Best Refracting Telescope
Review of 5 Models for 2022
Ideal for both astronomy and terrestrial viewing, a refracting telescopes (also called refractors ) are telescopes that uses a glass lens to collect light, which is bent (refracted) to form an image. The refracting telescopes are known for providing crisp, high-contrast views and are wonderfully suited to observation of bright targets like the Moon, planets, and terrestrial subjects. Inexpensive refracting telescopes make great starter scopes because they are highly portable, easy to maneuver, and require virtually no maintenance. Short refracting telescopes that utilize special glass and/or multiple-lens designs are popular among serious astrophotographers.
Refracting telescopes are easy to operate, offer a convenient design that makes them more manageable when compared to reflector and compound telescopes.
Having objective lens aperture from big to small, these telescopes are suitable for professional astronomers as well as your kids who are aspiring to become Astro-physicist. Who knows, they may be the next Issac Newton, Galileo or Einstein.
Buying the right telescope is not easy task. Sometimes, the specifications alone require a graduate degree just to understand. And then there is always the worry that the product you are buying is a dud.
Naturally, you don’t want that. For as awesome as they are, refracting telescopes are also quite pricey. Wouldn’t it be great to have the peace of mind of knowing your money is being well spent?
We aim to give you that peace of mind. We have assembled five refractor telescope reviews that will help make your decision as easy as possible. All that’s left for you to do is relax, and enjoy discovering the telescope that will introduce you to our galaxy.
Our Best Refracting Telescopes
Celestron 70mm Travel Scope
- Good price
- Superior optics
- Powerful eyepieces for up-close viewing
- Large 70mm objective lens
- Bonus bag, tripod, and software
Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ
- Portable
- Decent optics
- Sturdy mount
- Easy to assemble
Celestron Inspire 100AZ
- Decent Optics
- Portable
- Easy To Use
- Useful Accessories
Orion Sirius ED80 EQ-G Computerized GoTo
- Excellent image quality
- A fully computerized experience that is a joy to use
- Wide range of astronomy options available with this telescope
- Professional doublet lens
- Great astrophotography setup
Orion EON 115ED Triplet
- Large triplet lens
- High quality APO glass
- Amazing tool for astrophotography
- Apochromatic lens means you will see very crisp images
- A very sturdy hard case provided
- Solid Crayford focuser
Best Refracting Telescopes for 2022 – Full Reviews
Cheapest Refracting Telescopes: Celestron 70mm Travel Scope
This 70mm Travel Scope offers something a bit different compared to the rest of the models in our refracting telescopes list. This is a great little scope for a vacation. It weighs just 6 lbs (2.7kg), is supplied with its own backpack and used just about anywhere with a stable tripod.
The Celestron 70mm Travel Scope is a great tool when you plan on moving to a great observation point. It’s a 70mm refractor telescope with a 2.76-inch aperture. In addition, pack includes two eyepieces of 10mm and 20mm, giving a magnification of 40x and 20x.
As a plus, this scope comes with full-color, detailed instructions, a sky X software that allows you to learn more about planets and stars, an aluminum tripod and a padded backpack case where you can keep everything.
This Celestron 70mm Travel Scope model makes a good gift for children (12+) and grownups alike, as it can be carried throughout the learning period and even after. The telescope itself weighs1.5 lbs and is 17”x 3.87” іn size – extremely lightweight and compact they included full-size tripod weighs1.8 lbs, so everything comes in together at around 3.3 lbs. With all the accessories loadеd into the included backpack for travel, you truly have a portable set up that can conveniently be tаken on the go. Hiking, biking, driving, flying – the Travel Scope is build for easy travel.
What Can You See With Celestron 70mm Travel Scope
A two eye pieces (20mm one for a 20x magnification and a 10mm one for a 40x magnification) and a 45 degree correct image prism are included in the telescope bundle. And last but not least, Celestron includes a copy of The Sky X software which was contains a database of over 10,000 objects and printable sky maps (which can be very helpful if your new to astronomy). While the 10 mm eyepiece boasts of higher magnification, it has Little performance benefits trough this scope other than magnifying an image, particularly to see lunar and planetary details. However, field of view is restricted, and image resolution degrades.
The 20 mm eyepiece will do well for most purposes with its wider viewing, bright and sharp image resolution, and good power. It provides up to a max useful magnification of 140x but pushing it to 168x magnification than the manufacturer states will result in picture of degradation.
Verdict
We strongly recommend it for all beginner astronomers and especially for traveling. The best features of Celestron 70mm Travel Scope are its price and portability. Given the number of components, the price is extremely small. This is an excellent, easy-to-use, portable scope. We love the rucksack and the way in which everything just fits in.
With the Celestron 70mm Travel Scope , you can actually see the rings of Saturn, not to mention the Moon, nebulas and a variety of celestial bodies. Again, don’t expect full clarity and amazing details, after all, it’s a remarkable tool for you or you children.
Pros
- Portability – Celestron 70mm Travel Scope comes with a stylish backpack and weighs only 3lbs. You can grab it and run to the closest observation point with ease. Not to mention that you can take your travelscope with you on your trips or during your holidays.
- Price – You can purchase the Celestron travel telescope for around $90. Celestron is a company whose quality is world-renowned, and it has never disappointed its fans.
- Quality -A resistant telescope, despite its plastic parts, that may give it sometimes a cheap look.
Cons
- Light weight tripod – It could work if you set your gear on a table or a flat and stable surface. However, if you’re going out to an observation point, this may not be the best option. If you want something better, you can buy another tripod, and everything will be just fine. The Celestron Travel Scope’s tripod might just add some extra weight to your backpack.
- Plastic finder and focuser – It doesn’t look cheap, but all plastic components make it quite fragile, so you will have to be extra-careful while handling it. Still, that’s what makes it a great portable telescope because it’s very light. If you consider that the entire pack has approx. 3 lbs (approx. 1.5kg), it’s more than perfect.
Affordable: Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ
A 70mm refractor is one of the best optical designs possible for a beginner. The reason is that it provides a great price for the experience you get when stargazing. It is also easy to use, doesn’t bring up technical problems, and simply convenient. PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope is a beginner level, affordable telescope from the reputed Celestron brand of optical instruments, so it mostly has all the required potential to be a great scope to start astronomy with.
The most important technical detail for a telescope is the optical kit and Celestron ensured this model comes equipped with the best optical features to comply with the telescope’s purposes. The multi-coated glass components and lenses are provided with high transmission coatings which in turn enhance the image and the clarity. The 3x Barlow lens manages to triple the magnifying power of all eyepieces, while the 1.25″ Erect Image Diagonal makes the telescope ideal for both astronomical and terrestrial use.
What All Can You See With PowerSeeker 70EQ?
The planetary detail you get with this telescope is pretty good. You can easily get images of Jupiter’s Clouds and Moons, Rings of Saturn, and with an expensive eyepiece – the polar ice caps on Mars. At this price range, this will probably be the most amount of detail you are able to get with any telescope, but this is enough to mesmerize most beginners.
The Moon looks amazing with most telescopes, and this one is no different. Mountain ranges and craters look bright and detailed. Deep space performance is OK. Its aperture is pretty narrow, so the amount of light gathered is low. This makes it harder to see dimmer deep space objects. But you can still get good images of brighter ones such as Pleiades Star Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy, and Orion Nebula. Overall we would say the optical performance of the telescope is pretty good for the price.
The mount is an equatorial type. It is not the simplest of mount types with a slight learning curve. If you are buying a telescope for your kid, you should consider an altazimuth mount, which is much simpler. If you are OK with spending a little time learning how to use the mount, it will pay off.
The stability and sturdiness of the mount is pretty adequate. The optical tube is lightweight, and the magnification range you are going to use this telescope is not that high. So you don’t have to worry about the mount.
Verdict
As we said in the beginning, if you are a seasoned and experienced astronomer, this may not be one of the best Celestron refracting telescopes you can get your hands on. However, if you are just beginning your journey to outer space, learning, discovering and trying astronomy as a new hobby for you or for the entire family, this is one of the best products money can buy. Easy to understand and use, the telescope presents hi-tech specs that will allow you to learn a lot of things and get a lot of experience.
Pros
- Easy to assemble, even for novices in the field and children;
- The coated glass optical components allow the observation of celestial objects with clear and well-focused images;
- Slow motion controls allow smooth tracking after the target is found;
- In optimal viewing conditions the Celestron Power Seeker allows users to view the Moon, Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s Belts and even take a glimpse outside our solar system, to other galaxies as well;
- The included free software allows sky map printings and objects identification, making it a great tool for beginner astronomers and children;
- For its purposes and niche, this is one of the most affordable telescopes on the market;
- Perfect for beginners and for children as well;
- Lightweight and easy to transport, making it an effective travel scope.
Cons
- The 70 mm (2.76 in) aperture is too narrow for this telescope to be considered an useful tool by the experienced astronomer;
- There isn’t any “go-to” element included with the optical components and the alt-azimuth mount, therefore the users have to find the celestial objects to track by themselves;
- It is dedicated to beginners, so the seasoned astronomers will find it of low performance for their advanced needs;
- Many of the telescope’s components are plastic, giving the product a fragile and cheap feel.
Big Aperture: Celestron Inspire 100AZ
The Inspire, by Celestron, is a one of the refracting telescopes that bills itself as the perfect fit for the beginner stargazer. It has some nice upgrades; also, it looks sharp and comes with some accessories in the box to keep you busy for a while. It is quite a bit more expensive than those junky box store endcap telescopes but also a lot nicer.
This telescope is going to be a great fit for a beginner or anyone who does not want to fiddle or fuss with more complicated telescopes. It is a great starter scope or just a great general scope that can do a little bit of everything. You also don’t need to worry about polar alignment.
The Celestron Inspire has the most straightforward assembly of any telescope of its kind. Just pop open the tripod legs, twist the accessory tray’s lock knob, and affix the optical tube to the base with the quick release dovetail mount. That’s it. You’re now ready to explore the Universe!
What Can You See With Celestron Inspire 100AZ
The Inspire 100AZ comes with two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a 90° erect image diagonal, an integrated smartphone adapter, a StarPointer™ Pro red dot finderscope, and a red LED flashlight. The two eyepieces offer different magnifications to view your intended object. With the optics of the Inspire 100AZ you will be able to distinguish the Rings of Saturn from the Planet, see the moons of Jupiter and observe in detail the craters of the Moon. You will also be able to see the brightest objects in deep space, such as the Andromeda Galaxy and the Orion Nebula. Due to the long optical tube, the color inaccuracies are quite low, which is great!
Celestron Inspire 100AZ has a lens cap with a built-in smartphone adapter. Adjust your smartphone against the rubber friction surface on the outside of the lens cap so that the camera can watch through the image port. Two adjustable bungee cords help protect your device. The inside of the lens cap has a fitting that attaches to your eyepiece using two screws. That’s all you need to take high power images with your Celestron Inspire 100AZ!
Verdict
This is a great telescope as a gift for younger children, but they will outgrow it quickly if they become interested in watching stars. So, keep in mind that you can spend less than $ 150 on this range (click on the yellow button below to check the price) … but in the future you will create a demand for a larger telescope!
Pros
- Light in weight
- In-built flash light
- Easy to set up
- Offers incredible stability
- Even a beginner can operate it effortlessly
- Ideal for taking some high-powered images
- Offers better and clear focus
- Its lens cap is equipped with a built-in holder for taking pictures
Cons
- Some users are not pleased with its magnification
- Wobbly focuser
Hi-Tech: Orion Sirius ED80 EQ-G Computerized GoTo
| Type | Aperture | Focal Length | Mount | Other Sizes |
| Refractor | 3.4″ / 80mm | 600mm, f/7.5 | Guided EQ | n/a |
The Orion Sirius ED80 EQ-G Computerized GoTo Refracting Telescope is a telescope that has been completely modified with any new update available. Most of these improvements come at a premium price, but if you’re looking for a telescope with no flaws or drawbacks and are able to pay a significant amount of money up front for the promise of telescopic perfection, this might be the telescope for you.
Highly upgraded imaging lenses? Yes. A computerized telescope mount with a large database? Yes. Automatic search and tracking features? Yes. Able to support astrophotography? Yes.
If these are the features you’re searching for in a telescope, this might be an investment you won’t regret. However, you’ll need a deep pocket.
A Fully Computerized Experience
The completely equipped computerized experience is one of the best aspects of this telescope. The Orion Sirius ED80 EQ-G Computerized GoTo Refracting Telescope comes with a fully motorized goto mount as well as a complete database with over 40,000 celestial objects.
The database is absolutely massive, with thousands of things you never knew existed as well as everything you can think of off the top of your head. This really opens up the sky to a plethora of brand new views and vectors of viewing that you may never have had access to before.
All is preprogrammed into the database, and once the telescope is properly aligned and positioned, it will be able to search for, find, and trace any object in the database automatically.
This is made possible by the goto mount, which takes data from a database, applies it to the telescope’s position, and then finds the object automatically. It’s amazing to see everything in motion when all is running smoothly. The technology used in this telescope is absolutely amazing.
This removes all of the heavy lifting from the astronomy part of stargazing. You’ll enjoy the computerized features packed into this device if you’re quickly confused by the finesse involved in pinpointing specific deep sky objects or have no knack for locating planets or galaxies.
This also allows you to see something that you would otherwise miss if you had to waste a lot of time moving and tracking your telescope.
Optical Performance
If there’s one feature of this scope that can’t be beaten, it’s its optical performance. The Orion Sirius ED80 EQ-G optics are excellent in every way. It has completely multi-coated glass on all of the lenses, as well as an apochromatic light gathering setup that takes advantage of the optics’ quality to provide absolutely breathtaking deep sky panoramas.
Since the device is doing the heavy lifting, you can concentrate on astrophotography or high-resolution long viewings of your favorite objects. If you want to take some great shots, it can be difficult to locate an object, hold it in the eyepiece and to get a decent shot in the same time. Now that the computer can do it for you, you can concentrate on imaging or some other part of astronomy that interests you without getting distracted by the more tedious sides of the hobby.
Astrophotography
The focus on astrophotography can be seen in the list of regular features provided with this telescope. Periodic error correction (PEC), an autoguider port, and an illuminated polar axis scope for precise polar alignment are all included. All of these features have been added to make astrophotography easier and more fun.
In this price point, photographers would be hard-pressed to find a more fitting configuration. The ED80 has excellent optics and a large enough mount to accommodate elaborate astrophotography setups.
This telescope has a lot of promise for taking images of solar system objects as well as amazing deep-sky objects and brighter galaxies like M51.
What You Can See with the Orion Sirius ED80 EQ-G ?
Deep space objects such as distant star clusters, spiral galaxies or irregular galaxies, nebulae, and more can be seen from this telescope. It will also be capable of providing you with high contrast, super sharp views of favorite planets like Mars and Jupiter without breaking a sweat. It would actually be able to find the best views for you.
Verdict
The rapid advance of computerized refracting telescopes on the market has led to the development of several quite unique and fascinating telescopes. With a focus on astrophotography and image quality, this is yet another excellent entry into the goto telescope industry. All seems to be in good working order.
The asking price, however, is a little too high for my blood, and you can find appropriate computerized telescopes for a lot less money. Although some scopes with GoTo mounts are less expensive, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better astrophotography telescope without costing thousands more.
If you want the highest value for your money and don’t mind spending a lot of money on a good telescope, this one just may have enough features to convince you to buy it.
Pros
- Excellent image quality
- A fully computerized experience that is a joy to use
- Wide range of astronomy options available with this telescope
- Professional doublet lens
- Great astrophotography setup
Cons
- All of these great features come at a steep price
- The computerized features make this telescope quite heavy
Professional Refracting Telescopes: Orion EON 115ED Triplet
| Type | Aperture | Focal Length | Mount | Other Sizes |
| Refractor | 4.5″ / 115mm | 805mm, f/7.0 | n/a | 84/105/130 |
An incredibly powerful telescope for visual observation and imaging, the Orion EON 115mm ED Triplet Apochromatic Refractor, features some of the best optical quality of any scope on the market. The 115mm aperture captures enough light even from fainter deep sky objects, but it doesn’t stop there. The Extro-low dispersion glass (ED) ensures excellent color correction and crisp images! The apochromatic 805mm focal length creates a f/7 focal ratio which is perfect for wide-field visual use and deep-sky astrophotography. Multilayer anti-reflection coatings on every air-to-glass lens surface maximizes light transmission; while an extendable dew shield, blackened lens edges, and multiple internal knife-edge baffles eliminate off-axis reflections and glare to ensure excellent contrast.
What is an OTA?
It’s an Optical Tube or Optical Tube Assemblies that are standalone purchases that do not include a mounting system or tripod. The Orion EON 115 ED is one of those. So, what you are paying for that justifies a high price without the other much-needed equipment? The Optics! The EON has an APO triplet optical system that is often desired for quality astro imaging. There’s more to learn, so zoom on in!
Who is the Orion EON 115 ED Triplet APO Best Suited to?
The Orion EON 115 ED APO is one of the best refracting telescopes on the market today and will be an attractive buy for beginners and intermediates looking for a serious visual scope or an upgrade to further develop astro imaging skills. The price is right within range for those on a budget looking for APO optics as they can easily start in the $2000 price range.
Orion markets the EON as an advanced system, and as a 4.5” APO refractor, it should be recognized by advanced users as an excellent choice for astrophotography because of its versatility. Even then, the EON is very popular with amateurs looking for growth from a telescope that will last a lifetime and intermediates looking for a refractor with APO on budget to expand their imaging catalog.
Whenever you have a tube-only buy, it’s likely you’re investing in a very solid OTA.
What can you see with Orion EON 115 ED Triplet APO?
A massive, 3″ dual-speed (11:1) Crayford focuser provides precise, backlash-free focus control and easily supports heavy astrophotography gear. The rugged focuser’s draw-tube sports an engraved millimeter scale and focus-lock thumbscrew to aid in focus point repeatability – a great time-saver. The EON 115mm ED’s focuser can be rotated in two places, allowing camera framing to be set independently from your preferred positioning of the telescope focus knobs. Non-marring brass compression rings in the 2″ focuser draw-tube and included step-down 1.25″ adapter keep installed cameras, diagonals and other accessories free of scratches and thumbscrew gouges.
Its moderately fast focal specs lend itself to both wide-field views and high-power observation. For visual purposes, the 4.5” aperture works well for visuals on the moon and bright DSOs. However, it will be restrictive on fainter DSOs. Long-exposure, lunar, planetary, solar, and Messier objects for imaging will be within your reach. You won’t be surprised to learn that this model is primarily aimed at the astrophotographer but a 4.5 inch aperture means you’ll also get exceptional views of the moon and planets using this scope with your own eyes.
Not only is the Orion EON 115mm triplet APO refractor a great wide-field performer, it’s also conveniently compact and measures just 27.75″ with its sliding dew shield retracted for easy transport and storage in the included 33″ long foam-lined hard carry case. Unlike heavier, bulkier astrophotography telescopes, the relatively lightweight, 15.2 lb. EON 115mm optical tube needs only a medium-sized equatorial mount to support it.
Verdict
Without making the leap into the $2000 budget or more, the EON 115 ED Triplet APO telescope allows you to take your astrophotography skills to the next level. As a refractor with appropriate focal specs for imaging, the EON is up to the task and will last for eons as one of your favorite scopes. If you’re looking for an exquisitely constructed “apo” refractor that can achieve amazing results for both astrophotography and serious visual observing, the versatile Orion EON 115mm ED Triplet apochromatic refractor is an ideal choice.
Pros
- Great specs for astrophotography
- Apochromatic lens means you will see very crisp images
- Great for normal use
- A very sturdy hard case provided
- Solid Crayford focuser
Cons
- No eyepieces included in the box
- Will need to buy a mount
- Very expensive for just the OTA tube
2022 Best Selling Refracting Telescopes by Amazon
- POWERFUL REFRACTOR TELESCOPE: The Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ Refractor telescope is a powerful and user-friendly refractor telescope. It features fully-coated glass optics, a sturdy and lightweight frame, two eyepieces, a StarPointer red dot finderscope and an adjustable tripod. Dovetail Compatibility: CG-5 saddle plate
- HIGH-QUALITY 102MM OPTICS: The heart of the system is a fully-coated 102mm primary mirror. The AstroMaster mount features a panning handle that allows you to make precision adjustments to view celestial and terrestrial objects.
- QUICK SETUP AND LIGHTWEIGHT FRAME: This telescope for adults and kids to be used together features a lightweight frame and a manual Altazimuth mount for smooth and accurate pointing. Setup is quick and easy, with no tools required.
- INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: We’ve included 2 eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a tripod, erect image star diagonal, and a StarPointer red dot finderscope. Accessories also include a FREE download of one of the top consumer rated astronomy software programs.
- UNBEATABLE WARRANTY AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Buy with confidence from the world’s no.1 telescope brand, based in California since 1960. You’ll also receive a two-year warranty and unlimited access to technical support from our team of US-based experts.
- Excellent Quality Optics: This telescope is 600mm(f/6.7) focal length and 80mm aperture, 80mm aperture to capture more light picture and multi-fully high transmission coated all-optical lens enhance image brightness and clarity.107.
- Optimum Magnification: Our telescope for kids and adults is quipped with two replaceable excellent-quality eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) for 24X and 60X magnification. 3x Barlow lens trebles the magnifying power of each eyepiece. magnificate moon up to 72 or 180 times. Also with 5x24 finder scope makes locating objects easy.
- Portable And Convenient: Comes with a phone adapter and an adjustable aluminum tripod. Wireless remote control and carrying bag make it easier for you portable and capture amazing images.
- Easy To Set Up: In order to save your time. Even for novices, no tools are required to set up the telescope. quick and easy to focus. Truly realize a no-tool-set telescope.
- Satisfaction Quality: lifetime maintenance. If you have any questions about the product and service, please feel free to contact us, we will do our best to help you in 24 hours!
- Powerful Optical Performance: This telescope features a 90mm aperture and 900mm focal length refracting design, providing exceptional optical performance that allows you to easily observe deep space objects in the universe.
- Digital Eyepiece: Equipped with a digital eyepiece, you can easily capture and share astronomical images that enhance your viewing experience. This feature is not only convenient but also enhances your observation experience.
- Sturdy and Durable Mount: The sub-black Vertisteel Altazimuth Mount provides stable support. The Free-Stop non-polar shaft - Follow-up and stop design, allowing the lens to move smoothly with high precision and maintain accurate positioning.
- Phone Adapter & Wireless Remote: This telescope not only includes an Digital eyepiece, but also a phone adapter and wireless remote. You can easily capture and share images and videos of your observations on your phone without physically touching the telescope. This allows for a steady and stable observation experience, while also making it convenient to share your discoveries with others.
- Suitable for Beginners and Professionals: This telescope is suitable for both beginners and professionals. Its user-friendly design and excellent optical performance make it an ideal choice for learning and researching astronomy.
- Excellent Quality Optics: Astronomical telescope features 500mm(f/7.1) focal length and 70mm aperture, provides stunning views and protects your eyes.107.
- High Magnification: Our telescope for kids and adults is quipped with two excellent-quality eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) and a 3x Barlow lens.it trebles the magnifying power of each eyepiece. Also with 5x24 finderscope makes locating objects easily.
- Portable And Convenient: Comes with a phone adapter and an adjustable aluminum tripod. Wireless remote control and carrying bag make it easier for you portable and capture amazing images.
- Great Gift Ideas: The telescope is a perfect gift or birthday gift for kids or beginner astronomers. It helps them build interest in astronomy and science, exploring the unknown, enjoy nature and away from the screen. The kids' astronomical journey starts from here!
- Satisfaction Quality: lifetime maintenance. If you have any questions about the product and service, please feel free to contact us, we will do our best to help you in 24 hours!
- Easiest setup of any entry level scope. With the folding accessory tray you just pop the tripod legs open, turn the lock knob and you’re ready to go.
- Bold new design - The main telescope lens cap comes with a fully integrated smartphone adapter built-in, perfect for the budding astrophotographer. The asymmetrical mount design offers light weight and incredible stability. Erect image optics enables a fully correct image for easy viewing day or night, terrestrial or astronomical.
- Red LED flashlight - Stowed in the center of the mount head, the flashlight can be used to gently illuminate the accessory tray or can be removed for use as a spotlight when needed.
- Focus micrometer - Allows quick return to a specific focus point for specific targets (bird nests, infinity focus, etc.)
It’s good to see some reviews about different telescopes, especially those that are of good quality compared to some that are on the market.
Many parents will often buy a poorly designed and cheap telescope for their child as their first instrument. This can actually put the child off because the cheap versions are generally very difficult for a child to use and will be no better than a cheap pair of binoculars.
I also had a look at your ‘how to choose a telescope’ post. Very informative and useful for beginners. Great article. Ches
You are absolutely right, Ches!
Buying cheap telescope for your kid its really bad idea. First the quality of the images you going to see is very pure and is more difficult to manage it. But if you have a good telescope its a deferent story- everyone will appreciate bright and sharp images, actually this is what is going to start loving astronomy. I will always remember when I first time looked to the Moon- the detailed image of the craters went in my heart!
Thanks for comment 🙂
Really glad I found this
I’ve been pondering getting a telescope for my son for a while now, but haven’t taken the plunge as I aren’t knowledgeable enough about them. This post has been really helpful though.
I am starting to realise that I will have to spend a bit more than I anticipated, but he is nearly 10 years old now and fascinated with space so I think it will be money well spent.
Thanks again
Woody85 Hello, and thank you for your comment.
Definitely buying a telescope is a serious investment and of course takes more knowledge and training before you do so. In the article here you can find a lot of useful information about it.
Astronomy is something wonderful that would contribute to your son not only knowledge about stars and planets. Buying one not very good telescope can kill his enthusiasm, which of course would be very sad.
If you have any questions, please do not be shy to ask. I’m here to help 🙂
It’s been a long while since I’ve had the pleasure of gazing at the stars through a telescope, but the fascination for the universe has always been there.
Based on your review, this seems to be one fine piece of equipment to own for any galactic fanatic.
But, I’m curious. Can you really see galaxies with this telescope?! That’s just incredible!
Hi Noody,
Once you have your own telescope, You would want to look at the sky every night. For example I have my own Catadioptric telescope from more than five years, and it’s taking much more time to assemble than this one here, but still getting out almost every night.
And about your question: Yes, you will be able to see galaxies and this is really really amazing!!!
Thanks for the comment and have a wonderful day.
I love this telescope. I don’t own it, but recently was at a friend’s who just bought one for her daughter. It’s way better than the ones I had as a kid. I think hers may have been the 150mm aperture which was extremely crisp and bright!
I think it’s an excellent quality telescope for kids and adults alike. I think one will go great in my Vermont cabin!
Yup, definitely one of the best telescopes for kids! The good news in this case is, that can be used for many years ahead because have everything that the professional’s ones have. Really good investment!
Cheers Â
Thanks, it is very informative
You’re welcome, Dewitt