In the era of long office hours, internet and screen dependency, it is hardly surprising that more and more people are becoming interested in astronomy. Gazing out into space at planets and stars that are so far out of our reach it is almost ridiculous, and longing after the infinity of the universe seems more appealing than ever.

Stargazing is one of those niche activities that nobody expected to become so popular. But here we are now, in a time where everybody is eager to get their hands on an affordable telescope. For this purpose, we have collected a range of telescopes, from advanced models for experienced stargazers who want to take their astronomy efforts to the next level, to budget-friendly devices suitable to people who have just picked up this hobby. Here is a list of the best telescopes for stargazing.

Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope

Let us begin this article with an affordable and easy to use telescope. The Celestron Astromaster 114 EQ is the ideal model if you have just picked up astronomy as a hobby. But, as you will find out as soon as you use it for the first time, affordability is not all that this device has to offer. For the purposes of this entry, we will cover only the basic elements, but if you want to see more about the AstroMaster 114 EQ features, make sure to check out the review posted by Telescope Reviewer.

Like every other AstroMaster telescope on the market, this one is strong enough to offer clear images showing the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter and the craters of our Moon. Arguably, its best feature is the aperture.

For those of you who are not familiarized with astronomy, the aperture is one of the most important features to consider before purchasing a telescope, and when it comes to this, the AstroMaster delivers in spades. Measuring about 130 mm, AstroMaster’s aperture has a wider range than what your average entry-level telescopes usually offer.

Along with the aperture, this telescope comes with two eyepieces – the first one measures 20 mm with a 50x magnification capability, while the second eyepiece measures 10 mm, and has a 100x magnification. The first one is best used to frame the moon for sharp, contrasted, high-quality images, while the latter is for zooming in on details such as the Moon’s craters.

Levenhuk Strike 90 Plus

Lauded as being one of the best mid-range telescopes on the market, the Strike 90 Plus offers enough features to satisfy everybody. It is very easy to install because you will have to set it up on an altazimuth mount. Essentially, this means you will not have to align or calibrate it – you simply put in on the mount and you are ready to go.

Along with the easy setup, the Strike 90 comes with a red dot finder situated right on the tube of the telescope, which acts as a guiding point that helps beginners navigate their way through the night sky with ease. The package includes a lot of useful accessories: a zoom eyepiece, a box, a Zongo 20 Telescope Case, books, user manuals, and software. If you feel like this model is a tad too expensive for what it offers, you can try out the Strike 80, which is a bit cheaper but offers a similar stargazing experience.

Celestron 127EQ Powerseeker

While you can easily find cheaper telescopes on the market, this model from Celestron stands out because it is one of the best devices you can find within this price range (under 200 dollars). Costing around 170 dollars, this telescope can render high-quality images that are very close to what you would normally get from a model twice as expensive.

Like other Celestron telescopes, this one is very easy to use and set up, but not to a point in which it puts experienced astronomers off. Furthermore, due to the fact that 127EQ is a reflector telescope, you can just as easily use it to view things here on Earth once you get tired of exploring the space. All in all, at 170 dollars and all the quality features that this company is known and respected for, you will get a lot of bang for the buck with this Celestron model.

Orion 10014 Sky Quest XT 4.5 Classic Dobsonian

While most entry-level telescopes on the market give a ‘’cheap’’ feeling due to their flimsy construction, as soon as you will use this Orion model for the first time, you will see that it is anything but cheaply built. Despite its relatively generous price tag (about 200 dollars), this is a telescope that will last you for years. Admittedly, because it weighs nearly six pounds, it is not as portable as other telescopes, but its wheeled mount allows users to easily transport it around the house or on any other flat surface.

However, its eyepiece is not positioned very high, so taller adults might be forced to hunch over the telescope. On the flipside, it comes with a special software called TheSkyX, which allows beginners to map out the night sky as they are exploring and unraveling it, star by star. To conclude, it is a great mid-range tool that comes with many of the features that you would expect from an expensive model. It is ideal mainly for people who want quality but are not yet willing to drop hundreds of dollars on a professional telescope.

Conclusion

Stargazing has been enjoying an increasing amount of popularity in the last few years, so it is no wonder why the demand for both telescopes and specialized reviews is on the rise. The models highlighted in this article are amongst the best the market has to offer, so make sure to read through our list, and you will find something that you will like.

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