
The Skymax can be bought with or without the GoTo mount. The lens quality prevents optical defects, for clearer, brighter views. Best for Beginners: Celestron NexStar 5SE However, if you’re looking for the absolute best telescope overall, then you should consider the NexStar 8SE.

#BEST TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY SERIES#
If you’re looking for a great telescope to use at home, almost any of the NexStar series telescopes will do. The NexStar 8SE is both larger and costlier than its sibling, the NexStar 6SE, but the sizable difference in light-capturing ability give it an edge in terms of optical performance. Though this telescope is perfect for placing in your backyard and viewing the night sky, the NexStar 8SE’s easy-to-break-down design makes it simple to take apart and store, or, if need be, transport to another location. It also features Celestron’s proprietary SkyAlign technology, which gets the telescope set up and ready to observe the stars in a matter of minutes. We examined how the strengths and weaknesses of each telescope compared to those expected of their particular type to help determine the overall quality and value.Īlong with its premium optics, the NexStar 8SE comes with an abundance of features to get the most out of your home stargazing experience, including a fully automated GoTo mount that can automatically locate and track more than 40,000 celestial objects. Type: Because each of the three main types of telescope (refractor, reflector, and catadioptric) has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, we knew what to expect in terms of design, size, and value. Magnification: When evaluating the magnifying power of each telescope, we stuck to the general guideline - you want about 50x per inch of aperture to determine useful magnification. When we evaluated each telescope, we considered whether the aperture was suitable to a specific task, as well as the cost-per-millimeter to determine value. Bigger aperture also commonly means bulkier builds (so less portable) and more expensive (so not budget-friendly). In general, a bigger aperture means a brighter image means better clarity. Aperture determines the amount of light the telescope lets in. These resources allowed us to create a specific criterion for evaluating each telescope:Īperture: A key component of any telescope, the aperture is the diameter - usually expressed in millimeters - of the primary lens or mirror of a telescope. To determine the best telescopes, we leveraged years of personal experience, as well as information gleaned from interviewing optics specialists and experts in the field of astronomy and astrophotography.

– Best for Planetary Photography: Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ – Best Portable: SARBLUE Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope – Best WiFi-Enabled: Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 – Best for Viewing Planets: Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 – Best Value: Gskyer AZ90600 Refractor Telescope – Best for Astrophotography: Sky-Watcher EvoStar 100 – Best for Kids: Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ – Best for Beginners: Celestron NexStar 5SE We’ll also provide our picks for the best telescopes for certain use cases and applications. But don’t worry - we’ll give you some clarity on what to look for when scoping out scopes, including which features you should focus on or ignore. Conversely, if you’re interested in studying deep-space objects, a refractor scope likely isn’t the best bet for you.Ĭategory is just one of the many factors you’ll need to consider when shopping for a telescope, which is why the selection process can seem so daunting. If you’re primarily interested in observing the moon or any of our planetary neighbors, refractor telescopes are a good place to start.

For instance, refractor telescopes are generally considered to be better suited for viewing objects within our own solar system. Each type comes with own strengths and weaknesses, which you should consider when selecting a scope. Optical telescopes are typically categorized into three main types: refractor, reflector, or catadioptric. Using lenses, mirrors, or a combination of both to gather and focus light, optical telescopes increase the apparent size of distant objects - e.g., other planets and stars - so that we can observe them more clearly. Whether you’re surveying the solar system or looking to do some deep-sky stargazing, the best telescope is a must-have optical instrument.
