Best for astrophotography		Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope		SEE IT	It guides you toward the good stuff.
Best value		Coleman Astrowatch Reflector Telescope		SEE IT	Look deep into the sky on a small budget.
Best for kids		Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope		SEE IT	This beginner-friendly scope leaves room to grow.

Telescopes really resonate with photographers. After all, they’re big tubes full of glass made for looking at objects in a truly unique way. That’s absolutely our jam. Despite their lens-like appearance, telescopes don’t work quite the same as the glass attached to our camera. There’s a learning curve when it comes to gazing into the heavens. Luckily, there are plenty of options out there and many of them don’t require a NASA-sized budget to get you up and running. Here’s a list of the best telescopes for star gazing.

• Best for astrophotography: Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope
• Best value: Coleman Astrowatch Reflector Telescope
• Best for kids: Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope
• Best for beginners: Celestron Astromaster 80AZS
• Best refractor: Gskyer 600x90mm Refractor Telescope

The best telescopes: Reviews & Recommendations

Best for astrophotography: Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope

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Why it made the cut: This robotic telescope is an investment, but its automated mount can move with celestial bodies across the sky automatically. Plus, the large objective lets in tons of light. That’s also crucial if you’re going to be photographing the night sky.

Specs

• Type: Catadioptric
• Mount: Altazimuth
• Objective lens diameter: 8 inches
• Focal length: 2,032mm

Pros

• Automated star tracker
• Extremely bright from ample light capturing
• Compact for its reach

Cons

• Pricy
• Has a learning curve

Stars move across the night sky—or at least they appear to. That can make astrophotography tricky. Celestron’s automated star tracking system can help you immediately locate specific areas of the sky and then move with them as they appear to travel. Celestron’s Sky Portal software provides a handy guide to the sky and helps you choose which area you want to observe.

The telescope itself is no slouch, either. It’s a Catadioptric design with a massive 8-inch objective, which lets in ample light for viewing dim and distant objects. Celestron offers a wide range of accessories, so it’s relatively simple to mount your camera or even a smartphone camera for capturing epic shots.

Its 2,032mm focal length allows for deep looks into the cosmos depending on which eye piece you select.

Best value: Coleman Astrowatch Reflector Telescope

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Why it made the cut: Basic reflectors offer a great mix of value and reach and this Coleman model is extremely affordable.

Specs

• Type: Reflector
• Mount: Equatorial
• Objective lens diameter: 4.5 inches
• Focal length: 1,000mm

Pros

• Very affordable
• Lightweight
• Two included eyepieces

Cons

• Bulky
• Not super sturdy

Basic reflectors provide a budget-friendly way to get into star gazing. This tube offers a 1,000mm focal length that pairs with either a 10mm or 20mm eyepiece for up to 100x magnification. The tube is bulky, but it’s also very light weight so it’s easy to lug around and adjust when it’s sitting on the equatorial mount. You won’t find a ton of bells and whistles here, so be prepared to locate and track objects across the sky on your own.

Once you find what you’re looking for, the paraboloidal mirrors provide a sharp image that cuts down on aberration, which manifests as ugly fringes around the outside of high-contrast objects.

Best for kids: Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope

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Why it made the cut: This refracting telescope is simple to set up, but offers enough options and high-quality optics to allow young astro-nerds to grow into it.

Specs

• Type: Reflector
• Mount: Equatorial
• Objective lens diameter: 70mm
• Focal length: 700mm

Pros

• Easy to setup
• Sturdy mount and tripod
• Two included eyepieces, plus a multiplier for lots of viewing options

Cons

• Can’t look as deep into space as reflectors
• Relatively large

Refractors are a great place to start for kids getting into stargazing. They set up easily and caring for them is simpler than something with a massive mirror inside. This scope has a 700mm focal length and comes with both a 4mm and a 20mm eyepiece, as well as a 3x magnifier. In total, that gives this package a very flexible range from 105x all the way up to 525x. The equatorial mount has a slow motion altitude rod to make fine adjustments simpler without the need for super accurate touch.

It weighs in around 14 pounds, which makes it easy enough to throw in the car and move around if you’re looking for a better vantage point. Plus, it’s built sturdy so it has a chance to survive the rigors of kid usage.

Best for beginners: Celestron Astromaster 80AZS

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Why we picked it: An included smartphone mount, bright aperture, and relatively wide field of view makes capturing epic astro shots relatively simple.

Specs

• Type: Refractor
• Mount: Alt Azimuth
• Objective lens diameter: 3.1 inches
• Focal length: 400mm

Pros

• Included smartphone mount for easy astrophotography
• Wide aperture to let in lots of light
• Compact
• Wide field of view

Cons

• Can’t look super deep
• Not great for planet viewing

Capturing images of the night sky can be as complicated as you want it to be. This 400mm refractor comes with its own smartphone mount, so aspiring astronomers can easily capture photos and videos of what they’re observing. It comes with a pair of eye pieces, as well as a magnifier, which makes the maximum useful magnification roughly 189x. That’s a relatively wide view of the night sky, which is useful for creating epic starscapes. It’s not, however, great for trying to look into deeper space for planet closeups.

If you do want to expand its capabilities, it’s compatible with a wide range of aftermarket eyepieces thanks to its standard mount. So, even if you use this as a starting point, it can grow with you in the future.

Best refractor telescope: Gskyer 600x90mm Refractor Telescope

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Before we get into what to look for in the best refractor telescope, it’s important to understand what that is. Essentially, there are two major types of telescopes: Refractor and reflector. The main difference between refractors and reflectors is that the former uses optical lenses, and the latter uses mirrors. The refractor telescopes have lenses inside long tubes that bend (or “refract”) light to a single point of focus. This is how the earliest models were designed, such as the ones Galileo used (they basically work the same way a simple magnifying glass does). Most modern scientific telescopes are reflectors because their size doesn’t allow them to use the smaller aperture of the refractor, and they’re more capable of handling the large mirrors required to “bounce” the image to the eyepiece.

There are pros and cons to each, of course, with some debate as to which version reproduces the best image. Refractor telescopes often suffer from what is known as “chromatic aberration,” which is essentially a rainbow-like halo around the image. It was Isaac Newton who found that using mirrors reduced the rainbow effect and produced a cleaner image; however, the mirrors do reduce the amount of light coming through, which can result in slightly less detail. Not to mention the mirrors need to be cleaned and maintained frequently.

The German-designed Gskyer features multi-coated anti-reflection lenses that decrease image distortion and its 90mm aperture provides excellent brightness levels. The stainless steel tripod feels stable and strong, but the body itself is made of lightweight and portable aluminum. It’s easy to assemble and built to last.

Things to consider when shopping for the best telescopes

All telescopes serve the same global purpose: Give us a closer look at an object that’s extremely far away. There are several ways to accomplish that task, however, so you’ll have to navigate a few different kinds of telescopes during the shopping process.

What type of scope do you want?

When shopping for the best telescopes, you’re going to encounter a few common types from the major manufacturers. Here’s a quick overview of the different types.

Refractors: These are the closest you’ll find to a typical camera lens. They funnel light through the optical tube assembly to the eyepiece just like a camera lens would guide light to the sensor. They’re often some of the smallest and best telescopes. You’ll find some very cheap models that use this configuration. Like with camera lenses, though, they span a wide variety of different quality levels.

Reflectors: As the name suggests, these telescopes rely on mirrors to reflect light through the optical tube assembly and create the magnification. They include a large primary mirror that handles most of the reflection. This type typically provides a solid performance to cost ratio since they’re more affordable to manufacture. You might see the phrase “dobsian” as a reference to a type of reflector that uses a different mount than a typical reflector.

Catadioptrics: These are similar to reflectors, only they’re typically considerably shorter. Light enters through a narrow correcting plate before bouncing off a number of mirrors up to the eye piece.

How far into space do you want to look?

Like typical camera lenses, telescopes have a focal length that can give you a general idea of how far they can see. The eyepieces, however, add a bit of complication to the equation. To get the true magnification of a telescope, you have to divide the focal length of the optical tube by the focal length of the eyepiece itself. So, if you’re working with a 1,500mm tube and a 25mm eyepiece, you’ll get a 60x magnification.

Despite what you might think, more power isn’t always better. It really depends on what you want to look at. If you’re trying to get the best possible look at far away objects, then lots of magnification is great. If you’re trying to get a broader picture of the sky for astrophotography purposes, then you’d rather have a faster aperture and less reach to get a more complete picture.

How much light does it let in?

In photography, we typically refer to a lens aperture by its f-number, but the best telescopes typically offer a specific measurement. The same basic idea applies, however: The bigger the aperture, the more light you can let in when you’re looking up into space.

FAQs

Time to go out and find your best telescopes

• Best for astrophotography: Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope
• Best value: Coleman Astrowatch Reflector Telescope
• Best for kids: Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope
• Best for beginners: Celestron Astromaster 80AZS
• Best refractor: Gskyer 600x90mm Refractor Telescope

There is a surprisingly broad range of functionality and purpose behind the seemingly simple telescope, and you can find options that appeal to the casual observer and the serious scientist alike. Deciding which one suits your needs means taking into account things like user-friendliness, portability, image quality, and overall price. From classic refractor lenses to more sophisticated reflector-lens systems and astrophotography capabilities, there is an option that will get you stargazing for years to come.

Why trust us

PopPhoto has a long history of delivering the opinions of some of the sharpest and most prolific camera dorks the world has to offer. Since 1937, we’ve been reviewing cameras, providing wisdom from well-known photographers, and generally just nerding out about all that goes into making great pictures. Our current crop of writers and editors have decades of professional photography and camera writing experience among them. Collectively, we’ve probably shot with just about every camera and lens combo you can imagine—as well as some obscure stuff you may not even know about. Remember the Casio Tryx folding camera? PopPhoto does.

We also get that buying a camera is a big decision, which is why we’re dedicated to helping folks choose the right one (or, in our case “ones”) for their needs. Case in point: Handing over top dollar for an expensive rig may leave you unsatisfied if it doesn’t fit your preferred shooting style. Sure, a $6,000 sports-oriented DSLR can capture landscapes, but do you really need to do it at 30 frames-per-second? No, you don’t.

Related: The largest digital camera ever made for stargazing

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Unistellar has an impressive history full of telescope advancements. For example, earlier this year, it released a telescope that is able to cut through light pollution, allowing for urban stargazing. And now, Unistellar has announced a new way to get up close and personal with our sun. The Unistellar Smart Solar Filter makes it possible to observe the sun without damaging your precious eyeballs or delicate equipment. And, in conjunction with the new filter, the Unistellar app will soon provide access to solar mode, which automates the sun viewing experience.

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What is the Unistellar Smart Solar Filter?

While it may be tempting to simply point your telescope at the sun and have a look, it can be quite dangerous to do so. That’s why it’s important to use a special filter that is designed to cut back on how much light is transmitted through the telescope. The Smart Solar Filter does just that. It attaches to the end of the telescope and is compatible with all of Unistellar’s smart telescopes, so you can take part in sun viewing no matter which one you have.

The Smar Solar Filter only transmits 1/100,000th of the sun’s light, making it safe to view through the telescope’s eyepiece. You can also safely gaze at the sun via your phone or tablet using the Unistellar mobile app. And, using the new solar mode in the app, your smart telescope will be able to point toward the sun in less than two minutes. It can then track its motion through the sky, keeping you from constantly adjusting the positioning of your telescope.

The timing of this release is excellent since parts of the Western United States will be treated to the “Ring of Fire”, a solar eclipse on October 14th this year. Besides solar eclipses, you’ll also be able to view phenomena such as sunspots and faculae. It opens up a lot more possibilities for what you can view, getting you even more out of that expensive piece of equipment.

Pricing & availability

The new Smart Solar Filter is available for pre-order as of today and will begin shipping in September, just in time for the eclipse. At $249, it isn’t a cheap accessory, but it will keep your eyes safe and open up more possibilities of what you can view with your telescope.

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Best for looking at planets		Sky Watcher Classic 250 Dobsonian 10-inch Aperture Telescope		SEE IT	A large Dobsonian telescope for checking out planets.
Best computerized		Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope		SEE IT	A user-friendly computerized telescope.
Best for travel		OYS 70mm Telescope		SEE IT	A telescope with quick setup and convenient carrying case.

Finding the best telescopes for beginners may seem more daunting than finding water on Mars. Where do you start? How much should you spend? Will it break easily? And what do any of the specifications mean? Learning about the various features and decoding the product descriptions can help rookie astronomers and their families take a peek at the universe. Don’t be intimidated by astronomy equipment. You’ll be able to use the best telescopes for beginners without a PhD. in astrophysics. Whether you want to track the ISS or discover a new planet, you can have fun with these instruments designed for usability. Innovative setups and computer tracking make stargazing simple and approachable. Become a genuine space ranger even if you can’t tell the difference between a nebula and an eyelash.

• Best for looking at planets: Sky Watcher Classic 250 Dobsonian 8-inch Aperture Telescope
• Best for teens and young adults: Celestron 22030 Travel Scope
• Best for astrophotography: Sky Watcher Virtuoso
• Best computerized: Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope
• Best for travel: OYS 70mm Telescope
• Best budget: Celestron 70mm Travel Scope

The best telescopes for beginners: Reviews & Recommendations

Best for looking at planets: Sky Watcher Classic 250 Dobsonian 10-inch Aperture Telescope

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The Sky Watcher Classic is a Dobsonian telescope, meaning it’s a big, cannon-shaped beast. Don’t let the size scare you off. Dobsonian telescopes are perfect for your first astronomical instrument. Once out of the box, you’ll be stargazing in a matter of minutes. The large optical tube allows for a wide aperture and mirror, which means this telescope can soak up a lot of light. That’s good for trying to see clear images of planets and the moon. It’s not ideal for astrophotography, but if you want to quickly set up a telescope and see something impressive, this basic Dobsonian is the best telescopes for beginners and a good investment. 

Best for teens and young adults: Celestron 22030 Travel Scope

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Trees and light pollution cramping your backyard observatory? Pack up and move to a better location with the Celestron Travel Scope. As the best telescope for beginners, this telescope gives viewers a great look at planets and the moon. It can even pick up the far-off Andromeda galaxy with surprising clarity. The custom carrying case keeps everything organized, a big plus for teens who don’t yet appreciate the art of proper storage. And the telescope has a smartphone mount so users can snap quality pics without needing additional adapters. It’s also great for spotting wildlife here on Earth, something reflector telescopes have trouble with. Though not ideal for more seasoned astronomers, the price point and quality make it perfect for teens or adults new to the hobby.

Best for astrophotography: Sky-Watcher Virtuoso

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The Sky-Watcher Virtuoso is a gateway to the deep world of astrophotography and camera telescopes. While the telescope is included, you’re really paying for the tracking mount. Tracking alignment on the Sky-Watcher isn’t too complicated and the mount does a decent job keeping things moving. This is a table-top scope, which gives you great stability for the fine and delicate art of astrophotography. It comes with an automatic shutter release for Canon DSLR cameras and a camera bracket. With a little practice, a novice can take dynamic photos of the moon and planets. 

Best computerized: Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope

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For $500, the Celestron Nexstar is the best computerized telescope for beginners. Just give yourself time to learn the ins and outs before trying to locate your own comet. The controls are more user-friendly than other GoTo mounts. And Celestron’s own SkyAlign setup is as easy as aiming at any three bright points in the sky. You’ll get clear, bright views of objects even at high magnification. The included eyepieces are adequate and upgrades are available if you want to dig deeper into the cosmos. If you’re looking for your first GoTo telescope, this is an affordable place to start. 

Best for travel: OYS 70mm Telescope

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If all you want in your first telescope is something quick and easy, the OYS 70mm Telescope is there when you need it. The lightweight refractor telescope has everything you need to look at the moon and stars and can be set-up in minutes. The carrying case makes travel convenient. Bring it along to outdoor picnics or keep it in your car if you spot any UFOs on your commute. The included phone adapter will let you quickly post cosmic visions to all your social media friends, adding to the easy-breeze causal nature of this fun, inexpensive telescope. It’s lightweight and stress free. What more could you want in a hobby?

Best budget: Celestron 70mm Travel Scope

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The price is right, at $90 and the Celestron brand is a dependable option for beginner telescopes. This refractor scope is powerful enough to see the rings of Saturn…but don’t expect Hubble-quality images. For looking at the moon or scanning the sky on a lazy summer night, it does a fine job. The lightweight scope is perfect for road trips and comes with its own travel bag. And if you get tired of the cosmos, it works well as a nature telescope for birdwatching and sightseeing. 

Features to consider when shopping for the best telescopes for beginners

There are high-end, professional, room-sized telescopes. And then there are the best telescopes for beginners. If all you need is something to causally locate stars, planets and maybe aliens, you can find a great, inexpensive and, best of all, simple telescope for amateurs and kids. And they are easier to use than you think. 

How important is magnification for the best telescopes for beginners?

When looking at magnification and lens data of a telescope, you should focus (ha!) more on aperture size than magnification specs. The aperture size dictates how much light gets into the telescope. The bigger the aperture, the clearer the image. If you have a high magnification and low aperture size, the image will be blurry when you zoom in because there’s just not enough light getting through the aperture. And no amount of hefty magnification can fix it. 

Still, people love to see big magnification numbers. Know that beginner telescopes are smaller, with smaller apertures. So giant magnification numbers aren’t much of a benefit. As a general rule, for clear images a telescope’s max magnification should be no more than 50 times its aperture in inches. If the aperture is 4-inches, the magnification should be about 200x. And that’s plenty of spying power for backyard skyscanners. 

Focal length and focal ratio are also important numbers to consider. And it can get confusing, especially for newcomers. Focal length is (basically) the distance light travels while it’s inside the telescope. It’s not simply the length of the scope in every case because mirrors and other optical tricks can modify light’s path. And the focal ration is the focal length divided by the aperture. Without drowning you with math, a focal ratio of F8 is good for seeing planets, the moon and anything else a first time astronomer would want to see. 

Is the telescope for you or the kids, or both?

There is a difference between a telescope made for beginners and a telescope for kids. Astronomy products aimed at youngsters tend to be simplified, sturdier and less expensive. They can also be dumbed down and have a cheap, plastic feel if you’re not careful. If your smart, inquisitive teen is interested in space, avoid telescopes with “Kid” in the title or else you may be buying a glorified toy. And if a rowdy, rough toddler is interested in space, there’s always a paper towel tube. 

The best telescope for younger teens is probably a refractor telescope. Of the two types of scopes, refractor and reflector, a refractor telescope is the less complicated and easier to care for instrument. Refractor telescopes are what most people imagine when thinking of telescopes. It’s the classic tube with a big lens at one end and an eyepiece at the other. Even the best Refractor telescopes (for beginners) are not great for exploring deep space, but the simplicity may be a big bonus.  

A reflector telescope, on the other hand, uses mirrors to focus on the universe. Those mirrors must be perfectly aligned to function properly. That makes reflector telescopes more delicate. If you are mature enough to handle a smartphone, you are mature enough to use a fragile reflector telescope. But if you worry about knocks and bumps and breaks, stick with a refractor telescope.

There are compound telescopes that use both reflection and refraction. These offer the best of both worlds, but can be pricey. If the telescope is for an adult beginner, a compound telescope is a great idea. If this is for a child who may lose interest the moment you can’t find the Death Star, stick with a basic refractor telescope. 

Not all scopes are designed for astrophotography 

The good news: Taking impressive pictures of space has never been easier. The bad news: It’s still not easy. Anyone who has tried to take a photo of a full moon with an iPhone knows that what you see with your eye and what the camera shows are vastly different. 

Many beginner telescopes come with smartphone options and cradles, and most work reasonably well. But for truly mind-blowing photos you will need to A) do your homework and B) use a telescope designed for astrophotography. 

Before snapping your first picture, you should have at least a moderate understanding of your camera. From exposure length to white balance, the more comfortable you are with your camera the better. Trial and error are the best teachers for photography, so practice, practice, practice 

When it comes to attaching a camera to a telescope there are a wide variety of options. The key to great photos is a long exposure. And the key to long exposures is tracking. Everything in the sky is moving, at least it seems that way when you’re standing here on earth. A photo of a star will show a tail during a long exposure. This is why astrophotographers depend on tracking telescopes for crystal clear pics. 

Tracking means the telescope is automatically moving along with the stars to prevent trails from appearing. Once set up, you can track the objects as they move across the sky, allowing for clear photos. Keep in mind, this is different from GoTo telescopes. GoTo scopes find a specific star or planet based on coordinates. Tracking only means the telescope is slowly moving at a deliberate speed. It sounds more complicated than it is. Simply put, your camera must move with the stars and there are mounts and telescopes designed to do just that.

Computerized Telescopes are a complicated piece of astronomy equipment.

While some telescopes use nothing more than a standard camera tripod, if you want greater control to track stars and planets the best telescopes need a dedicated stand. And if you want a robot assistant, you need a motorized, computerized mount. 

Computer-controlled mounts (called GoTo mounts because they automatically “go to” specific coordinates) may seem perfect for first-time astronomers. Instead of hunting and tacking tiny specs in the sky, let the computer-controlled GoTo mount do the work. However, GoTo mounts have a few drawbacks. First, they can cost three times as much as a non-motorized telescope. If this is a new hobby, you may not be ready to invest $1,000 in equipment. Second, they can be finicky to set up and use. Without a basic understanding of star navigation, users will have difficulty getting the telescope to align properly. And third, It’s more fun to use your own hands to aim your telescope. Most GoTo telescopes don’t let you aim manually, making you the backseat driver to cosmic discovery. 

For astrophotography enthusiasts, a GoTo mount can make capturing images and movements of the heavenly bodies easy. And GoTo mounts make having a skygazing party in the backyard less prone to people complaining about your aim. If you’re willing to spend the money and take the time needed to master your astronomy equipment, a GoTo telescope could be your new best friend. 

Related: How to shoot epic landscape photos of the night sky

The best telescopes for beginners goes everywhere 

You may not want a big, bulky 72-pound behemoth clogging up your deck. And your driveway may not have great viewing angles. Thankfully, the best travel telescopes are tiny and let you take the scope to prime viewing spots in your neighborhood. 

If this is your first telescope, and you plan to travel with it to the park, cheaper is better. Travel can be tough on a telescope, and it’s less painful to crack a $100 spyglass than a $1,500 computerized telescope. 

When shopping small, keep an eye on aperture size and ignore magnification. Always remember: Aperture matters and magnification numbers are for bragging. A refractor telescope is a great option for traveling because it’s easy to set up once you get to your destination, unlike more complex scopes which are made for fine tuning. Keep the packaging, as foam inserts can be reused to keep your telescope safe and secure. And when stashing away your tiny telescope, please put the lens caps on. 

Best budget telescope for beginners: What you get for under $100.

If this is a new pastime, save money upfront and upgrade as you get deeper and deeper into the hobby and deeper and deeper into space. Eyepieces, tracking mounts, optical tubes, and many other telescope parts can be swapped out for higher-end, more powerful replacements. When starting out, go for a basic telescope for planets. See how it feels. Learn how to master the controls. And as you get more experienced, your tools will get more specific and specialized. 

At the same, spending too little usually results in blurry views, broken parts and ruined nights. Avoid the cheapest of the cheap, unless you only want to use the telescope to entertain your young kids for a few minutes. For those on a budget but still want something usable, aim for the hundred dollar range. There are plenty of good all-around options ready to use right out of the box. Just read the specs and make sure the budget-priced telescope is more than pirate prop. 

FAQs

A final word on shopping for the best telescopes for beginners 

The best telescopes for beginners is one you feel comfortable with both in function and price. It could be a computerized telescope, a simple refractor telescope or some homebrewed astronomical instrument. What’s most important is that you enjoy using it. Since humans first looked up, we’ve been fascinated by the night’s sky. Exploring the vastness of space is surprisingly easy, even with basic, budget-priced equipment. All the stats and figures of telescopes may make your eyes roll, but if you remember the importance of aperture and keep on eye on the price tags, you can have a backyard observatory in no time. 

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Astrophotographers and stargazers alike will tell you that light pollution absolutely ruins our view of space. Die-hards will go to great lengths in order to escape the intrusive glow that comes from illuminated cities. Unistellar’s new eQuinox 2 smart telescope, however, promises to help prevent those stray rays from ruining your attempts to view distant objects.

The eQuinox 2 is different than a traditional telescope. It still relies on an optical lens to provide a view of the night sky, but it doesn’t use an optical viewfinder. Instead, it has a digital sensor inside and a wireless connection so it can beam an image of what it sees to a smartphone or tablet. The companion app allows viewers to simply select the outer space objects (or specific coordinates) they want to view, then it automatically adjusts to the correct position by relying on Unistellar’s field detection tech. Basically, it observes the sky and can locate its own relative position in less than two minutes in most settings.

While the simple positioning is nice, the real draw comes from its promise to negate the ill effects of light pollution for viewers who live in populated areas. The telescope relies on some computational photography tech (Unistellar isn’t exactly specific on how it works) in order to tone down the glow from light pollution that typically washes out images of the night sky. It uses a similar strategy to enhance and improve every image it captures images of familiar space objects like planets and nebulas. For instance, it can reveal Jupiter’s massive red spot.

The Unistellar eQuinox 2 is available for pre-order right now for $2,499. That’s a hefty price tag, but if you want an extremely simple star-gazing experience that can pierce through the fog of urban light pollution, this might provide the clearest view available to you.

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If you thought the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was impressive, think again. With a fresh $205 million in funding secured to accelerate its construction, the Giant Magellan Telescope is poised to be the most powerful telescope… ever. It will be used to hunt for habitable planets, study the first galaxies of the universe, and attempt to explain mysteries like dark matter and energy.

Giant Magellan Telescope receives $205 million in funding

The $205 million check is one of the largest in the Giant Magellan Telescope’s history, led by the Carnegie Institution for Science, Harvard University, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Arizona, and the University of Chicago. 

The funds will be used to construct the 12-story telescope, including the seven primary mirrors underway at the University of Arizona’s Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab and an advanced spectrograph instrument in Texas. The final product will be assembled at Ingersoll Machine Tools in Illinois.

“The funding is truly a collaborative effort from our Founders. It will result in the fabrication of the world’s largest mirrors, the giant telescope mount that holds and aligns them, and a science instrument that will allow us to study the chemical evolution of stars and planets like never before,” says Dr. Robert Shelton, President of the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization (GMTO).

Related: NASA’s next space telescope could have a liquid lens and be 100x larger than Webb

An important priority in astronomy

The JWST is already a feat of human engineering. So why all the hype around the Giant Magellan Telescope? 

The National Academy of Sciences Astro2020 Decadal Survey deemed the project “absolutely essential if the United States is to maintain a position as a leader in ground-based astronomy.”

The telescope will have 10 times the light collecting area and four times the spatial resolution of the JWST, and will be 200 times more powerful than any other research telescope currently in use. For context, it will be able to show the torch on a dime from nearly 100 miles away with tack-sharp focus.

With that, the goal of the Giant Magellan Telescope will be to study the physics and chemistry of faint light sources discovered by the JWST. The hope is to identify potentially habitable planets; study the universe’s first galaxies; and search for clues that would unlock the mysteries of dark matter and energy, black holes, and the universe’s origins. 

Related: The JWST has just 68GB of onboard storage

Giant Magellan Telescope’s current progress

Though the project does not currently have a completion date, significant progress has been made. Presently, six of the seven primary mirror segments have been cast, with the third segment having completed its two-year polishing phase. 

The Giant Magellan Telescope will be assembled at a newly-constructed, 40,000-square-foot facility, and the first adaptive secondary mirror is currently in production in Europe. 

If the project is anything like other deep space telescope projects, it could be a while before we see any results. But until then, we’ll be eagerly waiting.

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To mark the Hubble Space Telescope’s 32nd birthday, NASA recently shared an image that shows off the optic’s might. The shot showcases five close-knit galaxies, a cluster known as the Hixon Compact Group 40. 

“Caught in a leisurely gravitational dance, the whole group is so crowded that it could fit within a region of space that is less than twice the diameter of our Milky Way’s stellar disk,” NASA writes. 

The group consists of three spiral-shaped, one elliptical, and one lenticular (lens-like) galaxy. NASA notes that it’s not unusual for the bodies to cluster, but the Hixon group is notable in that it is fairly isolated. Normally, we might find congregations at the center of much larger clusters. 

Dark matter keeps the galaxies in a dance

So what is pulling the galaxies together? One possible explanation is the presence of dark matter—as-yet unseen mass that astrophysics calculations say is essential for the universe to work as it does. NASA speculates that the galaxies have a lot of dark matter, which exerts gravitational forces that causes them to pull towards each other. 

“As the galaxies plow through the dark matter they feel a resistive force due to its gravitational effects,” the agency explains. “This slows their motion and makes the galaxies lose energy, so they fall together.”

Hixon won’t stay this way forever, though. In about a billion years, the group will merge into a giant elliptical galaxy. 

The Hixon Compact Group 40 has long been a source of fascination

Astronomers have studied this group in visible light, as well as with radio, infrared, and X-ray wavelengths, with each study yielding a new set of information.

They’ve found that most of the galaxies have a compact radio source at their cores, suggesting the presence of supermassive black holes. X-ray observations indicate that an abundance of hot gas leads the galaxies to interact, while infrared studies have aided in determining the rate of new star formation. 

“Though over 100 such compact galaxy groups have been cataloged in sky surveys going back several decades, Hickson Compact Group 40 is one of the most densely packed,” NASA’s materials state. “Observations suggest that such tight groups may have been more abundant in the early universe and provided fuel for powering black holes, known as quasars, whose light from superheated infalling material blazed across space. Studying the details of galaxies in nearby groups like this help astronomers sort out when and where galaxies assembled themselves, and what they are assembled from.”

The curious can access Hubble’s entire archive—comprising more than 1.5 million observations and 50,000 celestial objects—at Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes, at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.

“I remember seeing this on a sky survey and saying, ‘wow look at that!'” says Paul Hickson of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, to NASA.

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This article originally appeared on Popular Science.

When the US, Europe, and Canada first unveiled the plans for the James Webb Space Telescope in 1997, it sounded like a pitch from an overambitious science student. The contraption would have to schlep a 26-foot-wide mirror across the solar system, while keeping its cool around the radioactive sun. But to build the Next Generation Space Telescope (as it was called at the time), astronomers had to think big. Hubble, the preeminent space telescope, needed a successor—and there were too many open questions about the Big Bang and the expanding universe.

Twenty-four years later, the Webb telescope has smashed a number of records with its design, production, and assembly. Biggest telescope built for space? Check. Costliest tool made for stargazing? Check. Dozens of delays on the way to the launch pad? Check check check.

So it’s fair to say, the stakes are higher than imagined. As the world cautiously waits for the telescope to kick off its decade-long mission (the launch date is currently set for Christmas morning), here’s a look back on what it took to prepare it for this moment.

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The Dragonfly Telephoto Array is a scientific telescope designed by an international research team from Yale University and the University of Toronto. It’s made from 48 off-the-shelf Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses. But it’s about to get a lot bigger: Canon USA has just agreed to provide another 120 lenses as well as ongoing technical support. 

About the Dragonfly array

The Dragonfly Telephoto Array was designed by Professor Roberto Abraham of the University of Toronto and Professor Pieter van Dokkum of Yale University. It was commissioned in 2013 and started off with just three Canon EF 400mm f/2.8Ls, though it was quickly expanded to 10 lenses. 

In 2015, Canon USA provided 40 additional lenses so the array could be expanded to 48 lenses with 24 telescopes on two separate mounts. 

Since all the lenses are aimed at the same point in the sky, each added lens increases the light gathering capacity of the whole array. With 48 lenses, it’s the equivalent of one giant 400mm f/0.4 lens (or a refracting telescope with a 39-inch diameter objective lens). 

What the Dragonfly array does

According to Professor van Dokkum, “the Dragonfly Telephoto Array is the pre-eminent survey telescope for finding faint, diffused objects in the night sky.” This means it is used to search for “ultra-diffused galaxies and other low-surface brightness phenomena,” and in particular, “elucidate the nature of dark matter.”

In almost a decade of observations, it’s found galaxies like Dragonfly 44, which is composed of almost 99.9% dark matter, and NGC 1052-DF2, which is “nearly entirely lacking dark matter.”

It’s really fascinating to see what the Dragonfly team has been able to achieve with off-the-shelf components. They used the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L because the anti-reflection coatings on the lens elements “mitigate the effects of light scattering, overcoming the limitations of conventional telescopes in detecting faint structures.”

What’s next for the Dragonfly array

The Dragonfly array is about to get a lot bigger. 

Canon USA is providing the project with another 120 lenses for a total of 168. The lenses will be configured with six separate mounts each with an array of 28 lenses. This setup will give it the power of “a refracting telescope 1.8 meters (~71 inches) in diameter” and make it “the most powerful wide-field spectroscopic line mapping machine in existence.” The team plans to use it to study the faint gas believed to exist in the gaps between galaxies. 

Oh, and if you’re wondering what it would cost to build the Dragonfly Array yourself. The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM has been discontinued, but its successor, the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM, costs $12,000. 168 of them would set you back just over $2 million.

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Camera troubles are the worst—just ask the engineers at NASA. They’re currently trying to fix the Hubble Space Telescope, which is in safe mode for the second time this year. And they have to do it remotely. 

What’s happening to Hubble?

Hubble has been in orbit taking pictures of far away galaxies for more than 30 years. It was launched in April, 1990. And bar the occasional breakdown, bit of routine maintenance, and upgrades, Hubble has been snapping away ever since. It’s taken more than a million photos that have fuelled over 18,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Suffice it to say, it’s had a serious scientific impact. 

But Hubble is getting old. It was last serviced in 2009, before the Space Shuttle Program was shut down, so it’s not surprising that the occasional hiccup is happening. 

In June, Hubble was shut down for over a month because of a glitch with a payload computer from the 1980s. NASA was able to get things up and running again by switching to a backup.

Hubble’s current predicament is thought to be less serious. All the scientific instruments are healthy; instead, the problem is with “multiple losses of synchronization messages.” 

Since Hubble entered safe mode late last month, the engineers have already got the Advanced Camera for Surveys instrument back online and making scientific observations. They’re continuing to work on fixes for the other instruments using ground based models. Whatever solutions they do find, however, will all be software-based—there are currently no plans for another service mission to Hubble. 

What’s next for Hubble?

While Hubble might be on the way out, it’s far from gone. It’s hoped that it will keep working until at least 2026, if not 2030—though that obviously depends on the ability of the engineers to keep fixing things from the ground. 

But the bigger news is that Hubble’s successor is on the way. 

The James Webb Space Telescope is scheduled to launch from French Guiana on the December 18, this year. It is a significantly larger telescope than Hubble, and will focus on observing infrared light to explore the furthest reaches of our universe—and look back in time. 

Unlike Hubble, the JWST won’t orbit the Earth. Instead, it will be placed at the L2 “Lagrange Point”, where the gravity of the sun and Earth combined will keep the satellite locked in a similar orbit to ours, just a bit further out. This will enable it to keep cool, so that its infrared instruments can do their thing. Of course, that’s assuming all goes well—NASA has a list of 344 ways the JWST could fail.

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Tonight is going to be an incredibly rare combination of astronomical events. Not only are we set to spot a total lunar eclipse that’s visible in the USA for the first time since 2010, but Mars will also be unusually large and bright in the sky. Which makes it the perfect opportunity to get out and try some astrophotography.

Tonight’s total lunar eclipse will be the first of four in a set, running early morning April 15th, October 8th, and then next year on April 4th and September 28th—what’s called a tetrad. At the same time, Mars is at the biggest and brightest its been in six years, and will actually appear next to the Moon in the night sky.

The best time to see the event will be at 3:00AM EST, midnight PST. And unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses last for hours at a time (and have a dramatic, deep red hue). Unfortunately, you will have to take into account local weather conditions, and it’s probably a good idea to drive away from the city to avoid light pollution.

If you’re just beginning to step into the world of astrophotography, luckily there are many guides out there to help you. This is a good look at how focal length changes the way the Moon will look, here’s an intro to shooting astrophotography, and here. If you’re interested in landscapes and timelapses, have a look at this, this, and this.

And no, there’s nothing about this set of lunar eclipses that makes them a “blood moon“, as all eclipses of this type are red—it’s just drumming up apocalyptic fears.

I, Luc Viatour [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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