If you’re thinking about buying a telescope, your first question is probably, “how much are good telescopes?” The answer isn’t as simple as a single price, because a good telescope can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. It really depends on what you want to see and how serious you are about the hobby. This guide will break down all the costs and options, so you can find a great scope that fits your budget and your dreams.
How Much Are Good Telescopes
Let’s get straight to the point. You can think of telescope pricing in several broad tiers. Each tier offers a different experience and level of quality.
- Entry-Level Good ($200 – $500): This is where many beginners start. For this price, you can get a solid, easy-to-use telescope that will show you the Moon’s craters, Jupiter’s moons, Saturn’s rings, and brighter star clusters and nebulae. The key here is to avoid cheap, wobbly department store telescopes and focus on reputable brands.
- Intermediate Good ($500 – $1,500): This range is the sweet spot for dedicated beginners and intermediate astronomers. Telescopes here have larger apertures (bigger lenses or mirrors), sturdier mounts, and often include useful upgrades like motorized tracking. The views are noticeably brighter, sharper, and more detailed.
- Advanced/Serious Hobbyist Good ($1,500 – $3,000+): At this level, you’re investing in premium optics and professional-grade mounts. These telescopes can reveal fine details on planets, capture stunning images of deep-sky objects, and provide a lifetime of satisfying observation. This is where astrophotography becomes a serious possibility.
- Professional-Grade ( $5,000+): These are for the most committed enthusiasts and researchers. We won’t focus heavily on this tier, but it’s good to know it exists for context.
What Makes a Telescope “Good” (And Worth the Money)
A good telescope isn’t just about magnification. In fact, that’s one of the least important specs. Three things matter most: aperture, mount, and optical quality.
Aperture: The Most Important Factor
Aperture is the diameter of the telescope’s main lens or mirror. It’s measured in millimeters or inches. A larger aperture collects more light, which means you can see fainter objects and get brighter, more detailed views. A good starter aperture is 70mm to 90mm for a refractor or 114mm to 130mm for a reflector.
The Mount: Your Telescope’s Foundation
A fantastic optic on a shaky mount is a bad telescope. The mount holds the tube steady and allows you to point it smoothly. There are two main types:
- Alt-Azimuth (Alt-Az): Moves up-down and left-right. Simple and intuitive, perfect for visual observing.
- Equatorial (EQ): Aligned with Earth’s axis, making it easier to track stars as they move across the sky. Essential for long-exposure astrophotography.
A sturdy, stable mount is often a sign of a quality instrument, even if it costs a bit more.
Optical Quality and Design
Telescopes come in three main designs, each with pros and cons:
- Refractors: Use lenses. They are low-maintenance, give sharp views, and are good for planets and the Moon. Good ones (using extra-low dispersion glass) can be expensive per inch of aperture.
- Reflectors (Newtonians): Use mirrors. They offer the most aperture for your money, making them great for deep-sky objects like galaxies. They require occasional optical alignment (collimation).
- Compound (Catadioptric): Use a combination of mirrors and lenses (e.g., Schmidt-Cassegrain). They are compact, versatile, and excellent for both visual and photography, but are generally the most expensive design type.
Breaking Down the Real Cost of a Telescope
The price tag on the box isn’t the whole story. To truly understand how much good telescopes are, you need to consider the full system.
- The Optical Tube Assembly (OTA): This is the actual telescope tube with the optics inside.
- The Mount and Tripod: Often sold as a package with the OTA, but sometimes purchased separately.
- Eyepieces: The telescope usually comes with one or two basic eyepieces. To get different magnifications, you’ll need to buy additional ones. Plan on spending $50 – $300+ per quality eyepiece.
- Finderscope: A small, wide-view scope mounted on the main tube to help you aim. Better models (like a red-dot or right-angle finder) cost extra but are worth it.
- Filters: Moon filters reduce glare. Light pollution filters help in cities. Planetary filters enhance details. These can range from $20 to $100 each.
- Accessories: Cases, power packs for motorized mounts, star charts, and software. These all add up over time.
- Upgrades: Many people eventually upgrade their mount or buy a bigger telescope, so think of your first scope as a potential stepping stone.
Recommended “Good” Telescopes at Different Price Points
Here are some specific examples of well-regarded models that represent good value for money. Remember, prices can fluctuate.
Best Good Telescope Under $500
The Orion SkyQuest XT6 is a classic Dobsonian reflector. For around $350, you get a large 6-inch aperture on a simple, rock-solid wooden mount. The views are spectacular for the price, and it’s incredibly easy to use. It’s a telescope that will last for years without feeling like a toy. Another strong contender is the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ, which offers a equatorial mount for learning tracking.
Best Good Telescope Under $1000
In this range, the Celestron NexStar 6SE is a standout. It’s a 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain on a single-arm computerized GoTo mount. The computer can automatically find and track thousands of celestial objects for you. This makes observing much less frustrating for beginners in light-polluted areas. The optics are excellent for both planets and deep-sky objects.
Best Good Telescope Under $2000
This budget opens up serious options. The Sky-Watcher Evostar 100ED Doublet APO Refractor on a solid equatorial mount is a dream for planetary observers and a fantastic start for astrophotography. Its high-contrast, color-free optics are superb. Alternatively, an 8-inch Orion SkyQuest XT8i IntelliScope Dobsonian gives you a huge light bucket for stunning deep-sky views, with push-to digital encoders to help locate objects.
Common Mistakes That Lead to Wasting Money
Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to buy.
- Chasing High Magnification: Boxes that claim “600x power!” are misleading. Maximum useful magnification is limited by aperture and atmospheric conditions. 200x-300x is often the practical limit for most nights.
- Buying a Telescope from a Toy Store or Big-Box Retailer: These are usually “hobby killers”—poorly made with shaky mounts and blurry optics. They’ll disappoint you and the scope will end up in a closet.
- Ignoring the Mount: A flimsy tripod that shakes every time you touch the telescope will make observing impossible. Stability is non-negotiable.
- Forgetting About Portability and Storage: The best telescope is the one you’ll actually use. If it’s too heavy or bulky to move, it will gather dust. Consider where you’ll store it and how you’ll transport it.
- Not Budgeting for Accessories: As mentioned, you will likely need a better eyepiece or a finderscope right away. Factor this into your total cost from the beginning.
Is Astrophotography More Expensive?
Yes, significantly. Visual astronomy and astrophotography have different equipment needs. For basic smartphone photos of the Moon, your visual telescope might suffice. But for detailed images of planets or deep-sky objects, the requirements change.
- You Need a Robust Equatorial Mount: This is the single most important and expensive part. It must track the stars with perfect accuracy. A good entry-level astrophotography mount alone can cost $1,000+.
- Cameras, Not Just Eyepieces: You’ll need a dedicated astronomy camera or a modified DSLR, plus adapters, filters, and often a guide scope/camera.
- Software: Image acquisition and processing software (some free, some paid) is a must.
A decent dedicated astrophotography setup often starts around $2,500 and goes up very quickly. It’s a separate, deep hobby.
Where to Buy and How to Save Money
To get the best value, you need to shop in the right places.
- Specialty Retailers: Shop at reputable astronomy retailers like High Point Scientific, Astronomics, Orion Telescopes, or B&H Photo. Their staff are knowledgeable and they sell quality brands.
- Buy Used: The used market is fantastic for telescopes. Check classifieds on Cloudy Nights or Astromart. Optics last a lifetime, and you can often find high-end equipment for half the original price. Just be sure to inspect it first if possible.
- Join an Astronomy Club: This is the best advice for any beginner. Club members will give you advice, let you look through their telescopes, and often have loaner scopes or great deals on used gear. The hands-on experience is invaluable.
- Start with Binoculars: A good pair of 7×50 or 10×50 astronomy binoculars (costing $100-$200) can show you moons around Jupiter, star clusters, and the Milky Way’s structure. It’s a low-cost way to learn the sky and see if you enjoy the hobby.
Setting Your Expectations: What Will You Actually See?
It’s important to have realistic expectations. You will not see Hubble-like color images through the eyepiece. Planets will be small but fascinating discs. Galaxies and nebulae will appear as faint gray smudges of light—their beauty is in seeing them with your own eyes, knowing the vast distance the light has traveled.
The more you observe, the more detail your eye will learn to pick out. A good telescope reveals this hidden universe, night after night. The veiws become more rewarding with patience and practice.
Final Checklist Before You Buy
- Set Your Total Budget: Include at least one extra eyepiece.
- Prioritize Aperture and Mount Stability: Get the largest, sturdiest setup you can afford and handle.
- Choose a Reputable Brand & Retailer: Stick with known names like Celestron, Orion, Sky-Watcher, Meade, or Explore Scientific.
- Read Reviews: Look for in-depth reviews from multiple sources, not just the retailer’s website.
- Consider a Dobsonian: For pure visual astronomy on a budget, a Dobsonian reflector offers the most performance per dollar.
So, how much are good telescopes? A meaningful entry point is around $300-$400, a significant step up happens around $800-$1,200, and a serious lifetime instrument can be had for $2,000. By understanding what drives the cost and focusing on the fundamentals—aperture, mount, and quality—you can confidently invest in a tool that will open up the wonders of the night sky for years to come. The key is to start with something you’ll use often, and grow from their.
FAQ
How much does a decent telescope cost?
A decent beginner telescope typically costs between $200 and $500. This will get you a quality instrument from a reputable brand that can show you planets, the Moon, and brighter deep-sky objects clearly.
What is a good price for a telescope?
A good price is one that gets you a stable mount and sufficient aperture without paying for features you don’t need. The $300 to $600 range is often considered the sweet spot for a first good telescope that won’t frustrate you.
Are expensive telescopes worth it?
Yes, if you are committed to the hobby. More expensive telescopes offer larger apertures for brighter and more detailed views, much sturdier mounts, better optics, and features like computerized tracking. The difference in performance is very noticeable.
Can I see galaxies with a cheap telescope?
You can see some of the brighter galaxies, like Andromeda (M31), as faint fuzzy patches with a telescope in the $300 range from a dark sky site. However, they will not look like colorful photographs. Seeing them with your own eye is still a thrilling experience though.
What should I look for in a first telescope?
Look for: 1) Aperture (at least 70mm refractor or 130mm reflector), 2) A solid, stable mount (avoid wobbly tripods), 3) A reputable brand, and 4) Good reviews from astronomy sources. Simplicity often beats complexity for a first scope.