Choosing your first telescope is a big step. It’s also a common challenge for new astronomers. This guide will show you how to choose the best telescope for your needs and budget. We’ll break down the technical terms and focus on what really matters for great views of the night sky.
Forget the idea that bigger is always better. The best telescope is the one you’ll use often. It should match your interests, be easy to handle, and fit your living situation. Let’s get started on your journey to the stars.
How To Choose The Best Telescope
This core principle guides everything. It’s not about finding the single best model on the market. It’s about finding the best telescope for you. To do that, you need to answer three simple questions first.
Ask Yourself These 3 Questions First
Your answers here will steer you in the right direction before you look at a single spec sheet.
- What do you want to look at? The Moon and planets? Faint galaxies and nebulae? A mix of both? Your target dictates the telescope type.
- Where will you use it? A dark backyard, a bright city balcony, or do you need to travel to a dark site? Portability is key for many.
- What is your budget? Set a realistic number that includes essential accessories like eyepieces. A good starting budget is $300 to $500.
Understanding Telescope Types: The Big Three
All telescopes gather light. How they collect and focus that light defines their type. Each has strengths and weaknesses.
Refractor Telescopes
These use a glass lens at the front of a long tube. Think of a classic pirate spyglass. They are low-maintenance, with sealed tubes that protect the optics. They offer sharp, high-contrast views, perfect for the Moon and planets. However, they can be long and bulky for their aperture, and high-quality large ones are very expensive.
Reflector Telescopes
These use a curved mirror at the bottom of the tube to gather light. They offer the most aperture for your money. This makes them fantastic for viewing faint deep-sky objects like galaxies. They are generally more compact than refractors of similar power. The downside is they require occasional collimation (mirror alignment) and the open tube can gather dust.
Compound (Catadioptric) Telescopes
These, like Schmidt-Cassegrains, use a combination of mirrors and lenses folded into a short, portable tube. They are incredibly versatile and portable, great for both planets and deep-sky. They are a popular “do-it-all” choice. The trade-off is they are often the most expensive type per inch of aperture and have a narrower field of view.
The Most Important Spec: Aperture is King
This is the golden rule. Aperture is the diameter of the telescope’s main lens or mirror. It’s measured in inches or millimeters.
- Why it matters: A larger aperture collects more light. More light means brighter, clearer, and more detailed images. You can see fainter objects and resolve finer details on planets.
- Ignore “High Power” Claims: Marketing that highlights magnification (e.g., “600x power!”) is misleading. Useful magnification is limited by aperture and atmospheric conditions. Aperture is the true measure of a telescope’s capability.
- Practical Minimum: A good starting aperture is 70mm (2.8 inches) for a refractor or 114mm (4.5 inches) for a reflector. Avoid tiny, wobbly “department store” telescopes.
The Mount is Half the Telescope
A great optic on a poor mount is a frustrating experience. The mount holds your telescope steady and allows you to point it smoothly.
Alt-Azimuth Mounts
These move up-down (altitude) and left-right (azimuth). They are simple, intuitive, and generally less expensive. They are perfect for visual observing, especially with a “Dobsonian” style base, which is a stable wooden alt-az mount for reflector tubes.
Equatorial Mounts
These are aligned with Earth’s axis. They require a bit more setup but allow you to easily track celestial objects as they move across the sky by turning a single knob. They are essential for serious astrophotography.
GoTo Mounts
These are computerized mounts that can automatically point the telescope at thousands of objects. They are fantastic for beginners who want to find objects quickly in light-polluted areas. Remember, you still need a good aperture for the views to be worthwhile.
Essential Accessories You’ll Need
Most telescopes come with one or two basic eyepieces. To get the most from your scope, you’ll want to expand your kit.
- Eyepieces: These determine magnification. A good starter set includes low (wide-field), medium, and high-power eyepieces. Quality matters here—good eyepieces make a huge difference.
- Barlow Lens: This accessory doubles or triples the power of your existing eyepieces, effectively giving you more magnifications for less money.
- Finderscope: A small, low-power scope mounted on the main tube. It helps you aim your telescope. A “red dot” or “Telrad” finder is often easier to use than a traditional optical finderscope.
- Star Charts or Apps: Planispheres, books, or smartphone apps (use night mode!) are crucial for learning the sky.
A Step-by-Step Selection Guide
Follow these steps to make a confident choice.
- Set Your Budget: Include $100-$150 for a couple of additional eyepieces and a star atlas.
- Prioritize Aperture: Within your budget, choose the telescope with the largest aperture from a reputable brand.
- Match Type to Interest: Pick a refractor for lunar/planetary, a reflector/Dobsonian for deep-sky, or a compound for a portable all-rounder.
- Test the Mount’s Stability: If possible, try a similar model. Gently tap the tube. If the image shakes for more than a second or two, the mount is too weak.
- Check Reviews & Community: Read forums and watch video reviews from experienced astronomers. They highlight real-world pros and cons.
- Consider a Used Telescope: The astronomy community is careful with gear. You can often find excellent value in a used telescope from a reputable source.
- Start with Binoculars: Seriously! A pair of 7×50 or 10×50 binoculars is a fantastic, low-cost way to learn the sky and they remain useful even after you get a telescope.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Steer clear of these pitfalls that trap many beginners.
- Buying Based on Magnification: The highest useful magnification is about 50x per inch of aperture. Any claim beyond that is just empty marketing.
- Choosing a Poor Mount: A shaky mount will ruin your experience. It’s the most common reason beginners get frustrated and quit.
- Starting Too Complex: A huge, heavy telescope that requires lengthy setup will stay in the closet. Simplicity encourages use.
- Ignoring Your Viewing Conditions: A massive telescope is pointless if you only have a small, light-polluted balcony. Be realistic about where you’ll observe from.
- Forgetting About Storage: Where will you keep it? Make sure you have space for the tube, mount, and accessories.
Realistic Expectations: What Will You Actually See?
Photos from the Hubble Space Telescope have shaped expectations. Visual astronomy is different, but no less amazing.
- The Moon: Stunning. You’ll see craters, mountains, and shadows in incredible detail at high power.
- Planets: Jupiter’s cloud bands and its four largest moons; Saturn’s rings; phases of Venus. They will be small but distinct disks, not full-page images.
- Galaxies & Nebulae: These appear as faint, grayish smudges of light. Their beauty is in knowing what you’re looking at—a galaxy of billions of stars millions of light-years away.
Your First Light: What to Do After You Buy
Your telescope has arrived. Now what?
- Assemble in Daylight: Learn how everything fits together when you can see clearly.
- Practice on Terrestrial Targets: Aim at a distant tree or tower during the day to practice focusing and using the finderscope (don’t look at the Sun!).
- Start with the Moon: For your first night, the Moon is a bright, easy, and spectacular target that builds confidence.
- Be Patient: Allow your eyes to adapt to the dark for at least 20 minutes. Learn to “averted vision”—looking slightly to the side of a faint object to see it better.
- Join a Club: Astronomy clubs are full of helpful people. They often have loaner telescopes and star parties where you can try different models before you buy.
FAQ Section
What is the best telescope for a beginner?
A Dobsonian reflector telescope, often in the 6-inch to 8-inch aperture range, is widely recommended. It offers the most light-gathering power for the money on a simple, stable mount, making it easy to use and providing excellent views.
How much should I spend on a good beginner telescope?
Plan to spend between $300 and $500 for a complete, quality starter kit from a major brand. This range avoids the terrible toy telescopes while providing a capable instrument you won’t quickly outgrow.
Can I see planets with a cheap telescope?
Yes, you can see planets like Jupiter and Saturn with an affordable telescope. You will see Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings, but the image will be small. A larger aperture will show more detail.
Is a computerized GoTo telescope better for beginners?
It can be, but it’s not always necessary. GoTo scopes help you find objects quickly, which is great in light pollution. However, they cost more, require setup, and some argue they prevent you from learning the sky. A simple Dobsonian often provides better optics for the same price.
What can you see with a 70mm telescope?
A 70mm refractor is great for the Moon, star clusters, and the brightest planets. You can see Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings. It will show some brighter nebulae and galaxies under dark skies, but they will appear faint.
Are telescope buying guides helpful?
Yes, a good telescope buying guide, like this one, helps you understand key features and avoid common mistakes. It focuses your research on the specs that truly matter, like aperture and mount stability, rather than flashy marketing terms.
Choosing your perfect telescope is a personal journey. By focusing on aperture, selecting a stable mount, and aligning your choice with your own interests and lifestyle, you’re setting yourself up for success. The goal is to spend more time under the stars, captivated by the views, and less time struggling with equipment. Clear skies ahead.