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Best beginner telescope

At the end of this article we list our own choices of best telescope for beginners. We hope you find this article interesting and that is helps you buy your first telescope.

Congratulations! You have discovered astronomy!

So you have decided to buy a beginner telescope. Welcome to a new and fabulous new hobby. Astronomy is truly one of the greatest interests out there. After all, when you take a look at the Universe in closer detail, it puts our own 'tiny' existences into perspective. For many people, seeing the Universe reinstates how important life is. It is an enthralling experience to view planets and stars in close up detail with your very own eyes! But to get closer you need a good beginner telescope.

Finding the best telescope for beginners can be quite a daunting task. The best telescope is within your reach though, even if you are on a tight budget. There are many beginner telescopes aimed at amateur astronomers, and first time buyers are often overwhelmed by all the choices, brands, etc.

The best beginner telescope will have an aperture of 2.4 inch (60mm) to 3 inch (80 to 90mm) refractors, and 4.5 to 6 inch (100-150mm) reflectors . If you don't yet understand the different types of telescopes (reflector / refractor etc) then please read our page:

Types of telescope

You can purchase a telescope of these apertures from $100 up.

If you have decided to definitely buy a telescope and not start with binoculars then let's have a look at some of the stars and planets that you can expect to see with a telescope for beginners.

What will I see with a telescope for beginners?

First thing's first. Don't expect to see rivers on Mars in close up and individual rocks in the rings of Saturn. Be realistic about what a telescope for beginners will show you. However, do expect to be amazed at what you actually will see

• The Moon: Even a telescope as small as 2.4 inches (60mm) will reveal incredible detail. You'll be able to see craters, mountains, "seas", and a number of other fine details. The Moon rarely disappoints a first time viewer!
• Mercury: Mercury is difficult to see because it never gets far enough away from the Sun. If you do manage to locate it in a telescope, you will probably only see the phase (surface detail is only barely visible by using world class equipment under ideal conditions).
• Venus: Venus is visible only during the evening or morning skies, however it is easy to spot as it is very bright. When you do see it expect only to see its phase in a telescope; no surface detail will be seen since the planet's surface is permanently hidden by a thick, white atmosphere.
• Mars: Mars is easily seen in a small telescope. You might see a white polar cap, and perhaps some surface markings. The biggest problem with Mars is that it's a small planet. Even at high powers in a large telescope Mars at best looks about the same size as a tennis ball viewed from about ten feet without a telescope.
• Jupiter: Jupiter always shows the most detail in amateur telescopes. Jupiter is easy to find (when visible) as it is among the brightest objects in the night sky.
• Saturn: Saturn will show its glorious rings, but the planet will not look too large even at magnification of around 100 power. Saturn's largest moon Titan may also be visible as a moderately bright dot.
• Uranus: You'll need to know exactly where to look to find Uranus. At best it will look like a small green dot. Even in large telescopes Uranus shows only as a small, fairly featureless disk!
• Neptune: Similar to Uranus, you'll need to research where to look, and at best Neptune will look like a somewhat dim small blue dot (it won't really look any different than a star). No amateur scope can see any detail on Neptune.
• Pluto: You won't see Pluto with a small telescope. Even with a large telescope it is difficult to see.
• The Sun: You can look at the Sun with a small telescope,

IMPORTANT: YOU MUST ALWAYS USE A SPECIAL FILTER FOR OBSERVING THE SUN WITH ANY TELESCOPE. 

Failure to do so will result in permanent eye damage and possible blindness. DO NOT attempt solar observation unless you are certain you have the correct special equipment AND you know proper procedures. Solar observation is safe if you follow proper procedures! You can see sunspots and solar "granulation". If in doubt about observing the Sun, have an experienced amateur astronomer with you prior to solar observing... your eyesight is at stake!

• Stars: Stars will look brighter in a telescope but they won't look much bigger purely because they are so far away.
• Deep Sky Objects: These include galaxies, star clusters, nebulae, and double stars. To locate most of these objects you'll have to use a star atlas (first you'll have to learn the basic constellations in order to find your way around the sky). Star clusters and double stars are often quite beautiful and are good targets for small telescopes.

What brand of telescope should I buy?

The following brands of telescopes will offer you great options for buying the best telescope for beginners.

We recommend that you visit all of our pages related to the above brands. We provide telescope reviews and great information on telescopes for beginners for each brand. Read the reviews, check the prices and hopefully you will find the ideal best beginner telescope and discover the Universe in closer detail! Good luck.

You may want to consider a Computerized telescope if you can afford to spend that little extra. Computerized telescopes will find planets and stars for you and you can also take photos, download images to your PC etc.

We have got a great deal currently on the following computerized best beginner telescope which has 51% discount currently.

Read our review of:

Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Computerized Telescope