Best Telescopes
Looking at the night sky, it’s one of the oldest entertainments. Thousands of years we’ve been looking up and wondering what was in it. Before telescopes were invented, people had no real idea what they saw and stayed in their sleep. Then, around 1608, a Dutch eyeglass manufacturer named Hans Lippershi tried to get a patent for the first telescope. A year later, the famous astrologer Galileo invented a much more powerful telescope that could magnify objects up to 20 times.
This invention paved the way for modern astronomy and astrology. It was one of the greatest inventions of all time. For many years, only scientists and very rich people were allowed to use the telescope. But now they’re much more accessible, and ordinary people can buy telescopes. You do not have to be an experienced astronomer and you do not have to have a degree to use a telescope, but it can be quite difficult to choose the one that best suits your needs.
In this article we have investigated and found the best telescopes that you can buy for less than $1000. They all have different characteristics and some are more powerful than others, but we believe that you will be satisfied with any of them. We have also created a detailed purchase guide and FAQ section to answer any questions you may have about buying a telescope.
Gskyer 70mm Telescope
The Gskyer telescope carefully crosses the line between accessibility and quality really well. It’s a black and white beauty about 24.8 x 4.92 x 8.46 inch in size. One of its most fascinating features is its ease of installation. You should be able to assemble this telescope within 30 minutes, and if you are confused, the instruction manual comes with the telescope. The terms used in the instructions can be misleading for a beginner, so there are pictures to illustrate the assembly. In addition, the Gskyer telescope has an aperture of 70 mm and a focal length of 400 mm, which gives it clear high-resolution images. The telescope comes with two interchangeable eyepieces and 3x Barlow lenses. The eyepieces have an aperture of 25 mm and 10 mm respectively, the former can reach magnification of sixteen and the latter up to forty. In addition, a 5×24 viewfinder and a mounting bracket with personnel ensure that you do not have to work too hard to find objects. In addition, all Gskyer components are lightweight and easy to carry, and have a fully adjustable tripod that allows you to look into the telescope in various positions. As a bonus, Gskyer comes with a smartphone adapter and a wireless camera remote control. This means that you can look at stars with your mobile device and take wonderful pictures of space with your mobile phone. The telescope is versatile and can be used in a variety of ways, from bird watching to watching the stars at night. And with a price range that is not prohibitively expensive, Gskyer is our first choice, and we highly recommend it.
Key features
It is very affordable
25 mm, and 10 mm replaceable eyepieces
Tripod and carry bag
Easy to assemble
Specification
Brand Gskyer
Model AZ 70400
Weight 5.95 pounds
Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST Equatorial Reflector Telescope
This is Orion’s second record. It’s much cheaper than the first model, but Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST offers an impressive feature set at a price. Unlike Orion 10019 XT10i, it does not have a built-in computer, which is the main reason for the huge price drop. However, it has some good reviews and is known for its amazing image quality. It has an impressive aperture of 130mm and a focal length of 650mm, allowing you to see in detail the moon and nearby planets as well as nebulae and star clusters. It has a relatively short 24mm optical tube, making it ideal for camping trips. Although it does not allow you to see objects in deep space, it offers you enough to give you an incredible introduction to the world of astronomy. It also has two 25x and 65x zoom options and the ability to track objects as they move through the sky.
Key features
Contains two 1.25 inch Sirius Plossl eyepieces
Comes with Starry night SE software
Compact and easy to carry around
Equatorial telescope mount allows you to track objects
Specification
Brand Orion
Model 9007
Weight 24.2 pounds
Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope
Many of us enjoy the thrill of manually tracking moving objects in space and the work that goes with it. But not all of them are, which makes the Celestron-NexStar 8SE very practical. The first thing you will notice about this telescope is the complex design of the orange tube, which distinguishes it from many other telescopes on the market. But the fun doesn’t end there, as its 8-inch hole is perfect for viewing images with the highest quality of sharpness you might want. The fully automatic GoTo mount with its overwhelming features makes NexStar the best fully automatic telescope you can buy. With a database of over 40,000 celestial objects, the GoTo Mountain works very impressively for beginners in astronomy who may not know which objects to see first. What’s more, the mountain not only finds these fascinating objects for you, but also helps you find them so you never have to lose sight of your target. With this telescope there’s no shortage of accessories, and with it you get a StarPointer finderscope with a red dot, a 25mm Plossl eyepiece, a visual rear wall and a diagonal mirror star. In addition, Celestron’s SkyAlign process ensures that the telescope is installed with minimal time and effort. If you want to use the telescope while camping or hiking in the open air, you won’t have any problems. And if you’re interested in astrophotography, the telescope has a built-in wedge. You can painlessly connect DSLR to the telescope and take amazing pictures of celestial objects. This is a telescope that can be enjoyed by anyone, and with the addition of a free copy of Starry Night software it’s a really inexpensive pleasure.
Key features
Fully automated GoTo mount with a database of over 40,000 celestial objects
Built-in wedge to connect the camera
Easy to set up with SkyAlign procedure
25mm Plossl eyepiece
Specification
Brand Celestron
Model 11069
Weight 24 pounds
TELMU Telescope
If you are looking for a telescope that has decent quality and is also cheap, then enjoy your eyes on TELMU. Watching stars or other earthly objects is a silent, blue tube design of this telescope is very good. It comes with a focal length of 400 mm and an aperture of 70 mm, which gives each image exceptional clarity and detail. With two interchangeable 1. 25-inch basement eyepieces you can increase the power of your telescope and see things clearly. In addition, the TELMU is equipped with a 5X24 display telescope, which allows you to effortlessly see celestial bodies. There is also a tripod that is adjustable and allows you to see your focus in different positions, so you can choose the position that is most convenient for you. You can also use the phone stand to take pictures and videos that you can send to your family and friends in real time. Children will love this telescope with its simple design and construction. If you need to carry your telescope, it also comes with a bag that can contain all the components of the telescope. It is also very easy to assemble as there are no complicated steps to assemble. However, if you have trouble assembling it, an infallible user manual will help you. Carefully written and incredibly detailed, you won’t have any problems with the instructions. Overall, TELMU is a truly thought-out unit with a 24-month warranty and excellent after sales service.
Key features
400 mm focal length and 70 mm aperture
A backpack that makes it easy to move around
Phone holder for photos and videos delivered in real-time
Adjustable tripod
Specification
Brand TELMU
Model F40070M
Weight 5.9 pounds
Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope
Celestron has been manufacturing high quality telescopes for over 50 years. They have won a number of awards and a reputation as one of the leading telescope brands in today’s market. When they launched the Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ, the world of astronomy knew about them. It has received excellent reviews and is quickly becoming one of the best budget telescopes you can get in your hands. It costs only about $150, which makes it the cheapest of a line of quality telescopes for home use. It is a Newtonian reflector telescope, which means it uses a mirror to collect light and reflect images for viewing instead of using lenses. This makes production cheaper and therefore cheaper for the amateur astronomer. It has an aperture of 127 mm (5 inches), which makes it possible to see nearby objects such as the moon in the smallest detail. You can also see some planets, nebulae and star clusters. It has optical glass components coated with reflective aluminum, which gives you amazing clarity while watching. EQT in the name means equatorial mountain, which compensates for the rotation of the earth.
Key features
Newtonian style reflector telescope
Easy setup
127mm aperture
1000mm focal length
Specification
Brand Celestron
Model 21049
Weight 28 pounds
Orion 10019 SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope
It is the most expensive telescope on the list. With $999, it is a premium product and offers much more features than some of the cheapest telescopes on the list. The main thing that makes this telescope expensive is a computer-controlled telescope. It has a powerful built-in computer system that helps detect more than 14,000 objects in space. So when you find an amazing object in the sky, you can immediately detect what you are looking at. This feature makes it not only an amazing experience for beginners, but also a really useful tool for advanced astronomers. It is a Dobson reflector telescope, which is a kind of Newtonian telescope, but usually has a large aperture. This means that the telescope collects large amounts of light and can be used to observe nebulae, galaxies, clusters of stars and objects at close range in detail. In addition, the Orion 10019 SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope has a wide range of applications, which means it can process information very quickly and is easy to use for beginners. This telescope is best suited for viewing objects in dimly lit skies, but still it is very versatile. Because of the price and the built-in computer, we called this telescope our first choice. If money is not an object, then with this epic toy you will have a lot of fun!
Key features
Dobsonian reflector telescope
In-built computer
Detect over 14,000 objects
300x useful magnification
Specification
Brand Orion
Model 10019
Weight 31.4 pounds
Meade Instruments 216006 Polaris 130 EQ Reflector Telescope
Meade is another manufacturer of telescopes, known for its high quality products. They have existed since the 70’s and are building stunning telescopes. Meade Instruments 216006 Polaris 130 EQ is one of the cheapest products and one of the best home telescopes for beginners. When you start, you want something affordable because you don’t know how dedicated you are. With $179.99, it’s the perfect combination of value and quality. It may be cheap, but it still has a lot of features that will make you happy. Above all, it’s a QE reflector telescope, which makes it ideal for beginners. For the price, the optics are incredible, and it has a very large hole. That means you can get crisp images and see celestial objects and planets. They won’t be in the same detail as an Orion telescope, but clear enough to see the details. A tripod and a mount allow you to keep track of objects in space while they are moving.
Key features
EQ Reflector telescope
130mm aperture
650mm focal length
Red dot viewfinder
Specification
Brand Meade Instruments
Model 216006
Weight 26.8 pounds
Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope
Returning to the most expensive end of the spectrum, we find the NexStar 6 SE Celestron. This is another digital telescope that offers the incredible benefits of a built-in computer. It is slightly cheaper than the Orion telescope, which is second in the list, but competes strongly with one of the best telescopes for less than $1,000. The main difference is how small this telescope is, which makes it a brilliant portable telescope. It has an aperture of 150 mm and a focal length of 1500 mm, making it one of the most spectacular telescopes on the list. It is not necessarily a professional telescope, but certainly not a novice telescope. It doesn’t mean that beginners can’t operate it. It is amazingly simple and easy to assemble, so it can be perfect if you are a beginner who wants to invest a lot of money in your hobby. There are 40,000 objects in your database, which is much more than the Orion database. It also uses a combination of reflections and refraction, making it ideal for stargazing, even if you are in a zone of high light pollution. If you have money you can spend, you should think about this telescope.
Key features
Combination relefector/ refractor telescope
In-built computer with 40,000 objects
150mm aperture
1500mm focal length
Specification
Brand Celestron
Model 11068
Weight 21 pounds
Telescope Buying Guide
We have created the following shopping guide to answer any questions you may have about buying a telescope. All the telescopes listed above are of high quality, but we understand that technical jargon can sometimes be misleading, so we have simplified it.
How do we make our choice of telescopes
Brand – The telescopes listed in this buyer’s guide are all well-known brands. Not only do we look at the brand when we choose the best telescopes, but we also believe that these brands can be trusted to make a good telescope.
Comments – you can always count on customers to give their honest opinion. So we search online to find out how customers react to products before including them in our shopping guides. When using telescopes, it’s important for us to read the feedback, as it allows us to check the manufacturer’s information. For example, with telescopes for beginners you need to know that they are easy to use for beginners. We also read more detailed product reviews to see what experts think. If we check a lot of reviews, we will have a very good feeling about the product.
Easy to use – All telescopes on this list are suitable for amateur astronomers. They are still adult telescopes, but that doesn’t mean they have to be extremely complex. Not everyone has time to read the instruction pages. We have made sure that all the telescopes on this list are easy to use.
Design – There are proven telescope designs. When we chose 10 telescopes, we took a close look at the different telescope designs. This was important in selecting the best telescopes.
Price – Astronomy can be very expensive if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Each telescope on this list costs less than $1,000, but the price varies. With telescopes you really get what you pay for, but we have chosen the best telescopes at different prices.
The features you have to look for in telescopes
Openness – This is one of the most important specifications that you should look for when buying a telescope. The aperture is the diameter of a lens or mirror that collects light. This determines the quality of the image you will see. The larger the aperture, the sharper and brighter the image.
Focal Length – This is a bit more complicated. Focal length is the distance at which light is directed by the curvature of the lens. This affects the distance at which you can see objects and their eternal perspective.
Zoom – the eyepiece of your telescope influences the magnification. Galileo’s first telescope had a magnification of 20 times, but you can expect everything up to 400 times from modern telescopes.
Computer control – you will find this only on the most expensive telescopes. Telescopes are programmed with thousands of objects in the sky. So if you find anything, you can tell immediately what it is.
Types of telescopes
A refractory telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens to create an image. You really look through the lens and see the image. It was first used in spyglasses and astronomical telescopes and was very popular in the 19th century. Today you are likely to find reflective telescopes because they have more holes.
Reflector telescope – This type of telescope uses curved mirrors that reflect light and create an image. It was invented by Isaac Newton and has been popular since the 17th century. Today, most large telescopes are mirrored telescopes.
Composite telescope – This type of telescope combines the two previous types. It uses a mixture of lenses and mirrors. It was invented in 1930 by the German astronomer Bernhard Schmidt.
Positive aspects of telescope ownership
They are instructive – owning a telescope will teach you a lot about the universe. Not only will you learn more about the cosmos, but you can also teach your children. It’s amazing how much a practical lesson can change. If you sat down and tried to teach your children about the solar system, they would quickly get bored, but let them see for themselves and they will always come back to learn more.
It can be used during the day – most people think that telescopes can only be used at night. In fact, most modern telescopes can be used during the day, which makes them ideal for weekend activities. Go camping and spend the whole day looking up at the sky.
You can discover something new – it may sound silly, but most astronomical discoveries are made by amateurs. Spend enough time looking up and you can become famous. Imagine that!
Things to see during the day.
Luna
Venus
Satellites
Jupiter
Mars
Daytime comets
Things to see at night.
Luna
Jupiter
Saturn
Orion Nebula
Andromeda Galaxy
Hercules group
Double cluster
Dumbbell Nebula
How to get the most out of your new telescope.
Learn to use it – It seems obvious, but you must learn to use your new telescope. Read the instructions and watch the YouTube videos to get an idea of the controls. There’s a lot you can learn just by using it, but a little preliminary research will really help.
Learn about Conditions – If you live in a built-up area, you may suffer from light pollution. You should learn about the best conditions for astronomy and how to find them. If you need to travel to find a good place, you should!
Keep practicing – never forget the old saying: “Practice makes perfect”. This applies to many things in life, and astronomy is definitely one of them. The more you use a telescope, the better you understand control.
Explore what you can see – as soon as you find something, you must know what you see. With a computer-controlled telescope it’s much easier, but with handheld telescopes it’s not impossible. If your telescope does not come with a brochure, you can find information online.
