You don’t need a massive telescope to get an up-close and personal view of the planets above. Telescope technology has become much more advanced and significantly more accessible in the last century. Thus, manufacturers are able to produce high-quality telescope models that serve everyone, from beginner to professional astronomers.
In this guide, we’re going to help you find the very best telescopes for beginners. We have included a list of some fine entry-level models that are perfect for noobs who are just getting started. To ensure that you’re able to begin exploring the cosmos straight away, we’ve selected telescopes that don’t require a ton of knowledge to use. They’re all designed to suit amateur astronomers while giving you the tools to learn more.
Best Beginner Telescope Reviews
Gskyer Travel Scope Telescope
Key Features:
Focal length: 400mm
Aperture size: 70mm
Focal ratio: F/5.7
Maximum magnification: 120X
Includes two eyepieces and Barlow lens
Includes tripod and altazimuth mount
This affordable beginner’s telescope from Gskyer has everything you need to get started. The telescope itself is quite efficient. Thanks to the sizable aperture and focal ratio, the equipment allows a lot of light to flood in. This helps to provide a clear image of your target.
The great thing about this kit is that it also has some useful accessories. There are two eyepieces included. These include a 25mm and 10mm option. The 10mm eyepiece provides 40X magnification, which is great for viewing finer details of lunar craters. If you want to customize the magnification level a bit more, Gskyer also throws in a Barlow lens. It effectively doubles the magnification level of each eyepiece.
The telescope sits on a simple altazimuth mount. The included tripod is easy to set up in seconds. To improve the viewing experience, the kit also has a smartphone adapter. You can attach your smartphone to the eyepiece to view the target through your screen. It’s also great for astrophotography.
Celestron 70mm Travel Scope
Key Features:
Focal length: 400mm
Aperture size: 70mm
Focal ratio: F/5.7.1
Maximum theoretical magnification: 165X
Comes with astronomy software, travel bag, and tripod
Includes two eyepieces
Stargazing on the go is easy with this Celestron beginner telescope. It comes with a tripod and protective carrying case. You can take this equipment out to a spot without a ton of light pollution to get the clearest image possible. This is a refractor telescope that uses a large 70mm lens. The glass components within the optical tube are fully coated to improve performance and reduce glare.
Once you have the telescope set up on the mount and tripod, you can use a star chart to find your target. A built-in sight on the side allows you to line up the telescope and lock onto the celestial objects you’re trying to look at. Then, simply focus the telescope and use one of the two eyepieces to perfect the image.
Celestron Tel National Parks Foundation 76mm
Key Features:
Focal length: 300mm
Aperture size: 76mm
Focal ratio: F/4
Maximum magnification: 180X
Newtonian reflector telescope
Compact design
You don’t need a large and clunky piece of gear to take a look at the cosmos. This model from Celestron is revered for its portability. When compared to traditional telescopes, this model dwarfs them all. The optical tube is a mere 10 inches long. It’s also a tabletop telescope with a versatile mount. Just set it on a stable surface and use the altazimuth mount to point it in the right direction.
This is a Newtonian reflector. It uses a spherical mirror that manipulates light efficiently. The mirror is coated in aluminum to maximize its reflectivity and give you the best image possible. The aperture is also wide and fast. This makes it a great option for viewing some deep-sky objects like nebulae.
This particular beginner telescope was made in partnership with the National Parks Foundation. Thus, it has an attractive wrap around the optical tube that will look great wherever you place it.
Gskyer Astronomical Refractor Telescope
Key Features:
Focal length: 600mm
Aperture size: 90mm
Focal ratio: F/6.7
Maximum magnification: 360X
Comes with three eyepieces and Barlow lens
Includes aluminum tripod and smartphone astrophotography adapter
Dobsonian tabletop design
Here’s another great Gskyer telescope for first-time astronomers. It has a similar design to the previous beginner telescope from this brand. But, this model takes this up a notch. It’s capable of providing you with 360X magnification. The aperture size is a bit larger as well, which increases the amount of light that’s getting in. Whether you want to look at the rings of Saturn or the vibrant colors of Jupiter, this telescope can do it all.
With this kit, you’re getting three different eyepieces. On the lower end, the shortest eyepiece provides 24X magnification. The longest gives you 120X magnification. Plus, there’s the Barlow lens for greater flexibility.
In terms of performance, this telescope doesn’t disappoint. It’s a refractor telescope that uses treated lenses. They have a high-transmission coating to improve visibility and reduce chromatic aberration.
MESIXI Astronomical Telescope
Key Features:
Focal length: 400mm
Aperture size: 70mm
Focal ratio: F/11.25
Maximum magnification: 120X
Refractor telescope
Comes with mount, tripod, and smartphone astrophotography adapter
From MESIXI is this all-in-one kit. It has everything you need and some useful extras. This beginner telescope itself is quite efficient. It’s a simple refractor telescope with a sizable 70mm aperture. The focal ratio is a bit slower. However, the large aperture lets plenty of light in to take a look at the moon and closer celestial objects.
A smartphone adapter is included with the bundle as well. It makes it easy to attach your smartphone and take photos of your target. Plus, there’s a BlueTooth remote, which is great if you want to keep the telescope steady as you capture your images. As an added perk, MESIXI throws in a monocular telescope that you can use for wildlife viewing.
Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope
Key Features:
Focal length: 1,000mm
Aperture size: 114mm
Focal ratio: F/8.7
Maximum magnification: 269X
Newtonian reflector telescope
Equatorial mount
Includes tripod, astronomy software, and two eyepieces
The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is an impressive piece of equipment. The large aperture and massive focal length ensure that the optical tube is flooded with light when you point it at the night sky. This is a Newtonian reflector telescope. These types of telescopes use a large primary mirror to manipulate light strategically.
While it’s made for amateur astronomy, this beginner telescope is more than capable of helping you study our solar system. It comes with great astronomy software for more information about celestial bodies. Plus, it uses an equatorial mount. This precise mounting system takes the Earth’s rotation into account. Slow-motion knobs make fine-tune adjustments relatively easy. Instead of having to make major changes to the direction of the telescope every few minutes, just turn a few knobs to stay locked onto your target in the sky.
Meade Instruments 209001 Infinity
Key Features:
Focal length: 600mm
Aperture size: 50mm
Focal ratio: F/12
Maximum magnification: 100X
Includes three eyepieces and a Barlow lens
Altazimuth mount
Refractor telescope
Meade is known for making some of the best beginner telescopes available. This model is no different. It’s easy to use and offers the magnification power you need to look at the moon, star clusters, and more.
It’s a relatively simple refractor telescope. It uses glass lenses to bend light and focus it into the eyepiece. While it’s not powerful enough for deep-space exploration, the high-quality parts and larger aperture do a great job of providing you with a close-up view of things you can see through the optical viewfinder.
The kit comes with three separate eyepieces and a Barlow lens. Using the right combination of gear can give you up to 100X magnification. The altazimuth mount is efficient, too. It moves in all directions to help you point the telescope exactly where you need it. Plus, there are some slow-motion knobs to make those fine-tune tweaks a breeze.
Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope
Key Features:
Focal length: 450mm
Aperture size: 4.5 inch aperture
Focal ratio: F/4
Includes two eyepieces and a Barlow lens
EZ Finder II reflex sight
Reflector telescope
Altazimuth mount.
This product from Orion makes a great first telescope for kids and adults alike. It’s a reflector telescope that’s designed for tabletop use. The wide optical tube and large aperture are great in terms of light gathering. To make things even better, Orion has used a fast aperture. The faster focal ratio makes it possible to view deep-space objects, such as the Orion nebula. It has a wide field of view, making your target truly come to life in the eyepiece.
Speaking of eyepieces, this Orion telescope comes with two. It also has a collimation cap. This simple, yet convenient, accessory helps during the setup process. It allows you to line up the mirrors effectively so that you can make the most out of the components.
The mirrors and glass within the optical tube are made out of high-quality borosilicate glass. The material has a low thermal expansion, which keeps it in good condition for many years to come.
Orion 10012 SkyScanner 100mm TableTop Reflector Telescope
Key Features:
Focal length: 400mm
Aperture size: 100mm
Focal ratio: F/4
Includes two eyepieces
EZ Finder II reflex red dot sight
Rack and pinion focuser
Reflector telescope
Altazimuth mount
The SkyScanner is another great model for newbie skywatchers. While it has an affordable price tag, that doesn’t mean that Orion has skimped on quality. This telescope is very well-built. Rather than using plastic lenses and basic components, this model is designed to provide you with great image quality. To do that, it uses a parabolic primary mirror. This mirror collects a ton of light and directs it to the secondary mirrors, which focuses it onto the eyepiece.
The aperture of this telescope is quite large. Not only that, but it’s fast. The F/4 focal ratio is ideal for skywatchers looking to take a peek past into the distant cosmos. The equipment will let you look at a faraway nebula, star clusters, and even the Andromeda galaxy.
Orion 21100 SpaceProbe II
Key Features:
Focal length: 700mm
Aperture size: 76mm
Focal ratio: F/9.2
Reflex finderscope
Rack and pinion focuser
Reflector telescope
Altazimuth mount
This kit from Orion is a great new telescope for budding astronomers because it’s designed for simplicity. The reflector telescope takes only a few minutes to set up. With the kit, you’re getting a collection of lunar maps, star charts, and more. These convenient extras can help you find a target in the night sky. With the simple finderscope and focusing system, you shouldn’t have any problems making the image clear.
The large aperture and spherical mirror certainly help, too. The primary mirror is quite large. Furthermore, the secondary mirrors have minimal obstruction. This ensures that you’re getting as much light as possible into the eyepiece.
If you’re looking at the moon, Orion has added another useful perk. The moon filer helps to reduce glare and overall brightness. It doesn’t affect the color of your image in any way. But, it does bring out the contrast and provide more visible detail of the moon’s surface.