looking for a telescope for beginners under $200.
It’s lightweight yet sturdy, and the StarSense app that pairs with it makes the telescope much simpler to locate objects in the sky.
Pros
- StarSense Explorer app is a must for beginners
- Affordable semi-automated starter telescope
- Delightfully easy to use for beginners
- Doesn’t need maintenance
- Lightweight & portable
Cons
- Plastic mount
- Mediocre accessories
8. Celestron - AstroMaster 130EQ
- POWERFUL TELESCOPE FOR ASTRONOMY BEGINNERS: The AstroMaster 130EQ delivers sharp optics, a stable equatorial mount, and smooth manual controls, making it the top choice for beginners ready to explore the night sky.
- HIGH-QUALITY 130MM OPTICS: Enjoy views through the 130mm (5”) Newtonian reflector, which features high-quality aluminum and SiO₂ coatings and enough light-gathering ability to view all the best celestial objects.
- SMOOTH, ACCURATE POINTING: Effortlessly aim and center your target using the two slow-motion control knobs for right ascension and declination whether you’re observing planets or deep-sky objects.
- QUICK SETUP: With just a few key parts to assemble, you can go from box to backyard in minutes—no tools required. The sturdy, adjustable tripod provides stable, comfortable viewing tailored to your height, perfect for adults or kids, standing or seated.
- INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: 20mm eyepiece with built-in erect image corrector, 10mm eyepiece, and a StarPointer red dot finderscope. You'll also receive a FREE download of one of the top-rated astronomy software programs.
The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is a beginner-friendly Newtonian reflector telescope that’s widely regarded as one of the best first telescopes for aspiring astronomers. With a 5.1-inch (130 mm) aperture and 650 mm focal length, it gathers plenty of light for bright, detailed views of celestial objects — including the Moon’s craters, the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, and many brighter deep-sky objects like star clusters and nebulae.
This model uses a manual German equatorial mount with slow-motion control knobs for smooth, precise pointing and tracking as objects drift across the sky. The full-height adjustable tripod makes observing comfortable whether you’re sitting or standing, and the setup takes just minutes with no tools required.
Included accessories — such as a **20 mm eyepiece (low power), a 10 mm eyepiece (higher power), and a StarPointer™ red-dot finderscope — give you a good range of magnification options right out of the box. You also get a free download of Starry Night astronomy software to help you plan and enhance your stargazing sessions.
9. Celestron Travel Scope 80 Portable Refractor Telescope
- BRIGHT, SHARP VIEWS ANYWHERE: Unlike many beginner telescopes, this quality refractor features fully coated glass lenses and a 80mm aperture for crisp, clear views of the Moon, planets, and daytime scenery—all in a lightweight, travel-ready design
- PERFECT FIRST TELESCOPE FOR BEGINNERS: Designed for adults and kids to enjoy together, this beginner-friendly telescope sets up in minutes and delivers rewarding views with no prior experience required
- EASY NO-TOOL SETUP: No complicated assembly or tools needed. The full-height tripod and telescope tube set up in seconds and pack neatly into the included backpack—so you’re always ready to observe on the go
- DUAL EYEPIECES FOR VERSATILE VIEWS: Includes 20mm and 10mm eyepieces for wide and close-up views of celestial and terrestrial targets. Spot craters on the Moon at night or wildlife during the day
- BONUS BACKPACK AND SOFTWARE: Includes a padded backpack with room for accessories, a finderscope, star diagonal, eyepieces, a smartphone adapter, and a free download of Starry Night software to help you identify celestial objects and plan your next stargazing session
The Celestron Travel Scope 80 is a lightweight, beginner-friendly refractor telescope designed for casual stargazers, travelers, and families who want a quality observing experience without heavy gear.
Its 80 mm aperture with fully-coated glass optics delivers bright, clear views of the Moon, planets, and brighter celestial objects — and works just as well for daytime wildlife and scenery observation.
One of the standout features of this model is its portability: the setup is fast and tool-free, and everything packs neatly into the included backpack, making it ideal for weekend stargazing, camping trips, or backyard astronomy.
The kit also includes two eyepieces (20 mm and 10 mm) for versatile magnification, a 5×24 finderscope to help with target alignment, and a smartphone adapter so you can capture images of the Moon or planets through your phone.
What To Look For In A Good Telescope
Whether you’re seriously considering buying your first telescope or just daydreaming about it, this guide will help you understand the most important features that you should look for in a telescope.
Types of Telescopes
Most telescopes fall into three broad categories: refractors, reflectors, and compound telescopes (also called catadioptric).
1. Refractor Telescopes
This is the oldest and most popular telescope design. At the front of the telescope, a lens known as an “aperture” directs light through the finder scope to a mirror and into the eyepiece.
Because this style of telescope doesn’t invert the image before it reaches the eye, users can view objects both in the sky and they can use a refractor during the day as a terrestrial telescope.
Generally speaking, refractors are great for views of the moon, planets, and bright deep-sky objects.
Most importantly, they require very little maintenance.
2. Reflector Telescopes
Reflectors, or reflecting telescopes, use an internal primary and smaller, secondary mirror to focus the light into the eyepiece in order to create an image.
Reflectors can be much shorter in length while also allowing for wider apertures, although because of the open OTA they require more setup and maintenance to keep everything in alignment.
The large aperture reflectors such as Dobsonians are great for faint deep sky objects.
3. Compound Telescopes (Catadioptrics)
Compound telescopes, are simply a combination of the refractor and reflector and employ both mirrors and lenses that allow for even smaller and more portable telescopes (albeit at a higher cost).
The greatest appeal of these instruments is that, in their commonly encountered forms (the Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov-Cassegrain), they are very compact.
Their tubes are just two to three times as long as wide, an arrangement allowed by the “optical folding” of the light.
The smaller tube can use a lighter and thus more manageable mounting. The upshot is that you can obtain a large-aperture, long-focus telescope that’s very transportable.
Which is the Best Telescope for me?
If you’re wondering: Which telescope type should I get? Here’s a small checklist that you can go through to decide which telescope will best suit your needs.
- If you want a beginner telescope: Refractor or Reflector
- If you want a rugged telescope that requires little or no maintenance: Refractor
- If you want to also observe objects on land (e.g. wildlife): Refractor or Compound
- If you want to view faint, deep sky objects: Reflector or Compound
- If you want the best image quality: Reflector or Compound
- If you want the biggest bang for my buck (high value): Reflector (Dobsonian)
- If you want to do astrophotography: Compound
Factors To Consider Before Buying a Telescope
1. Aperture
The most important aspect of any telescope is its aperture, the diameter of its main optical component, which can be either a lens or a mirror.
A scope’s aperture determines both its light-gathering ability (how bright the image appears) and its resolving power (how sharp the image appears).
2. Focal Length
Focal length is the distance from the “focal point” of your telescope to the lens or mirror. It’s not as important as aperture, but the longer the focal length the bigger objects will look. So keep an eye on this. The best telescope would the one that you can afford and has a large aperture and long focal length.
3. Magnification
Magnification is determined by your telescope’s focal length and your eyepiece. However, with very high magnification, objects may look dim and blurry. To solve this issue, magnification needs to increase along with the size of the aperture.
As the size of the telescope aperture gets bigger, the amount of light that can be collected and clearly viewed also increases, so dim and blurry objects become clear. Most users find a useful magnification is about 20x to 50x per inch of aperture.
4. Eyepieces
The eyepiece, an integral part of the optical system of a telescope, can completely change the view of the sky.
Eyepiece measurements, which normally appear in millimeters or inches, range greatly in size.
To ensure the eyepiece has an appropriate magnification for the telescope, compare the size of the eyepiece to the focal length of the telescope.
For instance, a 1200mm focal-length scope, used with a 25mm eyepiece, delivers 1200 / 25 = 48 power (or 48x magnification).
Switch to an eyepiece with a shorter focal length for higher magnifications: a 10-mm eyepiece used on the same scope delivers 1200 / 10 = 120x.
As you can see that it’s only the telescope’s focal length that matters here — the size of its main mirror or lens does not affect the magnification.
5. Ease of Use
Another important factor that you should consider when choosing the best telescope for yourself is how easy it is to use that particular telescope.
A telescope that’s too hard to set up is a telescope that won’t get used as much as a simpler no-tool-required-to-setup telescope.
You also have a choice between manual and computerized movement. A fully manual telescope might be less expensive, but it could prove to be frustrating for someone just starting out.
Computerized telescopes (or GoTo telescopes) can help you easily find objects in the night sky with minimal setup, and will continue to serve you well as you grow into the hobby. Computerized movements, like some telescope mounts, require a power supply.
6. Size and Portability
Before you buy a new telescope, consider where you want to use it and how you plan to transport it.
Having a telescope that’s too small to properly see anything probably is a waste of money, but a telescope that’s too big to move easily is even more wasteful unless you can leave it all set up permanently at one place in your home.
Many people find they set up a bulky telescope only once or twice, then leave it to gather dust because it’s too much effort to set up and haul around.
So always consider the weight and size of the telescope according to how you are planning to use it.
7. Price
You can spend as much as you want to on a telescope. In most cases, the more you spend, the better and bigger aperture telescope you can buy.
That said, I would strongly recommend not buying a telescope that costs less than $100, but I wouldn’t recommend spending too much on a telescope either unless you have explored the hobby a bit and know which direction you want to take your next step toward.
Best Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Telescope
- Always start with easy-to-locate objects such as the moon and bright planets and use the computer control.
- Use a low magnification eyepiece first to find objects quickly, then switch to more magnification if desired.
- Use vibration pads or a piece of old carpet if the tripod is shaky.
- Once aligned, don’t unnecessarily touch the telescope and use only your eyes.
- Don’t ever look directly at the Sun through your telescope. You may permanently damage your eyes.
- Use a moon filter to look at the moon. The result will be a much clearer image with a lot of contrast.
- Always practice setting up your new telescope a few times during the day before your first night of stargazing.
- Stay away from buildings, roads, and sidewalks as they release heat at night. Use your telescope in a clear area where there are no obstructions.
- Wait until your eyes are fully adjusted to the dark before trying to look at the night sky.
Best Tips to Maintain Your Telescope
- Telescopes should be kept dry to prevent moisture from affecting the quality of your viewing experience. So use a dew shield, shroud, or dew heaters.
- Never touch the surface of a lens or mirror. The acids in skin oil can attack optical coatings over time.
- Use a lens safer cleaner and soft wipe to do clean lenses and mirrors to avoid scratching them.
- If moving the telescope from a warm room to a cold backyard, it’s best to let the telescope sit for a while so it reaches a temperature equilibrium with the surroundings.
- Always store your telescope in a dry, dust-free, secure, and large enough place to get the telescope in and out easily.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which telescope is best to see planets?
You don’t need a very big aperture to see planets as they are among the brightest objects in the sky. You will rather need a telescope with a long focal length and a high focal ratio to view planets with clarity.
A telescope with a minimum focal ratio of f/8 is best suited for observing planets. The Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 Classic Dobsonian Telescope on our list is perfect for planetary observation.
2. What is the most powerful telescope for home use?
This will typically depend on what you want to see with your telescope and who will be using it. A good telescope that the whole family can use is typically a small, more affordable telescope with an aperture of at least 70 millimeters. These units usually have a straightforward model with an easily adjustable mount. Moreover, these telescopes are lightweight, portable, and generally can be used for terrestrial viewing also.
The Zhumell Z130 Tabletop Reflector is one such telescope that the whole family can enjoy at home.
3. How big of a telescope do I need to see Saturn?
Saturn is quite an easy target to view with the help of a telescope and most importantly you don’t need a very powerful telescope to view it.
Saturn can be seen clearly even with a small telescope with a 3” aperture at 50x magnification. This is enough to show you Rings of Saturn too, but if you want to see Saturn’s moons, you may need a slightly larger telescope with at least 5” aperture.
4. Which is the best telescope to view galaxies?
To view brighter galaxies and nebulae, you’ll need a telescope with at least a 6” aperture. The Celestron – NexStar 6SE Telescope on our list is an excellent computerized telescope that can show you great views of the galaxies and other deep sky objects.
5. How do you travel with a telescope?
Most telescopes are very fragile as they have delicate glass components such as lenses and mirrors. Moreover, the elements in the OTA have to be perfectly aligned to produce decent images. So, it’s highly imperative to take very good care of the telescopes while traveling with them.
Before taking the telescope along with you make sure that you store it in a bag or case with the lens cover and appropriate padding around it. When traveling in the car, make sure that the box/bag doesn’t move around a lot. If you are planning to travel with your telescope by air, make sure that you take it as carry-on baggage in the cabin with you. Don’t ever transport your telescope with checked baggage.
6. What can you see with a 100mm telescope?
A 100mm or 4” telescope is an appropriate choice for beginners and intermediates. With a 100mm telescope, you can see the moon, Jupiter, Great Red Spot, four of the largest Jupiter’s moons, Saturn’s rings, the Cassini Division, Mars’s polar ice caps. A 100mm telescope can also show you decent views of the brighter galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae.
7. How much does a good telescope cost?
With telescopes, the more you are ready to pay, the better quality telescope you can expect to buy. For a decent size, a good telescope for a beginner can cost between $200-$300. You can expect to get a 4”- 6” telescope in this price range that can produce crisp clear images of the moon, planets, and brighter DSOs.
8. What’s the best telescope to see the moon?
Moon is one of the brighter objects in the sky so you don’t need a very powerful telescope to view it. A telescope with a 70mm aperture is good enough to show you great views of the moon. The Gskyer 70mm Telescope is a good beginner’s telescope that can resolve good images of the moon.
9. What’s the best telescope for astrophotography?
For a good telescope for astrophotography, you’ll need decent optics, an Equatorial mount that is capable of tracking the objects in the sky for a long time, and which is stable and sturdy enough to withstand the extra weight of a DSLR or a CCD camera.
The Celestron CPC 1100 StarBright XLT is an excellent telescope that can be used to take long exposure images of the moon, planets, and even the faint deep sky objects.
Conclusion
The best telescope is the one you feel comfortable with, both in function and price. It could be a computerized telescope, a simple refractor, or a reflector telescope. The best telescope for you should also be easy to operate and transport, and it shouldn’t require a ton of maintenance. What’s most important is that you enjoy using it.
ABOUT US
We are a team of active amateur astronomers, here to help you with all your astronomy and science related needs – this is anything, from reviewing the latest telescopes to be released to talking about gravity and neurons. The Big Bang Optics was started because of our love for astronomy and to help others like us find the best telescope and accessories.
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