Best Telescopes (2024)
There are a huge variety of telescopes on the market and each is suited towards a specific purpose, budget, and audience. The quality of each also varies, and because of this, you should properly research your options before committing to a certain model.
In our list you will find excellent selection of telescopes.
The Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope combines high quality optics and computerized ‘GoTo’ tracking technology in one portable and affordable package. The telescope is very easy to use thanks to Celestron’s patented ‘SkyAlign’ system. It’s also light enough to carry with you to areas of less light pollution. One aspect of the telescope that the customers have been keen to praise is its optical superiority. They have reported that the product delivers clear and crisp images of the Moon and Jupiter (including its moons and clouds). Others have found that they have been able to observe deep-sky-objects even in areas of light pollution.
Item Name | The Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope - Best Overall |
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Product Dimensions | 42 x 23.7 x 13 inches |
Product Weight | 16 pounds |
Shipping | FREE Shipping |
Amazon Reviews | 380+ Customer Reviews |
Amazon Questions | 400+ Answered Questions |
Amazon Rating | 4.2 |
Amazon Link: | See Price on Amazon |
Whether you are an astronomy enthusiast or you are just getting started with this exciting and fascinating hobby, the Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian is an excellent telescope for the whole family. The 8" diameter reflector optics of the telescope are really good. You can see the moon and planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars really clearly. This powerful telescope will bring you a lot of joy for affordable price.
Item Name | The Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8 - Telescope for the Whole Family |
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Product Dimensions | 50.2 x 17.5 x 15.5 inches |
Product Weight | 29.3 pounds |
Shipping | FREE Shipping |
Amazon Reviews | 170+ Customer Reviews |
Amazon Questions | 100+ Answered Questions |
Amazon Rating | 4.3 |
Amazon Link: | See Price on Amazon |
This telescope cannot compete with the range of a thousand dollar telescope. But for 200 dollars, this scope gets the job done exceptionally well. With most things in life, you get what you pay for. But in this case, you get a lot more. Unmatched image quality, superior Equatorial mount and competition busting price, make the Orion SpaceProbe 130ST excellent telescope for the price. The powerful optics of this telescope help you immediately identify major heavenly bodies, usually on your first observation.
Item Name | The Orion SpaceProbe 130ST - Best Telescope for the Money |
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Product Dimensions | 24 x 24 x 51 inches |
Product Weight | 24.2 pounds |
Shipping | FREE Shipping |
Amazon Reviews | 200+ Customer Reviews |
Amazon Questions | 150+ Answered Questions |
Amazon Rating | 4.1 |
Amazon Link: | See Price on Amazon |
The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope is part of a series of telescopes that have been designed to offer the user a perfect combination of quality, value, features, and power. Coming with a range of eyepieces and a 3x Barlow lens, the 127EQ will enable you to view planets and the Moon in great detail. It comes with software and sturdy equatorial mounts that can help you to find and track celestial objects even if you don't have astronomy experience.
Item Name | The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope - Best Budget Option |
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Product Dimensions | 33 x 17 x 11 inches |
Product Weight | 21.4 pounds |
Shipping | FREE Shipping |
Amazon Reviews | 1000+ Customer Reviews |
Amazon Questions | 370+ Answered Questions |
Amazon Rating | 3.7 |
Amazon Link: | See Price on Amazon |
The telescope comes with 25mm (50x magnification) and 9mm (39x magnification) lenses that work with the model’s long focal length (1250mm) to bring out fine details of solar system objects. Patented SkyAlign technology allows the user to find stars and planets quickly – simply point the scope towards 3 bright stars and leave the rest to the 90SLT. The quality of the telescope’s optics has impressed the customers, who have reported excellent, crisp, and clear images during both celestial and terrestrial viewing. In particular, images of the Moon and Jupiter have been described as “fantastic” and a lot of praise has been directed towards the capability of the telescope’s eyepieces.
Item Name | The Celestron NexStar 90SLT - The Most Compact Model of the Nexstar Line |
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Product Dimensions | 40 x 19 x 11 inches |
Product Weight | 11.99 pounds |
Shipping | FREE Shipping |
Amazon Reviews | 350+ Customer Reviews |
Amazon Questions | 280+ Answered Questions |
Amazon Rating | 4.0 |
Amazon Link: | See Price on Amazon |
About Telescopes
Before buying a telescope you must be realistic and do a little homework beforehand. Otherwise, you could end up with a very cool and expensive telescope that gathers dust in your closet, attic or basement. Simply because you weren’t able to see anything with it. You should have at least a basic knowledge of how to make your way around the night sky before you think about buying a telescope.
Ask yourself some basic questions:
Can I identify some basic constellations?
Do I know where to locate the planet Jupiter at this time of the year? What is the ecliptic?
If you can’t answer these questions DON’T buy a telescope, yet. Or you will be practicing your dusting techniques on it. First, think about finding and joining an astronomy club in your area. Or, getting a subscription to an astronomy magazine such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy Magazine. Sign up for an astromony class at your local college or do some astronomy research online to learn more first. Consider buying a pair of good quality binoculars first before working your way up to a telescope. In other words, do your homework first!
Another consideration is how much you are willing to spend. You may think that its a good idea to go your local mall or department store and by a inexpensive telescope there. Don’t to do it. You will only be disappointed. A cheap pair of binoculars is always better substitute than a cheap telescope.
Astronomy can be a very rewarding hobby. And if you follow the few simple guidelines mentioned here it can continue to be rewarding for many years to come.