The products on our guide are all under a certain price, so whether you’re on a budget or are on a limited amount of resources to check out the night sky above you, all of these telescopes have what it takes to help you get the view you’ve been wanting to see for ages. In this review, we’re not only going to highlight all the features that make for a quality telescope, like the type, aperture, focal length and ratio, maximum magnification, weight, and warranty, but we’re also going to help you make that decision with our buying guide on which one is best for you.
Top 7 Telescopes For Beginners Review 2021
After all of our hours of research, we’ve put together a comparison table, in-detail reviews of each product, and a buying guide to help you sort out not only the best telescope for beginners but also the best telescope for you.
Editor’s Choice
1. Orion 10016 StarBlast 6
Perfect grab-and-go reflector telescope on dobsonian base with 150 mm aperture and 750 mm focal length
Read Our Review
9.9
WiseScoreTM
?
WiseScore is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It aggregates all the scores given to a product in various aspects including the individual product’s features evaluation given by each expert independently, its customers’ feedback rank, and sales rank.
Check price
Best Computerized Telescope
2. Celestron NexStar 5 SE
Amazing computerized telescope with easy-to-use interface and great 295x magnification
Read Our Review
9.7
WiseScoreTM
?
WiseScore is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It aggregates all the scores given to a product in various aspects including the individual product’s features evaluation given by each expert independently, its customers’ feedback rank, and sales rank.
Check price
Check price
Best Refractor Telescope
3. Gskyer EQ901000
Excellent refractor telescope with maximum magnification of 600 and no-tool set up
Read Our Review
9.6
WiseScoreTM
?
WiseScore is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It aggregates all the scores given to a product in various aspects including the individual product’s features evaluation given by each expert independently, its customers’ feedback rank, and sales rank.
Check price
Best Reflector Telescope
4. Orion 10015 StarBlast
Reflector telescope from Orion weights just 13 pounds and will be perfect for beginning astronomers to take on a camping trip
Read Our Review
9.5
WiseScoreTM
?
WiseScore is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It aggregates all the scores given to a product in various aspects including the individual product’s features evaluation given by each expert independently, its customers’ feedback rank, and sales rank.
Check price
Best Astronomy Telescope
5. Meade Instruments Infinity
This refractor telescope from Meade has an impressive 102 mm aperture and comes complete with three high0class eye-pieces
Read Our Review
9.3
WiseScoreTM
?
WiseScore is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It aggregates all the scores given to a product in various aspects including the individual product’s features evaluation given by each expert independently, its customers’ feedback rank, and sales rank.
Check price
Check price
Budget Pick
6. DoubleSun AZ Telescope
Stargazing can be a money-draining hobby but this wonderful telescope with 700 mm focal length and 6.8 lbs of weight will save your budget
Read Our Review
9.2
WiseScoreTM
?
WiseScore is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It aggregates all the scores given to a product in various aspects including the individual product’s features evaluation given by each expert independently, its customers’ feedback rank, and sales rank.
Check price
Best Amateur Telescope
7. Celestron AstroMaster 90
Finding stars is a breeze with this Celestron refractor telescope that features a great 1000 mm focal length and 90 mm aperture
Read Our Review
8.9
WiseScoreTM
?
WiseScore is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It aggregates all the scores given to a product in various aspects including the individual product’s features evaluation given by each expert independently, its customers’ feedback rank, and sales rank.
Check price
Check price
68.
Orion 10016 StarBlast 6 – Editor’s Choice
Features
Type: reflector
Aperture: 150 mm
Focal length and ratio: 750 mm (f/5)
magnification: 300x
Weight: 23.5 lbs
Warranty: 1-year limited
More features: wooden tripod, altazimuth mount, EZ Finder II finderscope
Check price
9.9
For the perfect beginner’s telescope, the Orion 10016 StarBlast is a great choice that is not only fun and easy-to-use, it uses a simple point-and-view tabletop reflector telescope that can be perfect for the astronomy beginner.
With its versatile performance and substantial 6″ aperture reflector optics, you can see the planets and moons in great detail, as well as any nebulas, galaxies, and star clusters you’re on the lookout for.
The tabletop design makes its extremely portable, weighing just 23.5 lbs. As we mentioned before, it is also easy-to-use—but it is also easy to set up with a pre-assemble situation and posing hassle-free setup.
With your purchase of the Orion 10016 StarBlast, you also get 25mm and 10mm Sirius Plossl 1.25″ telescope eyepieces, an EZ Finder II aiming device, an eyepiece rack, Starry Night software, and a couple more things.
This telescope features a red-dot sight feature that makes aiming the telescope extremely easy for beginners. With this alignment procedure, you can use the Orion 10016 StarBlast to point out any celestial body in the sky.
You can switch between lower and higher-power views so you can focus on the object in mind.
Pros
It is extremely easy to use and requires little setup
High optical power for a beginner telescope
You can upgrade with detachable parts
Can use the included software
Adjustable altitude tension and sturdy base to make focusing easier
Two eyepieces and compact/lightweight
Cons
You have to set the telescope on something
The focuser is made of plastic
69.
Celestron NexStar 5 SE – Best Computerized Telescope For Beginners
Features
Type: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Aperture: 130 mm
Focal length and ratio: 1250 mm (f/10)
magnification: 295x
Weight: 17.6 lbs
Warranty: 2-year limited
More features: StarPointer finderscope, 40,000+ celestial objects stored, alt-azimuth motorized mount, GoTo capable
Check price
Check price
9.7
The Celestron NexStar 5 SE is the perfect beginner‘s telescope. With its orange tube design and easy to use make, it not only is lightweight at only 17 lbs but still has all the latest features for the best stargazing experience.
With 130 mm (5 inch) aperture, you’ll have a great light-gathering experience at an affordable price to fit your beginner stargazing budget. With the 2-year limited warranty, you’ll be able to fully enjoy 40,000 celestial objects with the StarPointer finderscope. Even as a beginners, you can still get impressive views of the moon, planets, nebulas, and so much more.
Even better for beginners, the fully-automated GoTo mount with database of 40,000+ celestial objects automatically locates and tracks objects for you.
The design of the Celestron NexStar 5 SE is also very practical, with its fork arm design and sturdy steel tripod. You can take it with you wherever you go to stargaze since it all breaks down into separate components
It is also designed with a built-in wedge that can help you track long exposures. The removable secondary mirror is also a great part of the design.
Pros
Perfect for beginners since the fully-automated GoTo mount with database of 40,000+ celestial objects automatically locates and tracks objects for you.
Removable parts for fully functioning capability
Cons
Might be too bulky and large for some people
70.
Gskyer EQ901000 – Best Refractor Telescope For Beginners
Features
Type: refractor
Aperture: 90 mm
Focal length and ratio: 1000 mm (f/11.1)
magnification: 600x
Weight: 24 lbs
Warranty: 1-year limited
More features: 6*30 finder scope, no-tool set up, adjustable tripod
Check price
9.6
The Gskyer EQ901000 has a 1-year warranty to back up your purchase. With an incomparable clarity that you just won’t get anywhere else, this unit is a great tool for beginners to begin to uncover what lies above.
As easy it is to assemble, it’s even easier to focus and use. You can bring distant objects as close as if they were right in front of you with your naked eyes.
The Gskyer EQ901000 uses a 90mm aperture and 1000 mm focal length. You can easily adjust the field of vision and make it as wide or focused as you would like.
The Gskyer EQ901000 also comes with three different eyepieces, one is 25mm, one 10mm, and one as 5mm. You’ll be able to choose which options you’ll need—especially if you want a higher magnification. You can start with a 600x magnification with this unit and even upgrade it if you need to.
This telescope also comes with an EQ advanced equatorial mount, letting you point and look with as you please. Not only will you be getting the product with your purchase, you will also receive a backpack, three eyepiece lenses; 25mm, 10mm and 5mm, 3 x Barlow lens, a tripod, a mount, and a soft case.
Pros
The telescope has long focal length perfect for adjusting
Wide aperture for great focus
Comes with available accessories
Easy to mount, setup and use
The tripod is designed with stainless steel and aluminum alloy barrel
The telescope also reduces glare
Cons
Quite heavy for transport
Low magnification at 600x
Soft case is not very durable
71.
Orion 10015 StarBlast – Best Reflector Telescope For Beginenrs
Features
Type: reflector
Aperture: 114 mm
Focal length and ratio: 450 mm (f4.0)
magnification: 228x
Weight: 13 lbs
Warranty: 1-year limited
More features: stable tabletop base, Explorer II 1.25 inch Kellner eyepiece
Check price
9.5
The Orion 10015 StarBlast is a quality reflector telescope that is not only portable in design but also compact and easy to carry.
It is great for carrying around but still has fantastic features, like a 4.5 inch aperture and f/4 focal ratio. Both of these features are perfect for sharp, bright views of the night sky. It also comes simple to put together since the pre-assembly in the packaging is easy to work with.
The stable tabletop base makes it much easier to track astronomical objects as they go around in the sky. You can also take advantage of the two Explorer II 1.25 inch Kellner telescope eyepieces for easy aiming.
The Orion 10015 StarBlast comes with an eyepiece rack, dust cover, and starry night astronomy software which makes it a complete go-to set for beginners. The reflector telescope comes along with several additional features like an astronomy software, which is perfect to help beginners get started and is simple enough for kids to use.
Better yet referred to as a great go-to astronomy starter-kit, you can rely on the Orion 10015 StarBlast to have everything you need.
Pros
It has a wooden azimuth base which makes it great for tracking
Simple to use and set up as a preassembled product
Very transportable
Easy to track celestial objects, even for beginners
Cons
Limited shipping area
Cannot be exposed to heat
Low magnification
72.
Meade Instruments Infinity – Best Astronomy Telescope For Beginners
Features
Type: refractor
Aperture: 102 mm
Focal length and ratio: 600 mm (f/5.9)
Weight: 12 lbs
Warranty: 1-year limited
More features: 3 eyepieces included, Altazimuth mount, comes pre-assembled
Check price
Check price
9.3
The Meade Instruments Infinity is one of the most lightweight telescopes on the market for beginners, weighing only 12 lbs. Complete with the entire package perfect for beginners, the Meade Instruments Infinity comes with a 1-year limited warranty and comes with great features for a complete package.
You have everything you need with this product order. Not only do you have three eyepieces included with your purchase, you will also get an Altazimuth mount so you can set it up and view as much as you would like.
To see the night sky as you want, the Meade Instruments Infinity’s 102mm (4”) Refracting Telescope delivers bright and detailed images that is perfect for viewing both land and celestial objects. So, if you’re a beginner looking for that beautiful celestial body in the sky, this telescope works well.
The Altazimuth mount moves in slow motion with its controls so you can easily track celestial objects as they move across the night sky in real-time. You can also switch between low, medium, and high powered magnification to be able to see what you really want to see—whether its the moon, planets, or land.
The Meade Instruments Infinity telescope also comes with an AutoStar Suite Astronomer Edition software, which will help you learn the night sky with more than 10,000 celestial objects including planets, stars, galaxies and nebulas.
Pros
You can take astronomical photographs
Has a high amount of optical power for a beginner telescope
The adjustable tripod makes for comfortable tracking
Offered with a software for Windows integration
Cons
The set up is a bit longer than most other beginner telescopes
The software is only compatible on Windows OS
73.
DoubleSun AZ Telescope – Budget Pick
Features
Type: refractor
Aperture: 60 mm
Focal length and ratio: 700 mm (f/5.7)
Weight: 6.8 lbs
Warranty: not specified
More features: 5*24 finderscop, aluminium alloy tripod
Check price
9.2
The DoubleSun AZ Telescope is an affordable telescope that is the perfect entry-level budget product that has a 60 mm aperture and 700 mm focal length, as well as a f/5.7 focal ratio.
The Multilayer Glass Green coated optics are perfect for distributing enhanced image brightness and protecting your eyes as you enjoy the night sky. With your order of DoubleSun AZ Telescope, you will also receive a 1.25 inch 10mm Smartphone Eyepiece Adapter to take photos and videos.
The Altazimuth mount with a slow motion control is great for tracking without shaking and the adjustable aluminum alloy tripod makes it possible to track whether its day or night.
The DoubleSun AZ Telescope was designed and manufactured with fully-coated green glass optical components so that you will be highly transmitted and enhanced image brightness and clarity.
Perfect for a beginner, you’ll have all the accessories and packaging you’ll need to get started. With a high-powered eyepiece, a low-powered eyepiece, an adjustable tripod and fine adjustment control for easy panning, you’ll have everything you need.
It is one of the most lightweight telescopes in its category, weighing only 6.8 lbs.
Pros
Extremely lightweight at only 6.8 lbs
Comes with everything you need as a beginner
Adjustable aluminum alloy tripod for tracking
Cons
Low aperture of 60 mm
74.
Celestron AstroMaster 90 – Best Amateur Telescope
Features
Type: refractor
Aperture: 90 mm
Focal length and ratio: 1000 mm (f/11.1)
Weight: 20 lbs
Warranty: 2-year limited
More features: alt-azimuth mount, stainless steel tripod
Check price
Check price
8.9
The Celestron 21063 AstroMaster 90 is one of the best amateur products on the market. Designed as a perfect starter telescope, you’ll have the complete observational platform for making detailed observations of whatever you may want to check out from the heavens above.
The Celestron 21063 AstroMaster 90 is designed with a complete package—from the 1000mm Focal Length to the f/11.1 Focal Ratio, the telescope is loaded with high-quality features, like fully multi-coated optics, a 1.25″ Focuser, 10 mm, and 20 mm Eyepieces, a Manual Alt-Azimuth Mount, Locking Control Handle, and a 90° Erect-Image Diagonal. You can also track and located anything you may want to see with is built-in permanently mounted Red-Dot Finder.
Every part of the Celestron 21063 AstroMaster 90 is supported by and stands on a 1.25″ Stainless Steel Tripod with a tray. The manual alt-azimuth mount’s locking altitude clutch and adjustable pan-axis tension knob can help users track objects with minimal or no vibration.
Don’t worry about set up either, since it is so easy to use and put together on the fly. Although it’s a little heavier at 20 lbs, it’s still light enough to carry around with ease.
Pros
Comes tight a stainless steel tripod and try with adjustable pan-axis for minimal vibration
Has a 2-year limited warranty
Red Dot Finder to help you locate objects
Cons
Might be a bit heavier than other beginner telescopes
Buying Guide
To help you decide which telescope is the best buy for a beginner, this buying guide can help you pick one out based on features and anything else important you will want to pay attention to.
Gaze through beyond – why you need a beginner telescope
If you’ve never done anything like this before, you’ll want to know the best way to observe the night sky—and that’s through a beginner telescope. The specificity of the fact that these products are made for beginners can make a huge difference in the short and long run because they are more tailored for those who are now learning and want a firsthand, first experience of the night sky.
Not only are these products tailored to your budget, but they also vary in aperture and f-ratio, as well as other features that can help you decide which one best fits the description you may be looking for.
Know your main star – types of telescopes
Before you buy, however, it’s best if you get to know a bit of the background of certain types of scopes and the information you may need to get you the one that best fits you.
To help you out, here are the different types of telescopes:
Refractor Telescopes: Like the Gskyer EQ901000, this type of telescope is the least expensive on the market. They are low in price because they are basic in design and simple in features. They normally use the lens as its objective to form an image, which is simple to understand. If you want a type of telescope that offers little-to-no maintenance, this type if for you. However, they are usually quite heavy and cannot view images in so much detail.
Reflector Telescopes: These telescopes use curved mirrors to be able to form the image you want to see from the skies to your eyes. You’ll want this type of telescope if you’re looking to be able to check out deeper objects in the sky and need high-high-quality images. However, if you are going to be ordering this telescope, you’ll need to know that it will require a lot more maintenance than other low-powered telescopes.
Catadioptric Telescopes: You want the best of both worlds? Well, these type of telescopes are reflectors and refractors, which use not only lenses but also mirrors for making an image. You can get either a Schmidt-Cassegrain or a Maksutov-Cassegrain, which is much thicker and smaller than the Schmidt-Cassegrain.
Maintenance tips for beginners
Once you purchase your telescope, you’ll want to know how to best maintain and care for it—to do so, these tips can help you with caring for your telescope for beginners:
First and foremost, know that dust and moisture threaten to build upon the lens or on the mirror of your new product. Normally, you should reach for a camel-hair brush for some light brushing. These can easily be found in camera shops.
You can also use pressurized air to spray the glass surface so that all the dust air particles are then removed. Top it off with an optical-cleaning solution, and most of the debris will be removed, as well.
Always keep the lens covered while the telescope is not in use—this will help keep it protected from scratches, dirt, and dust. Of course, you won’t be able to totally eliminate all the dirt from the telescope, but the more you can, the better
Definitely avoid storing in a hot place like the car—instead, store your telescope in a safe, cool place that keeps it away from moisture, dust, and accidents.
Price tag
Especially since astronomy isn’t exactly the cheapest hobby, you won’t want to go broke just by purchasing a telescope. So, make sure that the price tag is within your budget.
There are certain telescopes that will meet a price tag of under $100—however, most of these types of telescopes are simply made for kids and extreme beginners.
However, the most beginner scopes out there, including those on this list, will be in the price range between $300 to $800. However, if you are going to be planning on buying a telescope, you might as well know ahead of time that you’ll be investing.
A portable, lightweight telescope, like any of these on the guide will also be a bit lower on your budget, as well.
Features to consider while buying the perfect telescope for beginners
Before you buy, it’s important to consider a few features that can help you sort out the best from the rest.
Here are some of the features of the best telescopes on the market:
Aperture
This might be a very foreign concept for you. Aperture, however, although you might not have ever heard of the term, is a very importa
