Best telescopes: how to buy the right model

A capable telescope can treat you to awe-inspiring views, transforming any outdoor space into an observatory. Our guide will help you find the right model.

When shopping for a telescope, you'll need to consider key specs, including aperture, focal length and magnification. Whether you're looking for a travel-friendly scope that tucks into a backpack or a cheaper option suitable for kids, our guide can help.

Below, we explain how to get started with your first telescope. Our advice on buying a telescope also includes insights from Dr Greg Brown, senior public astronomy officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

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What are the different types of telescopes?

There are a wide range of telescope types available to buy, and some can cost thousands of pounds. However, there are budget-priced alternatives – most are either refractor or reflector models. Keep scrolling for a summary of the key differences.

Refractor telescopes

• Pros: well-suited for beginners (quick setup), minimal maintenance needed, versatile
• Cons: prone to colour fringing

These are among the most popular types of telescope and are worth a look if you want to learn more about space. They use glass lenses instead of mirrors, and you look through the telescope from the top.

Refractor telescopes have long optical tubes as light travels in a straight line to the eyepiece. Compared to premium telescopes used by photography experts, refractors are generally more portable.

The optical tube on a refractor telescope is usually sealed, so dust is less likely to affect internal parts. For maintenance, all you need to do is keep the eyepiece free from smudges.

Cheaper models are prone to colour fringing, which means you might notice fuzzy blocks of colour around the edges of objects. This effect is also known as chromatic aberration – pricier telescopes often include lens coatings to prevent this.

Reflector telescopes

• Pros: cheaper than refractors, not affected by colour fringing
• Cons: mirrors will need aligning every so often

You use an eyepiece on the side to look through a reflector telescope.

These telescopes use primary and secondary mirrors to reflect light. Because light isn't forced to travel in a single, straight line, the optical tubes are shorter than those on refractor telescopes. This also means reflectors are the cheaper option.

The mirrors inside a reflector telescope will shift slightly over time, so you'll need to realign them manually through a process known as collimation.

Reflectors aren't affected by colour fringing because they use mirrors instead of lenses to focus light.

Catadioptric Telescopes

• Pros: portable, minimal maintenance needed
• Cons: you might need to align the mirrors manually

Also known as compound telescopes, these use a combination of mirrors and lenses to help you explore the stars.

Catadioptric telescopes are suitable for both beginners and those more experienced in capturing views in low light. They offer particularly high magnification levels, helping you identify distant objects with great detail.

How much does a telescope cost?

The higher the aperture of a telescope, the more expensive it is. A larger aperture allows the telescope to gather more light, which gives you brighter views of the solar system and star clusters.

Providing a typical price for telescope types is tricky because there are so many variations. But if you're trying to stick to a tight budget, there are still plenty of options – many telescopes designed for beginners cost between £50 and £150.

Celestron is a popular name in telescopes, and some of the brand's higher-end scopes cost between £500 and £1,000. Prices for professional-grade equipment can reach astronomical heights beyond £10,000.

Remember that two telescopes at wildly different prices will often see the same things if they have the same level of magnification. However, the quality of your view can still be affected by weather conditions, lens coatings and accessories.

What to look for when buying a telescope

• Aperture size – Defined by the diameter of the main lens or mirror. Wider scopes (those with a higher aperture) take in more light, which gives you a better chance of seeing faint objects in the sky. Without breaking your budget, try to get the biggest aperture possible.
• Focal length – Determines the magnification level of the scope. Divide the telescope focal length by the eyepiece focal length to calculate magnification levels. A word of warning – magnification is important, but you'll see a blurry mess if the aperture is poor.
• Type of mount – You'll need to choose between an AZ (alt-azimuth) mount and EQ (equatorial) mount. AZ is the easiest of the two (ideal for children) as it requires basic vertical and horizontal adjustments. An EQ mount uses RA (right ascension) and Dec (Declination) movements and are useful tools for astrophotography. Dr Brown notes: 'The bigger and heavier your telescope, the sturdier your mount must be to keep a still image that is resistant to gusts of wind and accidental nudges.'
• Portability – Important if you plan on taking your telescope on a hike. Consider setup time, too.

Telescopes for beginners

If you're shopping for your first telescope, a reflector model is the most affordable option. A refractor telescope can be an effective alternative as you don't need to work hard to maintain them.

Pay attention to the type of mount the telescope uses. An alt-azimuth mount is ideal for beginners as it's easy to use and can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally.

Some telescopes come bundled with educational extras such as booklets or download links for mobile apps. These can be a great resource if you want to learn more about what you're seeing through your scope.

Remember, the best binoculars can also give you crisp and clear views of the stars, as well as nature, sports and more.

Best telescopes for viewing planets

Telescopes suitable for viewing planets and the moon will have an aperture of at least 70mm. A higher aperture will let you see fainter objects in deep space, but you might consider that overkill for a starting scope, given the price will also rise.

Focal length also plays a key role. Complete beginners should aim for a telescope focal length of 400mm to 1,000mm. The lower end of that scale is adequate if you want wide views of the night sky, but a higher focal length is much better for observing planets.

According to Dr Brown, a 700mm focal length telescope and a 10mm eyepiece can completely fill your view with the Moon.

Magnification levels that are too high can harm your experience, as you'll have a narrower field of view and a dimmer image. You'll also need to shift your telescope’s aim more frequently to keep the target in view.

Make sure you pay attention to the claimed focal length when buying a telescope online. Plus, specs are often printed or engraved on the telescope itself – usually near the eyepiece.

Although we haven't tested these telescopes, all of them have an aperture of at least 70mm:

Planets visible at night

Even a beginner-friendly telescope can help you observe the seven classical planets visible to the naked eye, although how easy it will be varies considerably.

Dr Brown told Which?: 'Uranus and Neptune will be the trickiest to spot – tiny, pale blue specks are difficult to distinguish from the stars in the background. Both are achievable, though, particularly if conditions are good.

'Mercury is easily bright enough to be seen, but the difficulty is in finding a time it's high enough above the horizon to be visible while the Sun is below it.

'Venus is often bright enough to be seen during the day and is stunningly bright at night, while Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all easy to observe. Jupiter and Saturn, in particular, are well worth a look with the Galilean moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn both being easy to spot.'

For more information on what to look for in the sky, you can join the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich on the Look Up! astronomy podcast.

Best telescopes for kids

If your little ones are interested in science and space, there are some important features to look out for when shopping for a telescope.

Picking a model with a red dot finder attachment can help – many telescopes have them. These stick to the side of the scope and project a bullseye on to a clear window to help centre objects you want to study through the main scope.

Alt-azimuth mounts are ideal for children as they move effortlessly in any direction. Avoid telescopes with EQ mounts, as it's unlikely your little stargazer wants to deal with precise, angled movements.

If you plan on staying outside for long periods, you'll need somewhere to sit. We've rounded up the best camping chairs that are comfortable, durable and portable.

Popular telescopes

Below, you'll find a selection of telescopes to consider adding to your shortlist. We've selected these based on search popularity and our research showed Celestron to be a key brand.

At the time of writing, we don't test telescopes in our lab.

Celestron 21035 Travel Scope 70

• Type: Refractor telescope
• Aperture: 70mm
• Focal length: 400mm

The Celestron Travel Scope 70 is a manual alt-azimuth telescope. Along with the scope, you get 10mm and 20mm eyepieces, plus astronomy software to help you learn more about the night sky.

It comes bundled with a tripod and travel backpack, which is handy if you want to travel with your scope. You can also store the eyepiece accessories in the bag to avoid scratches.

Celestron 21061 AstroMaster 70AZ

• Type: Refractor telescope
• Aperture: 70mm
• Focal length: 900mm

This telescope comes in three sizes, and the 70AZ model is the cheapest of the bunch. It has a red dot finder scope to improve ease of use, plus an adjustable tripod.

The Celestron 21061 comes with 45x and 90x eyepieces, so you can swap between the two depending on what you're studying. It uses an alt-azimuth mount, and you get access to the Starry Night educational software.

Celestron 31042 AstroMaster 114EQ

• Type: Reflector telescope
• Aperture: 114mm
• Focal length: 1,000mm

This reflector model uses an EQ mount with two control knobs to help you track objects as they travel across the sky. There are two eyepieces included: 20mm and 10mm.

This one has a red dot finder scope, like many other Celestron scopes.

Best places to use a telescope

To get the very best views, it helps to escape light pollution – that means distancing yourself from cars, buildings and street lights. Parking yourself in an area near mountains can help block out light that would usually negatively affect your view.

However, even in urban areas, a modest telescope still offers plenty to see.

Dr Brown says: 'The easiest objects to observe in the night sky, which also happen to be among the most impressive to see, are easily visible even in the brightest city lights. The Moon and brighter planets are easily visible regardless of how much light is around.'

According to National Geographic, the UK has a range of spots ideal for stargazing. The list includes:

• Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)
• Exmoor International Dark Sky Reserve
• Northumberland International Dark Sky Park
• South Downs International Dark Sky Reserve

Research 'dark sky reserves' and national parks to find spots near you. Local Facebook groups focusing on astronomy might also come in handy if you're looking for ideas.

Telescope accessories

When building your shortlist of scopes, remember to check for accessories included in the price.

Additional eyepieces are useful and investing in a couple will let you swap focal lengths easily depending on the magnification levels you're after.

Meanwhile, finder scopes (or red dot finders) will help you centre planets and stars before studying them through the main telescope. Finder scopes have a wide field of view and usually have a reticle pattern worked into the eyepiece.

Consider shopping for a Barlow lens as well (shown above). These improve magnification levels (often by two or even three times) by attaching to your existing eyepiece.

You can also experiment with different coloured filters for your eyepiece – Amazon sells packs for less than £20. They're designed to reduce eye strain, and improve the contrast and surface detail of planets you're studying.

Dr Brown told us: 'As great as a telescope is for seeing things in the sky, to know where to look you need to have some kind of guide. Lots of options exist – from printed, year-long guides of the highlights in the sky to apps on your phone. Use them to plan an observing session in advance.'