Stargazing can be one of the most exciting ways to spend a night under the open skies. It can be a romantic activity for a couple and it can also be an activity you can enjoy with the family, especially with the kids involved. This is a versatile activity that can have takers in kids and adults alike. The following are some of the best telescopes you can use for stargazing.
Best Telescopes for Stargazing
Here are our stargazing telescope reviews.
1. Celestron — 70mm Travel Scope — Portable Refractor Telescope
The Celestron 70mm travel scope is a portable refractor telescope that is one of the best telescopes for stargazing. It has a lightweight and easy-to-carry frame that comes with a backpack of its own for enhanced convenience. The device also comes with high-quality eyepieces that make up-close viewing possible.
- The telescopic device has a large 70 mm objective lens that allows you to get an extremely clear picture, as the large aperture allows more than an adequate amount of light to enter.
- The telescope comes with two powerful eyepieces of 20 mm and 10 mm, allowing you to get low as well as high-power views. This allows you to observe celestial objects in the night sky and terrestrial objects during the day.
- The telescope also comes with a backpack, a tripod and free software of a top-rated astronomy program.
2. Celestron — PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope
The Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ telescope is the ideal telescope for stargazing, especially for beginners. The telescope is powerful, efficient and extremely user friendly — it has been designed keeping in mind the first-time user. The telescope also boasts of great customer support and comes with an impressive warranty plan.
- The telescope has a manual German equatorial mount that allows you to point at the object you want to look at with great accuracy. It comes mounted with a slow-motion altitude rod for this purpose.
- The telescope is compact and extremely portable. You can take it with you on any camping trip or even place it in your backyard on a clear night.
- The telescope also comes with several accessories, such as two eyepieces of 4 mm and 20 mm. It also has a finderscope and an erect image diagonal, in addition to three Barlow lenses.
3. Orion 9024 AstroView 90mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope
The Orion 9024 AstroView 90mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope is a powerful and efficient telescope that makes for a great companion for stargazing nights. The great thing about this telescope is that it will not burn a hole in your pocket when you purchase it. Apart from stargazing, you can also use this telescope for terrestrial viewing during the day if you purchase the correct-image diagonal separately.
- The telescopic device has a large aperture of 90 mm (3.5 inches) and a focal length of 910mm that provides you with a bright and crisp image of objects deep in the sky.
- The telescope comes with an EQ-2 adjustable tripod and an equatorial mount that makes it possible for you to carry out slow-motion tracking manually. This is an extremely user-friendly element that the telescope has to offer for stargazing.
- The telescope also comes with a few other features, such as two eyepieces of 25 mm and 10 mm, a finder scope (6×30), a pinion focuser, and a mirror diagonal (of 90 degrees) which allows you to get a bright view even at night.
4. Gskyer Telescope, 80mm AZ Space Astronomical Refractor Telescope, German Technology Scope
The Gskyer Telescope 80mm is an astronomical refractor telescope that has a focal length of 400 mm. It has a large aperture that allows an adequate amount of light in, giving you a clear and bright image. This is an easy-to-use telescope that is great for novices as well as more experienced stargazers.
- The telescope comes with three replaceable eyepieces of 16x, 40x and 80x, respectively. There is also a 3x Barlow lens so you get triple the power and your magnification is optimum.
- The device also comes with an adjustable tripod that can be placed in several different positions, based on what you want to look at and how you feel the most comfortable.
- The telescope is extremely user friendly and even kids can set it up with great ease. This would be a great idea for a present for kids who are inclined towards astronomy or would like to take more interest in the field.
5. MOUTEC Telescope for Kids and Astronomy Beginners
The MOUTEC telescope for kids is the ideal telescopic device for astronomy beginners. This is a refracting telescope that has an extremely clear refracting power. But what is one of the biggest perks of buying this telescope is the fact that you can attach your smartphone to the telescope and capture images on your phone screen.
- The telescope comes with an upgraded FMC lens and has an aperture of 70 mm along with a focal length of 400 mm. A combination of these two will provide you with a bright image that cares for your eyes.
- The device comes with a smartphone digiscoping adapter that allows you to attach your phone to it with great ease through which you can capture images and videos on your cellular device.
- The telescope also comes with a custom backpack in which you can store your telescope and also carry it with you wherever you need to take the telescope, making it a perfectly portable device.
Stargazing Telescope Buyer’s Guide
Stargazing is one of the most incredible activities you can engage in with nature. You do not even need to be an astronomy enthusiast, if you pay even the slightest attention, stargazing can be a delightful way to spend time for anyone. Space has an incredible draw and even the slightest piece of information can be fascinating to the uninitiated. So if you are looking for a telescope for stargazing, there are several options in the market. However, there are a few different things that you might have to keep in mind before you buy a stargazing telescope that fits the bill.
Features
A good stargazing telescope must come with a few different features and add-ons. Most of the telescopes that have been reviewed above come with a tripod and a carry backpack. A tripod is important for any telescope because often stargazing can be a long activity that requires patience. The most comfortable way to gaze at stars is to attach the telescope to a tripod and find a comfortable spot to station the whole contraption. With an adjustable tripod, you can also set it to a height that allows you to find a chair to sit on at that level. There are several other features that would be similarly useful in a stargazing telescope.
Lens
The lens of a telescope makes a huge difference. Typically, an objective lens of at least 70 mm would be recommended for a clear and crisp view of the sky. The lens or the aperture dictates how much light can enter the device based on which the telescope can erect a bright image of the object you are observing. This is one of the most important aspects of a telescope to consider.
Eyepiece
A telescope can have several eyepieces. Among the telescopes that have been reviewed above, there are options that have as many as three eyepieces. The eyepieces are typically of different sizes and will provide you with different types of images and views. You do not necessarily require multiple eyepieces in a stargazing telescope, but there is no harm in having options.
Portability
A telescope meant for stargazing, or a telescope in general should ideally be portable. To be able to use a telescope, you need to take it outdoors and place it under the open sky. Sure, you can place it next to a window but that will limit the directions in which you can look through your telescope. When your telescope is portable, not only can you carry it into your backyard you can also take it with you on camping trips and more.
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