Choosing a Telescope

Choosing your a telescope can be difficult as there are so many choices out there. There's lots of advice out there but much of it is written for people who understand what their looking for, and it can be hard for a beginner to understand all the different choices!

Before looking at the models below we'd recommend you read our guide to telescopes and our guide to telescope mounts so you understand some of the details.

It's important to choose your first telescope carefully, as choosing the wrong telescope can put you off astronomy for life. Here are the telescope models we recommend for beginners. Each has advantages and disadvantages and there is a range to suit all budgets.

Telescope Models

Under $150 / £100

This is where beginner telescopes begin. Less than this and you are mainly looking at toy store telescopes that just won't be fit for purpose.

Celestron Astromaster 70AZ This is quite a small and cheap refracting telescope, but it will still let you see the moon and planets. It will also show things such as star clusters and double stars. It's unlikely to be able to see many deep space objects though. Fitted with an alt-az mount it's easy to use, but you may grow out of it quickly. This is probably best as a childs first telescope. Buy from Amazon UK here

Buy from Amazon US here Skywatcher Infinity 76P This tiny little scope is surprisingly capable, although it will need a lot of patience. Perfect for children or adults without much room this could sit on a chair or window sill easily, and would still let you see many of the wonders of the solar system. Users say they have managed to see Jupiter, Saturn and even comets through it. Buy from Amazon UK here Amazon US don't stock this one, so here's an alternative model. It's the same size but with a more typical design of mount, although it isn't quite as stylish! Buy from Amazon US - Celestron FirstScope

Under $200 / £150

If you can stretch to these they are a huge improvement on the lower budget telescopes. For a beginner telescope these will let you see the planets and moon very well, whilst still giving you the ability to see distant galaxies. They are also still portable enough to fit in a cupboard without any problems.

Under $350 / £250

These beginners' telescopes are now getting into the good amateur level of quality, and could easily last you a lifetime of use. These would be very good beginner telescopes, and this is the category we would recommend you start with if you can.