Buying a telescope is perhaps the most significant step in becoming an amateur astronomer. Purchasing a telescope is, however not as easy as buying a new grill, because of the ridiculous number of options available to you.
The most important part of a telescope is the aperture because the size and quality of the opening dictate how clear objects will be. There are Newtonian reflector telescopes or Compound telescopes, and professional or amateur.
To keep to a widely spread review, we’ll have honorable mentions of professional telescopes, but we’ll stay mostly to budget telescopes. While better telescopes usually mean higher prices, there are a few gems that are too cheap for their worth.
Our list of ten best-rated telescopes for 2023, examines over 100 telescopes and strives to pick out the best amongst them.
Best Telescope 2023
1. Celestron 21061 AstroMaster 70AZ
AstroMaster is a masterpiece from Celestron and it does everything right. It has a finder scope and magnification that will give clear images of planets.
70AZ is versatile and offers an accessory tray with your choice of eyepieces.
Specs
- 70mm aperture
- 900mm focal length
- 914mm optical tube length
- Steel tripod and finderscope
- 45x and 90x magnification
- 2-year warranty
Pros
- Comes with a tripod
- Maximum magnification is an amazing 165x
- Cheap
- Erect image optics with amazing resolution
- Excellent light absorbance
Cons
- Tricky tripod
- Image quality degrades at maximum magnification.
Price: View on Amazon
2. Celestron 127 EQ Powerseeker
Powerseeker has a 127mm aperture, and a 1000mm focal length. It is the complete package, with accessory tray and aluminum tripod.
Specs
- 5×24 finderscope
- EQ1 mount
- 3x barrow lens
Pros
- Impressive image quality
- Easy to use
- Portable
Cons
- Collimation takes a while
- Alignment is spotty
Price: View on Amazon
3. Svbony 70mm Refractor Astronomical Telescope
Svbony is a telescope built for children; however, its 70mm aperture gives it a fair viewing power, and its low price earns it second position.
Svbony despite being an entry-level telescope, boasts of a 150x magnification.
A complete package includes an optical tube, a tripod, and an assembly instructor, which is everything you need to get started.
Specs
- 300mm focal length
- 90mm eyepiece
- 5×24 finderscope
- 70mm aperture
- Refractor optical system
Pros
- Easy to use
- High magnification power
- Has a finder scope
- Excellent resolution of planets
Cons
- Not balanced
- Nebulas are not very clear
Price: View on Amazon
4. Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST
Orion is one of the best telescope brand names, and their SpaceProbe 130ST shows us why they have excelled.
While more cumbersome than the others so far, it is portable.
Specs
- 70mm aperture
- 180x maximum useful magnification
- 27 pounds in weight
Pros
- Easy to use
- Large field of view
- Durable and robust
- Very realistic simulations
- Highly technologically advanced
Cons
- Mount is weak
- Initial set up is difficult
- Heavy
Price: View on Amazon
5. Celestron NexStar 127 SLT
NexStar may be at the uppermost range of prices for budget telescopes, but it is widely thought of to be the best amateur telescope out there.
Its computerized nature makes stargazing an ever-easier task, and its perfect balance makes it a fantastic choice for beginners.
Specs
- 7 pounds in weight
- 127mm aperture
- Eyepiece magnification is 60x
- Focal ratio is 12
- 10,000 objects in the database
- 40, 19, 11-inches dimension
- 25mm eyepiece
Pros
- Compatible with smaller eyepieces
- Perfectly balanced
- It is highly portable
- Eyepieces are excellent
- It is computerized and affordable
Cons
- Not very easy to use
- There is no place and date memory
Price: View on Amazon
6. Celestron 21023 Cometron Firstscope
Firstscope is a telescope that is usually well-recommended to amateur astrologists. It excels in stargazing, and its resolution of star clusters and comets is terrific.
Firstscope is very easy to use and requires no extensive setup. 21023’s finder scope is a feature that makes it an asset for beginners.
It is also incredibly light.
Specs
- Newtonian Reflector model
- 76mm aperture
- 300mm focal length
- 15x and 30x magnification
- 5×24 finderscope
- 254mm optical tube length
- 3 pounds in weight and no tripod
Pros
- Easy to use
- Light and portable
- 180x total magnification
- Comes with a cleaning cloth
- The large aperture allows for easy viewing of comets and nebulas
Cons
- Not recommended for professionals
- Durability is not high
Price: View on Amazon
7. Aw 70mm Astronomical Refractor Telescope
A lot of the top budget telescopes are similar in specifications, and the only thing setting them apart is usually quality and design.
Aw comes with a 70mm aperture, a manual, tripod stand, eyepiece, optics tube, and more.
Specs
- 10 pounds in weight
- 5×24 finderscope
- 16, 29, 56-inches dimensions
- 180x maximum magnification
- 400mm focal length
Pros
- Alt-azimuth and panhandle increases ease-of-use
- Excellent image resolutions
- Light and cheap
- Comes with a tripod stand
Cons
- Does not excel somewhere else from the top four
- Increasing magnification reduces image resolution
Price: View on Amazon
8. Orion SkyQuest XT8
SkyQuest is perhaps the most highly rated telescope on this list, but it is also the most expensive. The aperture is wide, and the image quality is superb.
For stargazers who have just graduated from being amateurs, SkyQuest XT8 is the next choice.
Specs
- 1200mm focal length
- CorreTension springs
- 25mm eyepiece
- 40 pounds in weight
- 2, 17.5, 15.5-inches dimensions
- 8-inch aperture
Pros
- High quality and performance
- Ease-of-use and easy to rotate
- Clear images
- Lots of accessories
Cons
- Most expensive
- Heavy
- Azimuth bearings are bad
- No handles
- Not for advanced users
Price: View on Amazon
9. Gskyer EQ 80900
Gskyer EQ is an excellent break-in model. It has a light protection film to prevent excessive light exposure to the eye and is an excellent choice for kids
Specs
- 5 kg in weight
- 900mm focal length
- 80mm aperture
- 1, 33, 22.1 cm dimensions
- 5×24 finderscope
Pros
- Easy tracking of objects
- Ease-of-use and high magnification
- Tripod is adjustable
- Optic film to prevent excessive exposure to light
Cons
- Needs fine tuning and aligning
Price: View on Amazon
10. Carson Red Planet 45
Carson Red is, no doubt a surprise choice. While it doesn’t excel at any one thing, it performs brilliantly across the board.
Its 114mm diameter is misleading of its compact nature, and it also is surprisingly stable.
Specs
- 100x maximum magnification
- 25, 5.75, 5.75-inches dimensions
- 900mm focal length
- 6×30 finderscope
Pros
- Excellent light capture
- Aluminum tripod
- It is exceptionally stable
Cons
- Images are not the best
- Magnification is low
Price: View on Amazon