Stargazing has always been a favorite among amateur astronomers but now you can learn all the basics with the amazing technology some of the best telescopes for viewing stars and planets have to offer. So whether you are learning your way around the night sky, trying to identify constellations, or wish to chart the stars, you need a quality, high-resolution telescope to navigate your way around.
The best telescopes will not only scope out massive stars but are equally useful for looking at planets. In fact, with a high-quality lens, you can get a fairly detailed look at almost every planet of our solar system. So without further ado, here is a look at some of the best telescopes for viewing stars and planets available in the current market.
1. Best Overall Telescope For Viewing Stars And Planets – Gskyer Telescope Travel Scope
Gysker is the ideal choice when choosing the best telescope for viewing the planets and stars in a clear high definition. With a greater magnification, you can zoom in and examine all the planets in the solar system with the two replaceable eyepieces and a 3x Barlow lens.
To modern convenience technology, this telescope also has options and one smartphone adapter to make navigating easier and pictures simpler to take. It comes with a tripod stand as well as a carry bag, so traveling with your telescope is safer and more comfortable.
- Bluetooth and smartphone adapter for more accessible controls and photos
- Custom carry bag for more comfortable carriage
- Used products shipped out when ordering online.
2. Best Budget-Friendly Telescope – Meade Instruments Infinity 50mm AZ Refractor Telescope
Coming with astronomical software and an instructional DVD, Meade Instruments strings up its own best telescope for viewing the stars and planets with ease. This telescope has a low and high eyepiece that gives greater variety to how far your line of sight can reach. There is also a 2x Barlow lens to enhance the quality of your view.
Meade Infinity 50mm has a focal length of 600mm and a focal ratio of 12 feet. With a significant body length, pushing the body into a position to find the stars and constellations is easy and hassle-free. With a tripod to ease handling this telescope, it is one of the best considerations for sightseeing in the night sky.
- Instructional DVD provided with the software
- Adjustable mount with slow motion control
- The unclear lens can make for blurry focus.
3. Best Compact Telescope – Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope
Celestron PowerSeeker is a powerful, heavy-duty telescope made best for viewing stars and planets at maximum clarity. It has a 3x Barlow lens and a focal length of 1000mm complemented with an f/7.87 focal ratio. With a coated optical glass, the lens enthusing the brightness and clarity of the night sky while you watch the solar system.
It comes with slow-motion controls to track moving projectiles during the night. With high resolution, you can see the Milky Way, solar system, and beyond as if they were right in front of you. Being small in size, this telescope can follow you on your vacations and camping trips for the best outdoor experience. There is no hassle when assembling this piece. Only quick, easy, and enjoyable experiences to last.
- Easy assembly with no tools required
- Slow-motion controls for better viewing
- Lightweight and transportable
- Without tools, the expected meeting can be confusing for users
4. Best Portable Telescope – Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST Equatorial Reflector Telescope
This petit Orion telescope is one of the best for viewing the stars and planets at night in the clear black sky. It has a 5.1-inch aperture reflector that collects the right light amount to illuminate the night sky as if you were holding a flashlight to the stars. With an adjustable stand and versatile, lightweight body, you’ll find out very soon the whole family can grow to love this telescope.
It weighs a balanced 27 lbs for easy transportation while still offering an accessory stand like most telescopes. With an accessory tray, you can keep all of your additional lenses and tools right where you need them without missing the star show.
- Lightweight and small build for easier transportation
- Efficient lighting for proper viewing.
- Complicated assembly, including tools
5. Best Hobbyist Telescope – Celestron 21035 70mm Travel Scope
To start this deal off, Celestron comes back once more with another one of the best telescopes perfect for viewing the stars and planets, the Celestron 21035 Travel Scope. This package comes with personal baggage, so it never remains at home while you travel to see the sights. What are the sights without a telescope to see them?
This model, Celestron 21035, has an adjustable tripod that can go from 22 inches in height to 52. It has a panhandle alt-az control with a clutch for easier smoother navigation around the night sky. To wrap up the deal, there are two eyepieces; one 20mm and the other 10mm, along with a 5×24 finderscope.
- Custom backpack for convenient carriage
- Quick and easy no-tool set up
- Adjustable tripod both spins and elevates
- Faulty tripod in packaging
6. Best Computerized Telescope For Beginners – Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope
NexStar has an included remote to control the computerized database installed into the telescope, and an automated search option to find over 4000 objects located in the night sky. It is relatively small, making it ideal for carrying with you on trips and camping adventures. The aperture is 130mm, with a focal length of 650mm. This model works with 2-inch eyepieces for the best telescope performance for proper viewing of the stars and planets.
The SkyAlign feature inside this telescope permits you to align your telescope’s line of view to any three dazzling stars or celestial objects sighted in the sky. You get the best high-resolution results looking through this telescope with its superior light gathering at night.
- Computerized database to locate over 4000 sites in the sky
- SkyAlign feature synchronizes your position with any three bright stars in the sky
- High-resolution quality lighting
- Included accessories such as Laser Starpointer finderscope
- Occasional malfunctions with the internal computer system
7. Best High Resolution Telescope For Traveling – Meade Instruments Infinity 102mm AZ Refractor Telescope
Meade Instruments makes a comeback with the Infinity 102mm model. This model is as good as the 500mm mentioned before, and only it comes in a much smaller package. If you want to travel with your telescope to scout out more of the night sky masses, then this is the telescope you want in your trunk.
It also offers you a better tracking system with an additional red dot viewfinder to scope out objects in the ocean of stars more precisely and accurately. The amount of the telescope has slow-motion controls to follow shooting stars and projectiles soaring through the night blue. For such a pleasantly petite package, Meade makes another one of the best telescopes for viewing the stars and planets locked into the eternal sky.
- Smaller package for easier transportation
- Red dot viewfinder for precise navigation
- Slow-motion controls for locating moving projectiles
- The blurred lens loses track when you focus
8. Best Telescope for Beginners – Gysker Telescope 60mm Aperture 700mm AZ Mount Astronomy Refractor Telescope
Another one of Gysker’s creation, it sports as one of the best telescopes for viewing the stars and planets with prideful high magnification and high-quality optics for the best resolution. It uses high transmission coatings to produce crystal clear images of the moon and stars. It has two eyepieces, a 3x Barlow lens, a 5×24 finderscope to find all of the objects located in the sky conveniently.
To make this even easier to use, it has a Bluetooth to take quality pictures and track your skies to a much more convenient extent, rather than leaning over to peer into the telescope. This model is covered with a one year warranty for a replacement or a full refund if you’re not satisfied. With a quick and easy assembly, this can surely become a favorite item of the home.
- Easy assembly and convenient usage
- Bluetooth connected camera control to locate objects in the sky
- Added finderscope to navigate through the night
- Malfunction issues with Bluetooth and adapter for smartphone
How to Choose the Best Telescope for Viewing Stars and Planets
A telescope is one of those investments where brand and quality make all the difference over bulk produced, commercially available ones. The three available varieties include:
- Refractor telescopes: These are simple in design, easy to use, and work well for objects on earth such as birds. These are ideal for beginners, are ruggedly built, and require little or no maintenance. The working mechanism involves a big lens at the front, which passes light directly into a mirror at the back and into the eyepiece.
- Reflector telescopes: This variety of telescopes has one mirror which gathers light and reflects it through a second mirror into the eyepiece. These are more suitable for viewing faint objects in the night sky and provide a very high image quality.
- Compound telescope: This uses the compound technology of a lens and two mirrors to direct light into the eyepiece. Compound telescopes work equally well for viewing objects on earth as well as those in the sky. However, these models are bulkier and more expensive than the other two types.
Since you are looking for one that helps you stargaze, then choose from a reflector or compound telescope as these are more suitable for viewing, faint, deep sky objects. Although refractors are more suitable for beginners.Other than the type of telescope you choose, you also need to consider some other important factors:
- Aperture: This refers to the telescope’s lens or mirror. It is also the one factor that determines how much you can see with your device. As a general rule, the higher the aperture, the better the viewing results.
- Focal length: This is the distance from the focal point of the telescope to its lens or mirror. Once again, the longer the focal length, the bigger the objects will appear.
- Magnification: The focal length of the telescope determines this. Together the two learn how big and magnified the objects will appear.
- Mount: This is the support device you mount your glasses on. Many glasses come with an amount as a complete system. The best mounts will let you swing your telescope in any direction, and once you have locked your target object, the mount will keep it perfectly still.
How to Use Your Telescope for Viewing Stars and Planets
First-time users need to go through their manual carefully when setting up their device since instructions will vary with each model type. However, the basics of assembling all telescopes involve adjusting the telescope, adjusting the finderscope, and adjusting mounts for manual glasses.
For computerized telescopes, the instruction manual will tell you how to polar align your telescope. Here is a detailed article on how to use your telescope the right way.
To truly experience celestial viewing, it is best to observe from areas not polluted by city lights. To view from home, set up your telescope outside in the backyard, preferably shielded from streetlights.
Tips for Using Your Telescope to View Stars and Planets
Always keep your telescope covered with a lens cap when not in use. This will protect the optics from dust, which can otherwise distort light and make images hard to see.
Also, when not in use, keep the telescope pointing to the floor to prevent dust accumulation on the optics.
Only clean the lens with equipment designed to work with glasses. For spills or residue, use unique solutions made from pure menthol.
Final Thoughts
The best telescopes for viewing stars and planets will give you the experience to satisfy your curiosity. You do need to know, however, what your primary observing interest is before you invest in a telescope. Our list here should help you in choosing the one just perfect for your interest.
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