For those taking their first steps into the world of stargazing, choosing the right telescope can make all the difference. In this guide, we share a curated selection of the best telescopes tailored to beginners, to give aspiring astronomers the tools they need. Whether you want to view the upcoming eclipse, shimmering stars, or distant planets and nebulae, you’ll have a path to discover the cosmos with these best telescopes for beginners.
What to Look for in a Telescope
Aperture
One of the most important features of a beginner telescope is the aperture. A telescope with a larger aperture allows more light into the telescope. This, in turn, will give you better viewing options for darker objects in the sky. If you only hope to see bright objects like the moon and sun, the aperture isn’t too important. Although, for deep-space viewing, you’ll need a wider aperture.
Size
Convenience and size is another feature to consider when picking out a telescope. Unfortunately, telescopes with a wider aperture are generally much larger. Finding the right balance between telescope size and aperture for your preferred viewing is important.
Magnification
Another feature you’ll see commonly advertised is magnification. The more magnification you have, the easier you’ll be able to see objects that are very far away. Finding the right balance between a large aperture and a high magnification is crucial if you want to view dim objects that are very far away.
Mount
The last thing to consider is the type of mount. Telescopes come in two different kinds of mount – altitude-azimuth and equatorial. Altitude-azimuth mounts, otherwise known as alt-az, are best used for viewing and are much simpler for beginners. However, if photography is your goal, you’ll want to go with an equatorial mount, which allows you to track a singular object for hours in the night sky.
Types of Telescopes
Refractor
A refractor telescope utilizes a lens to produce an image. These telescopes are usually low maintenance but may be more expensive compared to the other kinds of telescopes. Generally speaking, refractor telescopes are bigger and heavier than similar aperture reflectors and catadioptric telescopes.
Reflector
Reflector telescopes utilize a mirror to produce an image, and they may offer the best bang for your buck compared to other kinds of telescopes. The downside to reflector telescopes is that the mirror can get out of alignment easily, meaning you’ll have to make adjustments to realign the telescope.
Catadioptric
A catadioptric telescope uses both lenses and mirrors to produce images. Because of this, they may be more expensive than the other kinds of telescopes. This design allows more magnification in a telescope that is usually more compact. Catadioptric telescopes also give a wider field of view for their size. This is perfect for those who wish to view large objects like galaxies.
Best Telescopes for Beginners
Vaonis Hestia Smart Telescope
Why We Chose This Telescope: The Vaonis Hestia Smart Telescope is a smartphone-based telescope that lets you capture the sheer brilliance of celestial bodies without a complex or expensive setup.
- Telescope Type: Reflector
- Aperture: 1.2” (30mm)
- Mount: Tripod
Vaonis Hestia is the first ever telescope that utilizes a wide list of smartphones whether iPhone or Android – allowing even casual photographers to take pictures of the Sun, Moon, and the Universe. Hook your phone up to the Vaonis Hestia Telescope’s ocular and choose the celestial object that you want to capture just by tapping a few buttons in Hestia’s app: Gravity by Vaonis.
The app is rich with features such as advanced proprietary image processing algorithms that take multiple short-exposure images and combine or align them together, to create a single high-quality jaw-dropping photograph. Additionally, you can check out weather conditions in your area before going out for a shoot with Gravity’s in-tune weather updates. With both these features and more, you’re well-equipped to get out there and enjoy every chance to stargaze and see the wonders of sky photography and astrophotography.
Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope
Why We Chose This Telescope: This is a great beginner-level telescope perfect for first-time users who want to enjoy space viewing with minimal setup.
- Telescope Type: Reflector
- Aperture: 5” (127mm)
- Mount: Equatorial Head
The Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope is an amazing beginner telescope that is easy to set up. This telescope doesn’t break the bank, and it is perfectly sized for any beginner looking to dip their feet into space viewing. This telescope comes with equatorial mounts that are perfect for tracking, as well as collapsible alt-azimuth mounts that can be used for terrestrial viewing. Also included are multiple eyepieces and a 3x Barlow lens that gives you an image hundreds of times greater than the unaided human eye.
The PowerSeeker is made using fully coated glass and high transmission coatings. This offers excellent brightness and clarity which are incredibly important for night-sky viewing and shooting. Slow-motion controls allow smooth tracking, and the telescope even comes with 2x slow-motion cables. The included tripod is adjustable in height, allowing you to set up the telescope for optimal viewing perfectly. You’ll also get an accessory tray for convenient storage of all of the many included accessories to use with the telescope.
If you need a beginner telescope for terrestrial and astronomical use, the Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ is an excellent choice for the whole family to enjoy space.
Celestron AstroMaster LT 70AZ 70mm f/10 Refractor Telescope
Why We Chose This Telescope: This telescope has a quick and easy to set up that is ideal for viewing planets and moons.
- Telescope Type: Refractor
- Aperture: 2.75” (70mm)
- Mount: Alt-Az
If you’re after bright and clear images of the moon and other planets, the Celestron AstroMaster LT 70AZ Refractor Telescope may be just what you need. This telescope is portable and easy to assemble, and the alt-az mount gives you great control with a smooth clutch that offers accurate pointing. A StarPointer Red-Dot Finderscope makes it easy to point the telescope directly at your target for easy setup, and coated glass optics ensure clear and crisp images.
In addition to the telescope, you’ll also get an optical tube, tripod, and mount, 10mm and 20mm eyepieces, the StarPointer, and an Erect Image 90 Degree Diagonal. The telescope comes with a deluxe accessory tray to hold all of your accessories for quick and easy access in the dark.
This is the perfect telescope to view things like the belts and moons of Jupiter, or the rings of Saturn. However, if you’re looking for brighter deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae, you’ll need to look for a more advanced telescope.
Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Newtonian Reflector Telescope
Why We Chose This Telescope: This first-of-its-kind smartphone technology makes it easy to find celestial objects and the 5.1” aperture (130mm) lets you see darker objects much easier.
- Telescope Type: Reflector
- Aperture: 5.1” (130mm)
- Mount: Alt-Az
The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 120AZ is the very first telescope to use your smartphone to analyze the night sky and calculate its position in real-time. Finding stars, galaxies, moons, planets, and more has never been easier for beginners. All you have to do is place your phone in the StarSense dock and use the StarSense Explorer app. The app will tell you exactly what is visible in the sky and then help you point the telescope at the right spot to see those objects.
The included alt-az mount is very high quality and gives slow-motion control to help you to perfectly dial in on your target. The mount sits on top of a full-sized tripod, which allows for comfortable adjustments and viewing. Best of all, the telescope comes with a large 130mm (5.1”) lens which gives you excellent viewing options for those objects that aren’t as bright and may be further away.
Even in the city, the StarSense Explorer can still pick out planets and some of the brighter celestial objects. For even better viewing, you can take the telescope to a darker location, giving you access to even more objects and better viewing experiences.
Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ3 102mm Refractor
Why We Chose This Telescope: A compact telescope with impressive specs for all different kinds of viewing makes for an excellent beginner telescope for first-time users who aspire to grow their celestial viewing passion.
- Telescope Type: Refractor
- Aperture: 4” (102mm)
- Mount: Alt-Az
If you’re looking for crisp, clean images at an affordable price, look no further than the Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ3 102mm Refractor Telescope. This large aperture telescope can produce some impressive images with very little chromatic aberration, and it only weighs 6.5 lbs (3kg). The compressed length is roughly 21.7” (50cm), making it very easy to transport. Considering it is a refractor telescope, it’s quick and easy to set up with low maintenance and can be easily brought along wherever your adventures may take you.
This telescope boasts impressive features for viewing vistas of star fields, clusters, nebulae, galaxies, planets, the moon, and even the sun when used with the correct filters. You can even use this telescope to capture lunar and solar eclipses, but an equatorial mount is required for longer exposure astrophotography. With the proper mounting plate, you can mount this telescope to another alt-azimuth or equatorial mount for more advanced viewing. For beginner observers, this is an excellent starter telescope, and more advanced users may even use this as a traveling telescope.
Barska 300 Power Starwatcher 70mm Refractor Telescope
Why We Chose This Telescope: This kit is everything an entry-level astronomer needs, and it’s easy to set up with all of the necessary accessories.
- Telescope Type: Refractor
- Aperture: 2.75” (70mm)
- Mount: Pan-Head
The Barska 300 Power Starwatcher 70mm Refractor Telescope is easy to set up and it comes with all of the basic accessories for optimal celestial viewing. Accessories include a finderscope, 2 interchangeable eyepieces, a 3x Barlow lens, pan head mount, 45-degree erect image diagonal, table-top tripod, carrying case, and the beginner’s version of Barska’s Deepsky Astronomy Software (compatible with Windows 95, XP, and Vista only). The software has a database covering over 10,000 objects — all of which you can find and view in the sky.
For users who have a poor back or neck, the 45-degree diagonal will save you both neck and eye strain by bringing the scope right up to your face without having to bend down too far. A 2×24 finderscope makes it easier to find an object in the sky, and the 3x Barlow lens gives increased levels of magnification. The two 1.25” eyepieces (K20 20mm and SR4 4mm) combine with the 3x Barlow to give magnification power of 60 and 300. This allows you to see further when combined with the 2.75” aperture of the Barska 300 Starwatcher.
ExploreOne Aurora 19-52×114 Alt/Azimuth Slow Motion Mounting Telescope
Why We Chose This Telescope: A substantial aperture for its price point makes this telescope stand out against other similar scopes on the market.
- Telescope Type: Reflector
- Aperture: 4.5” (114mm)
- Mount: Alt-Az Slow Motion
The ExploreOne Aurora 19-52×114 Telescope offers one of the largest apertures for its price point. This makes it an excellent choice for beginners who wish to view some of the darker objects in the sky. A focal length of 1100mm combined with two premium Plossl eyepieces allow viewers to see galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters that couldn’t be seen on a scope with a smaller aperture. The ExploreOne 19-52×114 features superior options combined with a sturdy mount and very smooth motion controls to give the user well-defined images that should satisfy any beginner.
Included with the telescope, buyers will also get the metal tripod, red dot finder, CR2032 battery, and astronomy software. For beginners looking for optimal viewing of deep space objects, look no further than the ExploreOne Aurora 19-52×114 Telescope.
Conclusion
Picking out the best telescope for beginners might seem like a daunting task, and the best telescope is truly going to depend on your desired usage. Most importantly, try to find a beginner telescope that is easy to use and will help you practice and enjoy the night sky.
Featured Image from Shutterstock
