Buy from B&H, Amazon, Picstop and Clifton Cameras

Computerised Go-To telescopes automatically located night-sky objects that a beginner might otherwise struggle to find, but they do still need to be aligned.

For beginners, this can be tricky, often involving the use of a smartphone app to navigate the night sky, so why not use the same app to align the telescope?

Celestron’s StarSense Explorer app is at the core of how this combination works.

Also included with the DX 130AZ are two 1.25-inch eyepieces, 25mm and 10mm, which give 26x and 65x power, respectively. These will serve beginners well.

When you first begin your session, the app asks you to point the telescope towards a clear patch of sky with stars and wait for the red bullseye on the screen to turn yellow.

Then you follow the directions to your target, wait for it to turn green and look through the eyepiece.

We loved the twin-knobbed, low-gear focusing control and we were able to quickly achieve sharp views of the Moon’s cratered southern highlands.

The StarSense app also has lists such as ‘tonight’s best objects’, each labelled ‘City Viewable’ or ‘Dark Sky Viewable’, helping beginners manage expectations.

Key specs

• Optics: 130mm (5.1-inch) Newtonian reflector
• Focal length: 650mm, f/5
• Mount: Altaz with slow-motion controls
• App control: StarSense Explorer app with StarSense Sky Recognition technology and planetarium
• Extras: StarSense dock for your smartphone, 25mm and 10mm eyepieces, StarPointer red dot finder
• Weight: 8.1kg

Read our full Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ 5.1-inch review.

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Sky-Watcher StarQuest 130P Newtonian reflector

Buy it from Wex

The Sky-Watcher StarQuest 130P Newtonian is short, which makes it a nice, easy scope for beginners to handle.

Plus, it weighs just 8kg and is easy to assemble. This means it’s a great choice for newcomers but also, for more experienced astronomers, it’s not as likely to get left in storage and remain unused.

The 130P Newtonian may not be an imaging telescope, but we did manage to attach a smartphone adaptor to the 25mm eyepiece and were able to use our iPhone to capture an image of the Moon.

The StarQuest 130P is easy to use, and it’s well-made. As a result, it’s made our list of the best telescopes for beginners.

But it could also work as a grab-and-go scope for more experienced observers.
Key specs
• Optics 130mm (5.1-inch) parabolic mirror
• Focal length 650mm (f/5) focal length
• Mount Equatorial/altazimuth mount
• Focuser Rack and pinion
• Extras Red dot finder, 1.25-inch 10mm and 25mm eyepieces, slow-motion control cables
• Weight 8kg
Read our full StarQuest 130P Newtonian review.
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Acuter Voyager MAK80 telescope

The MAK80 is compact and is suited for a range of uses, including birdwatching as well as practical astronomy.

The tube is just 270mm long and the telescope’s focal length is 800mm, giving a focal ratio of f/10.

This makes it well-suited for observing the planets, the Moon and double stars.

The MAK80 comes in a box with a soft carry case, an 8x 21mm finderscope and two eyepieces, 20mm and 10mm, giving magnifications of 40x and 80x.

Included is also a phase-coated 90˚ roof prism star diagonal and a smartphone holder, should you wish to photograph what you’re observing and share it on social media.
Key specs
• Design: Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope
• Optics: 80mm (3.15-inch) primary mirror
• Focal length: 800mm, f/10
• Mounting: 45mm Vixen-style Sky-Watcher dovetail bar with standard ¼-inch tripod thread
• Extras: 8x 21mm finderscope; 20mm and 10mm 1.25-inch eyepieces; star diagonal; smartphone; adaptor; carry case; giftbox
• Weight: 1.8kg
Read our full Acute Voyager MAK 80 telescope review.
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WideSky 80 refractor

Unboxing the WideSky 80, we found it has the look and the feel of telescope worth twice the price.

It’s robust, clean and sturdy, making for a trustworthy telescope that could survive trasnportation to far-flung dark-sky sites.

The WideSky 80’s aperture of 80mm means it’s by no means a powerful light-gatherer when observing deep-sky objects, but we did get a view of the Andromeda Galaxy on a clear night.

We got great views of the Pleiades open star cluster and Bode’s and Cigar Galaxies.

Each of these targets returned a beautiful view through the WideSky 80

This telescope certainly holds its own for visual observing, and it fared well as an astrophotography instrument too.
Key specs
• Optics: ED doublet with fully multi-coated Ohara FPL-53 glass
• Aperture: 80mm
• Focal length: 500mm, f/6.25
• Focuser: Heavy duty dual-speed 2-inch rack and pinion hybrid drive with 10/1 (ratio from coarse to fine) and brass compression ring
• Extras: Retractable dew shield, 2- to 1.25-inch adaptor, aluminium case, Vixen-style dovetail-profile mounting foot
• Weight: 2.9kg
Read our full WideSky 80 refractor review
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Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 70AZ refractor
Best budget beginner’s telescope

The StarSense Explorer phone dock, which incorporates a smartphone holder and a mirror, turns this simple, basic manual telescope into one that can easily locate objects via a touchscreen phone and the StarSense app.

This is a sturdy, reliable refractor that’s good value for those beginning their adventure in amateur astronomy.
Key specs
• Optics 70mm fully coated objective lens
• Focal length 700mm, f/10
• Mount Manual altazimuth mount with smooth, altitude slow-motion control
• App control StarSense app with StarSense sky recognition technology and planetarium
• Extras StarSense dock for your smartphone, 25mm and 10mm eyepieces,2x Barlow lens, 90º erect image diagonal, StarPointer red dot finderscope
• Weight 3.35kg
Read our full Celestron StarSense Explorer review.
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Sky-Watcher Heritage 100P Tabletop Dobsonian

This compact, lightweight scope is easy to store and convenient for bringing out at a moment’s notice once the clouds clear.

You could even place it on a sturdy patio table during your observing sessions.

Importantly, the scope also gives good views of a range of celestial wonders; particularly the planets.

This would be an ideal first telescope for a budding young astronomer.
Key specs
• Aperture 100mm (4-inch)
• Focal Length 400mm (f/4)
• Mount Wooden altaz
• Weight 2.8kg
Read our full Sky-Watcher Heritage 100P review
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Celestron Omni XLT AZ 102 refractor with basic mount

This scope comes with a finderscope, diagonal, eyepiece and mount that boasts slow-motion controls.

Setting it up is relatively quick and easy due to the mount and tripod coming pre-assembled.

All you need to do is attach the telescope to the mount, add the diagonal and eyepiece and you’re ready to go.

It offers pin-sharp views of stars and galaxies and, weighing just 6.2kg, can be easily moved around your viewing spot or taken on trips to dark-sky sites.
Key specs
• Aperture 102mm (4 inches)
• Focal Length 660mm (f/6.5)
• Weight 6.2kg
Read our full Celestron Omni XLT AZ review here
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Bresser Messier AR-80/640 AZ NANO Telescope
Best budget transportable telescope

This 3-inch telescope enables observations of a wide range of celestial objects and comes with an altaz mount that’s intuitive to use.

The whole package is a doddle to set up. An aluminium dew shield cuts down on unwanted light and keeps dew at bay, while the supplied red dot finder makes locating bright celestial objects easy.

Emphasis is on lightweight materials, making it a good ‘grab and go’ instrument to encourage beginners to leave the light pollution behind and head for a dark-sky site.
Key specs
• Focal Length 640mm (f/8)
• Mount Twilight Nano altaz
• Weight 5kg
Read our full Bresser Messier AR-80/640 review
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Celestron Inspire 100AZ Refractor
Honourable mention: classic telescope for beginners

Celestron’s Inspire range of refractors are made with the beginner in mind, but the 100mm version is our pick.

It’s a classic telescope and easily one of the best telescopes for beginners.

It offers a good aperture, a focal length of 660mm and plenty of features.

The scope would appeal to younger astronomers as it’s affordable and attractively designed.

It comes with a tripod, 2 eyepieces, a diagonal and a red light LED torch.

One particular bonus is its smartphone adaptor: ideal for those thinking about getting started in astrophotography, or for sharing your observations on social media.
Key specs
• Optics Achromatic lens
• Aperture 100mm (4 inches)
• Focal Length 660mm, (f/6.5)
• Focuser Single-speed rack and pinion with micrometer scale
• Mount Manual Altazimuth
• Extras Red-dot finder, erect image star diagonal, 10mm and 20mm eyepieces, red light LED torch, printed instruction manual
• Weight 6.1kg
Read our full Celestron Inspire 100AZ review
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Meade Lightbridge Mini 130 Dobsonian

Tabletop telescopes are an obvious choice for a list of beginners’ scopes, and with the Lightbridge Mini 130 you can be viewing in minutes.

No tripod, mount or polar alignment required: just set it onto a steady garden table or even a rolling trolley for wheeling in and out of storage.

What’s more, this scope comes with two eyepieces that offer a wide view for satisfying observations of a range of targets.
Key specs
• Aperture 130mm (5.1 inches)
• Optics Parabolic mirror
• Focal length 650mm (f/5)
• Mount Wooden altaz
• Extras Red-dot finder, 9mm and 26mm eyepieces (1.25-inch fit), Autostar software
• Weight 6.1kg
Read our full Meade Lightbridge Mini 130 review
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Sky-Watcher EVOSTAR-90 (AZ PRONTO) with mount
Buy it from Wex, PicStop

There’s a saying in amateur astronomy: the best kind of telescope is the one you’ll actually use.

The Evostar-90 AZ is simple to assemble and, at a combined weight of 6.25kg, light enough to lift.

Its AZ Pronto mount and tripod system is easy to use: locking clamps can be loosened to move it manually, and there are slow-motion controls to help you fine-tune onto targets.

The tripod has an adjustable height range of 78.5-150cm, and is sturdy, helping avoid too much vibration.
Key specs
• Aperture 3.5-inch
• FocalLength 900mm (f/10)
• Mount AZ Pronto
• Weight 6.25kg (tube 2.4kg, mount and tripod 3.85kg)
• Supplier Optical Vision
Read our full Sky-Watcher EVOSTAR-90 review
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Sky-Watcher SkyHawk 1145P SynScan altaz Go-To Newtonian
Buy it from Wex

The Newtonian reflector has always been a popular choice for people starting out in astronomy – it offers the most aperture for your money of any optical design.

Sky-Watcher’s SkyHawk 1145P is a reflecting telescope equipped with a parabolic primary mirror at a competitive price.
Key specs
• Optics Parabolic Newtonian
• Aperture 114mm (4.5 inches)
• Focal length 500mm (f/5)
• Finderscope 6×24 finderscope
• Mount Computerised altaz HD Go-To
• Eyepieces 10mm and 25mm, both 1.25-inch fit
• Extras 2x Barlow lens, 1.25-inch fit
• Weight 6.3kg
Read our full Sky-Watcher SkyHawk 1145P review
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Celestron 114LCM computerised telescope
Buy it from Clifton Cameras

Celestron’s 114LCM combines reasonable optics with a computerised mount to give beginners a tantalising taste of what there is to see in the cosmos.

It’s quick and straightforward to assemble as there are just three main sections: tube, base and tripod.

This scope really whets the appetite, and that’s what a beginner’s telescope is all about.
Key specs
• Focal length 1000mm (f/9)
• Weight 5kg (OTA 2kg)
Read our full Celestron 114LCM review.
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Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P Flextube Dobsonian
Buy it from Wex

Sky-Watcher’s Heritage telescopes are portable and uncomplicated to set up, and can be simply placed on a tabletop for instant observing of the night sky.

You can be stargazing in minutes, without the hassles of a more complicated system such as an equatorial mount.

At 7.5kg, the Heritage 150P Flextube is lightweight, making it great for bringing out to catch gaps in the clouds, or whisked away easily to a dark-sky site.

Collapsed down, it’s easily transported and set up quickly in a dark-sky location.
Key specs
• Optics 150mm (6-inch) parabolic mirror
• Focal length 750mm (f/5)
• Mount Single-arm, wooden altazimuth Dobsonian mount
• Focuser Rack and pinion
• Extras red dot finder, 1.25-inch 10mm and 25mm eyepieces
• Weight 7.5kg
Read our full Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P review.
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Sky-Watcher Star Discovery P150i Wi-Fi telescope
Best app-controlled telescope for beginners
Buy it from Wex

The Star Discovery P150i Wi-Fi can be set up and observing the night sky in about 15 minutes.

Its mount takes 8 AA batteries or a 12V power tank plugged into the power port, and 2 eyepieces are supplied, of 25mm and 10mm focal length.

These give nice views of deep-sky objects and the Moon.

There’s no hand controller supplied because the mount is controlled using an app that operates via an inbuilt Wi-Fi network.

Once connected, this provides the ability to instantly slew to a range of celestial targets.

This is one of the best telescopes for beginners who want to be able to control what they see via a smartphone app.
Key specs
• Design Newtonian altaz, Go-To, Wi-Fi-controlled telescope
• Optics 150mm (6-inch) parabolic primary mirror
• Focal length 750mm, f/5
• Mount Wi-Fi, computerised, altaz, single-fork arm
• Ports Power connector, camera, hand-controlller, integrated Wi-Fi adaptor
• Tracking rates Sidereal, Lunar and Solar
• Tripod Adjustable with accessory tray
• Extras Red dot finder, 25mm and 10mm 1.25-inch fit eyepieces, bubble level
• Weight 8kg
Read our full Sky-Watcher Discover P150i Wi-Fi review.
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Starbase 80 refractor and mount package

The Starbase 80 is a quality grab and go achromatic telescope suitable for entry level. It sits on a portable easy-to-use altaz mount and benefits from good optics.

Assembly is easy: with the mount and tripod in one section, you just need to attach the tube and rings, then add the slow-motion controls and altitude clamp.

Were able to locate bright deep-sky targets like the Orion Nebula and the Pleaides, and we were also able to find the hazy central bulge of the Andromeda Galaxy and several bright double stars.

We turned the Starbase 80 to the Moon and found it crisp in both the 14mm and 6mm supplied eyepieces.

This is a great beginners’ scope and mount package that will provide hours of viewing pleasure.

Key specs
• Optics 80mm
• Focal length 800mm (f/10) focal length
• Mount Altaz mount with adjustable steel tripod
• Focuser Rack and pinion
• Extras Peep hole finder, 6mm & 14mm 1.25 inch-fit eyepieces, smooth slow-motion control cables, star diagonal and accessories tray
• Weight 6kg
Read our full Starbase 80 refractor and mount package review.
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Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P AZ GO-2
Buy it from Wex

The Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P AZ GO-2 is compact enough to be portable, yet powerful enough to give great views of deep-sky objects.

And, its Wi-Fi-enabled mount enables observers to seek out celestial targets using a smartphone as a controller.

Assembly is straightforward and well-explained in the printed manual, and once set-up we got great views of globular clusters and the Andromeda Galaxy and Bode’s Galaxy.

We observed planetary nebulae M27 and M57, the Double Cluster and the double stars Albireo and Epsilon Lyrae.

We also enjoyed Jupiter and Saturn, easily observing Jupiter’s bands and Saturn’s rings, as well as several of their moons.
Key specs
• Optics: Newtonian reflector, parabolic primary mirror
• Focal length: 650mm, f/5
• Mount: Wi-Fi Go-To altazimuth
• Extras: Red dot finder, 25mm and 10mm eyepieces, 2-inch eyepiece adaptor, SynScan app, Vixen-style dovetail, tripod, battery box and pouch, compass, manual
• Weight: 8.4kg
Read our full Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P AZ GO-2 review
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Unistellar eVscope eQuinox telescope
Best high tech telescope for beginners
Buy it from Amazon USA

Most people setting out to buy their first telescope likely aren’t going to have a high budget, but if you do and you’re looking for a completely different experience from an ‘ordinary’ telescope, you might consider the Unistellar eVscope eQuinox.

This is a 4.5-inch, f/4 reflector with a built-in camera sensor that tracks and stacks images in real-time to produce rich images of deep-sky objects.

It’s very much one of the best telescopes for beginners if you like your gadgets, and can afford it.
Key specs
• Optics 114mm (4.5-inch) reflector
• Focal length 450mm, f/4
• Sensor Sony Exmor IMX224
• Mount Motorised single-arm, altaz, Go-To
• Power In-built lithium-ion rechargeable (12-hour) battery
• Tripod Aluminium, adjustable height
• Ports USB-C for power, and USB-A for charging a smartphone
• App control Unistellar app for smartphones
• Weight 9kg
Read our full eVscope eQuinox review.
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Vaonis Vespera Observation Station
Buy from Clifton Cameras, Adorama (US)

Another modern telescope for those on a high budget, the Vaonis Vespera Observation Station is designed to take all the effort out of observing the night sky.

The Vespera is a telescope, but also a camera, and produces its view of targets by continually imaging that target, stacking the images to produce an ever-crisper view.

Align the telescope, download the app and you can simply click on whichever galaxy, nebula or star cluster to want to see.

The telescope does the rest.

If you’re after a basic telescope that will teach you how to navigate the night sky, this is not it.

But if you love gadgetry and want to be able to explore the night sky at the click of a button, download images of what you see and share online, this might be the one for you.
Key specs
• Optics: Apochromatic quadruplet refractor
• Focal length: 200mm, f/4
• Sensor: Sony Exmor IMX462 CMOS
• Mount: Motorised single arm, altaz, Go-To
• Power: 7,000mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery
• Tripod: Tabletop aluminium, fixed height
• Ports: Proprietary USB-C for charging, Wi-Fi
• App control: Singularity
• Weight: 5kg
Read our full Vaonis Vespera Observation Station review
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How we test the best telescopes for beginners

The telescopes on our list were tested using the same criteria: assembly, build and design, ease of use, features and optics. The features we looked at included:
Finderscope
Finding what you want to look at is the first step, so we examined the finderscopes supplied, testing how easy they were to use. We checked whether they were awkward to look through and if they were easy to align with the main scope.
Focuser and eyepieces
Fine focusing is vital for sharp views, but the focuser shouldn’t be too stiff or have too much play in movement. We also inspected the eyepieces to see if they provided a useful range of magnifications.
Mount
We checked that the mount was sturdy enough to support the telescope and had no play in either of the axes. The telescope should be able to move freely to take in as much of the sky as possible without being hindered by the tripod.
Optics
It goes without saying that the best telescopes for beginners will have good optics. Optical surfaces should be free from defects, so we looked for imperfections on the front objective lens. Using the supplied eyepieces, we checked to see if the optics gave crisp views at the centre and at the edge of the field of view.
Tripod
We looked at how stable the tripod was as the telescope was moved into various observing positions. The legs need to be steady with little flexure, and any vibrations should quickly dampen down otherwise they could spoil the view.
What are your recommendations for best beginners’ telescopes? Let us know by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com or via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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