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Meade Infinity 102mm AZ Refractor Telescope Review

Last updated: August 7, 2017


The Meade Infinity 102mm AZ Refractor Telescope is the largest aperture telescope in Meade Instruments’ Infinity line of refractors. It was slightly over budget to be included in our list of best budget telescopes for under $200. If you’re willing to spend the extra money it’s also far superior to the telescopes reviewed in our list of best telescopes for kids. With multiple eyepieces and good quality accessories, the Infinity 102 is the complete package and still offers excellent value for the price. It’s perfectly suitable for a beginner or child as their first telescope and would make a great gift.

Optics

The Infinity 102 has a 4-inch (102mm) aperture objective lens with a focal length of 600mm and a focal ratio of f/5.9. For an entry-level telescope, we were pleasantly surprised by its optical performance. It excels at low power for wide field views. A plastic dew shield fitted to the front end of the optical tube prevents condensation on the objective and blocks stray light. As this is an achromatic refractor with a fast focal ratio, chromatic aberration will be present appearing as color fringing around the edges of brighter objects like the moon. An added bonus is the ability to use the telescope for daytime terrestrial viewing.

Mount

The altazimuth tripod comes fully assembled and is constructed of cast aluminum with stainless steel tube legs. The height is adjustable from 33 to 51 inches. It is fairly sturdy and the legs are well constructed, however like any entry-level telescope on a tripod mount it is prone to vibrations. Expect to see some image wobble looking through the eyepiece when focusing, making altitude and azimuth adjustments or after bumping the telescope. The image should typically stabilize in a second or two. The vibrations are not as bad as other lower budget telescope mounts. To improve stability and reduce vibrations, try adding a 10lb weight to the accessory tray and not fully extending the tripod legs while observing from a chair.

A thumbwheel screw secures the optical tube to the mount through a slotted piece with a rubber tread. The screw can be inserted into either of the two holes in the dovetail attached to the bottom of the optical tube. An angled panhandle is used to make large up and down, and side to side movements. The slow motion control knobs are used to make fine adjustments for both axes to allow precision tracking of celestial objects. There are not many telescopes in this price range that have slow motion controls. The accessory tray can hold 3 eyepieces or 2 eyepieces and the Barlow while you’re observing. It also acts as a brace to stabilize the tripod legs.

There are a few issues with the mount when viewing objects overhead (at or near the zenith). This is fairly common with entry-level mounts and not necessarily a dealbreaker. The azimuth slow motion control makes contact with the optical tube when in the vertical position. If this bothers you or you do a lot of overhead viewing, you could try replacing the slow motion control with a longer shaft control knob. Also the panhandle may interfere with the eyepieces stored in the accessory tray. You may need to play around with the leg height to gain enough clearance.

Finder

The finder is a battery-powered red dot reflex sight that provides no magnification. It has a large viewing window and an adjustable brightness knob. The red dot is used as a guide to position the telescope in the direction of a target celestial object so that it is accurately centered in the telescope eyepiece. Don’t forget to turn off the red dot finder when you’re done or you will find the battery dead next time you want to use it. The finder mount is cast into the focuser and can accept a finderscope if you wish to use one instead.

Eyepieces

The Infinity 102 comes with three decent quality, fully-coated 1.25″ Modified Achromat eyepieces and a 2x Barlow lens. The eyepieces include a 26mm (23x magnification), a 9mm (67x magnification) and a 6.3mm (95x magnification). The 2x Barlow doubles the magnification of each eyepiece to 46x, 133x and 190x respectively. In all you get 6 different powers covering a wide range from low to high magnification which is always nice for beginners. There should be no immediate need to purchase an additional eyepiece.

Star Diagonal

The 90 Degree Erect-Prism Diagonal is an Amici prism design and corrects the image seen in the eyepiece both horizontally and vertically. This makes using star charts much easier as the image on the chart will match the image in the eyepiece. It also means that you will see a correctly oriented image when using the telescope for terrestrial viewing. The 90 degree diagonal also provides a more comfortable viewing angle especially when the telescope is pointed towards the zenith.

Focuser

The rack and pinion focuser is made from metal and well-built for an entry-level telescope. The focuser performs well with smooth focusing. Although described as a 1.25″ focuser, it appears to be a 2″ focuser with a removable 1.25″ adapter. The focuser is capable of fitting a 2″ diagonal which would allow the use of 2″ eyepieces. However, it’s uncertain how the focuser will hold up over time under the extra weight of 2″ eyepieces. Heavier eyepieces could also affect the balance of the optical tube.

Views

What can you expect to see with the Infinity 102? It offers good views of the moon and planets as well as double stars. Expect to see the craters of the moon in good detail,  Jupiter’s cloud bands and its 4 moons, the rings of Saturn and its largest moon, Mars as a red disk, the changing phases of Mercury and Venus, tiny Neptune and Uranus will also be visible and you may see some coloring. It’s not ideal for viewing deep-sky objects but under dark skies and optimal conditions, brighter DSOs will be visible including galaxies, nebulae, and globular and open star clusters.

Carrying Bag

Meade sells a padded carrying bag for the Infinity 102 that can hold the optical tube and tripod mount. It also has a drawstring pouch to store the accessories. The bag can be carried using the hand strap or shoulder strap. While not necessary, the carry bag makes transporting the telescope much easier and gives you peace of mind knowing that the optics will be protected during storage or when taking it in and out of your vehicle. It’s still a very portable telescope even without the bag. The combined weight of the optical tube and mount is just over 12lbs.

Pros and Cons

  • Excellent package for beginners
  • Includes 3 eyepieces
  • Correct image prism diagonal
  • 2x Barlow lens
  • Accessory tray
  • Chromatic aberration
  • Mount prone to vibrations
  • Mount interferes with optical tube when viewing overhead

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Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope Review

Last updated: August 1, 2017


You might have noticed that we’re big fans of Dobsonian telescopes especially for beginners. They’re simple to setup, easy to operate and provide excellent value for the aperture size. The Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope is no exception. It’s a very good telescope that is popular with beginners and highly recommended. Priced at[amazon_link asins=’B001DDW9UW’ template=’PriceLink’ store=’telescopeadviser-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’a0bc6b20-760b-11e7-a047-117a7f88ec2f’]the XT6 is over $100 cheaper than the larger XT8 and offers better value and performance than the smaller XT4.5. While we think that 8-inch Dobsonians are the sweet spot for beginners, a 6-inch is the next best thing and a good way to save some money.

Optics

The XT6 is a Newtonian reflector telescope. It is well-built with nice fit and finish for the price and should last a lifetime. The primary mirror has a 6-inch (150mm) aperture with a focal length of 1200mm and a focal ratio of f/8. There is no spherical aberration as the primary mirror is parabolic. Coma will not be as apparent as with the Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Reflector Telescope. The central obstruction from the secondary mirror is only 23 percent and shouldn’t be noticeable. The optical performance is excellent and excels with deep-sky objects.

Mount

The Dobsonian base is a simplified altazimuth mount also known as a rocker box. It’s constructed of wood with three basic Teflon pads for azimuth bearings and UHMW polyethylene pads for the altitude bearings. The motions are smooth and the base is very stable which means no vibrations. The optical tube is secured to the base with a system of heavy-duty tension springs which also keep it balanced.

Finder

Using the EZ Finder II is pretty simple and straightforward. The EZ Finder II is a battery-powered red dot finder with zero power (no magnification). It helps you locate celestial objects and accurately aim the XT6 in their direction. You can adjust the position of the telescope while looking through the finder’s viewing window until the red dot is aligned with the target object you wish to observe. Then look through the telescope’s eyepiece and the object will be in view. Remember to turn off the EZ finder when not in use to preserve the battery. The majority of people prefer a finderscope that provides magnification instead of a red dot finder. Replacing the red dot finder with a finderscope is an easy upgrade to make at a later time.


Eyepiece

The XT6 comes with a 1.25″ Sirius Plossl 25mm eyepiece. The eyepiece is pretty good quality and provides 48x magnification with a 52° apparent field of view. It’s unfortunate that only a single eyepiece is included. We recommend picking up at least one additional eyepiece like a 6mm eyepiece which would provide 200x magnification and would show plenty of lunar and planetary detail. Be aware that the image shown in the eyepiece will be upside down and flipped 180 degrees. This is normal for reflector telescopes.

Focuser

The focuser is a basic 1.25″ rack and pinion made of plastic and comes with a dust cap. It’s a decent focuser with fairly smooth focusing but there are superior options out there. It’s possible to make a minor modification to improve the smoothness of the focusing. Follow this step-by-step guide to replace the standard thick grease with lithium grease. Switching the focuser for a better one is another easy upgrade you could make in the future.

Collimation

The primary and secondary mirrors will require periodic adjustments called collimation. This is a simple process that aligns the optics to ensure optimal image quality. Collimating a telescope can seem overwhelming at first but trust us, it’s not complicated. The instruction manual includes detailed directions and this video by Orion explains how it’s done. To make collimation easier, the XT6 comes with a simple collimation cap and the primary mirror is center-marked. You will need a Phillips screwdriver that is not included.

Views

With optimal viewing conditions and the right eyepiece, you can expect to see amazing views of the moon and planets including:

  • craters of the moon
  • Jupiter, its 4 moons, cloud bands and Great Red Spot
  • Saturn’s rings, Cassini Division, and largest moon Titan
  • Mars as a red disk
  • Mercury and Venus and their changing phases
  • Neptune and Uranus as tiny colored disks
  • comets

Under dark skies, the 6-inch aperture is large enough to show plenty of deep-sky objects. Expect to see galaxies, nebulae, and globular and open star clusters.

Astrophotography

For astrophotography, it is possible to capture short exposure photos of the moon and planets with the XT6. However, Dobsonian mounts aren’t suited for taking long exposure images of deep-sky objects. They are better for viewing than for photography.

Dimensions

The optical tube has a weight of 13.5lbs and the base weighs 20.9lbs for a combined weight of 34.4lbs. The optical tube is 45.5-inches long and should fit in the back seat of a car. The base has a handle for easier transport. Although the XT6 is slightly lighter than its larger XT8 cousin (less than 7lbs lighter), there isn’t really a difference in portability. The optical tubes are roughly the same length and the bases weigh about the same.

Kit

Orion also offers a kit version of the XT6 for about $30 more that includes a few extras. These extras include a 2x Barlow lens (worth about $40 on its own), a RedBeam mini LED light, a planisphere, Moon Map and Telescope Observer’s Guide book by Richard J. Bartlett. The package is a good value especially if you were planning to buy a Barlow lens. The 2x Barlow would double the magnification of the included 25mm eyepiece to 96x.

Pros and Cons

  • Large aperture
  • Easy to use
  • Excellent for viewing deep-sky objects
  • Better value and performance than XT4.5
  • Includes a collimation cap
  • Only one eyepiece included
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for moon and planets
  • Limited accessories

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Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Reflector Telescope Review

Last updated: July 28, 2017


A 6-inch Dobsonian reflector telescope is just too big and awkward for some people. Finding the storage space in your home is another issue. If you’re looking for a large aperture telescope with a compact design, the Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Reflector Telescope is an excellent alternative. It packs a whopping 6-inch (150mm) aperture primary mirror into an optical tube that fits on a tabletop mount. Its ease of use and portability make the StarBlast 6 a great option for beginners and experienced astronomers alike.

Optics

The optical performance of the StarBlast 6 is an improvement over the 130mm tabletop reflectors reviewed in our Best Budget Telescope article.  The seemingly small increase in aperture size to 150mm actually offers 33 percent more light gathering ability resulting in brighter and sharper images. Although the StarBlast 6 does have a large central obstruction compared to longer focal length reflectors with similar sized apertures, the reduction in light due to this obstruction should not be apparent to most people. The parabolic primary mirror has a focal length of 750mm and a focal ratio of f/5. Using a parabolic primary mirror eliminates spherical aberration common with low-budget reflectors that have spherical primary mirrors.

Comatic aberration or coma will be present and is typical of Newtonian reflector telescopes. With coma, stars along the edge of the field of view will have a distorted comet-like tail appearance. Stars in the center of the field of view are unaffected. This will be noticeable at low magnification for the most part.

Value

One downside is that the StarBlast 6 costs about $70 more than a 6-inch Dobsonian like the Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope, which is arguably better and has a longer focal length. In fact, for an extra $40 you could buy an 8-inch Dobsonian telescope. But again, if storage and portability are a major concern than the StarBlast 6 is good replacement.

Mount

The tabletop Dobsonian base is a simplified altazimuth mount that comes pre-assembled for quick setup. The mount rotates 360 degrees and moves up and down with smooth motions. An altitude tension knob can adjust the tension of the up and down movement or lock the optical tube in place. A handy eyepiece rack is built into the side of the mount and can hold 3 eyepieces. Two carrying handles allow for easy portability.

The optical tube attaches to the mount with tube rings. The tube rings also allow you to rotate the optical tube to find a preferred eyepiece angle. By adding a dovetail plate to the tube rings, you could attach the optical tube to an altazimuth or equatorial tripod mount. The front end of the optical tube has a knob that acts as a handle to move the telescope in all directions.

The StarBlast 6 is large enough to operate from the ground if you’re mobile enough or comfortable doing so. However, most people will prefer to place the telescope on a sturdy surface like a picnic table, small portable table, stool or crate.

Finder

The EZ Finder II is a red dot reflex sight mounted to the optical tube and used to locate the celestial objects you wish to observe. Unlike a finderscope, the battery-powered red dot finder does not provide any magnification. Looking through the finder’s viewing window you will see a projected red LED dot which is used as a guide to move the telescope until the dot is centered on the target object. Don’t forget to turn off the EZ Finder II when you’re not using it to save battery life.


Eyepieces

The telescope comes with two 1.25″ Sirius Plossl eyepieces – a 25mm (30x magnification) and a 10mm (75x magnification). These are good quality eyepieces to get you started but you will likely want to add an additional shorter focal length eyepiece or a Barlow lens to see more lunar and planetary detail. Adding a 4mm wide-angle eyepiece would give you 188x magnification. A 2x Barlow would double the magnification of the included eyepieces to 60x and 150x.

Focuser

The plastic 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser is perhaps the weak point of the StarBlast 6. It’s decent and does the job but it’s pretty basic. This is something you could upgrade in the future but there is also a slight modification you can do yourself. This archived step-by-step guide details how to remove the standard thick grease and replace it with lithium grease for much smoother focusing.

Collimation

As with all reflector telescopes, collimation (periodic adjustment of the mirrors) will be necessary. This will make sure the mirrors are properly aligned for sharp and crisp images. While collimating a telescope may seem difficult at first, it shouldn’t take longer than a minute or two once you get the hang of it. And the StarBlast 6 has some helpful features to make collimation easier. The primary mirror is center-marked, a simple collimation cap is included and thumbscrews allow you to adjust the primary mirror with just your fingers. You will need a 2mm Allen wrench to adjust the secondary mirror although one is not provided.

Views

The StarBlast 6 is a great telescope for viewing the moon, planets and deep-sky objects. You can expect to see the craters of the moon; Jupiter including its 4 moons, cloud bands and Great Red Spot; Saturn’s rings, Cassini Division, and largest moon; Mars as a red disk; Mercury and Venus and their changing phases; Neptune and Uranus as tiny colored disks. Under dark skies, the 6-inch aperture will show plenty of deep-sky objects including galaxies, nebulae, and globular and open star clusters.

Dimensions

The combined weight of the optical tube and mount is 23.5lbs (about 10lbs heavier than a 5-inch tabletop reflector) with a 28-inch long optical tube. Compare this to the Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope which weighs over 10lbs more at 34.4lbs and has a much longer optical tube at 45.5-inches. The StarBlast 6 is too heavy for a child to move and setup on their own. Teenagers and adults should have no problem carrying the optical tube and mount as one assembled unit or as separate pieces.

PushTo Version

Orion also makes a PushTo version of this telescope called the StarBlast 6i IntelliScope for about $160 more. It comes with a computerized object locator that has a database of thousands of objects. A handheld controller provides arrow directions for you to follow to locate and track an object by manually moving the telescope. While this is a nice feature, it’s simply not worth the $500 price tag in our opinion.

Pros and Cons

  • Large aperture
  • Easy to use
  • Portable
  • Excellent for viewing deep-sky objects
  • Eyepiece rack
  • More expensive than 6″ Dobsonian
  • Shorter focal length than 6″ Dobsonian
  • Large obstruction
  • Coma

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Best Telescopes for Kids

Last updated: July 17, 2017


Buying a telescope for your child is a bit of a dilemma. If you suspect that their interest in astronomy will vanish in a few weeks, it doesn’t make sense to shell out serious money for a good quality telescope. However, if you buy them a cheap junk telescope that doesn’t show much other than the moon then who can blame them for quickly losing interest and moving on.

In the $50 to $100 price range there are a few low budget, entry-level telescopes that should allow a child to view the moon and some planets. They are not specifically marketed towards children but they are easy to operate and small enough for them to handle on their own.

Table of Contents

  • Look for a used telescope
  • What is the best telescope for kids?
  • What can you expect to see?
  • Best Reflector Telescope For Kids - Orion SkyScanner 100mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope
  • Best Refractor Telescope For Kids - Meade Infinity 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope
  • Best Lower Budget Telescopes For Kids
    • Celestron Cometron FirstScope Telescope
    • Orion FunScope 76mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope
    • Meade LightBridge Mini 82 Telescope
    • Comparison of Accessories
  • Conclusion

Look for a used telescope

Consider buying a used telescope. You might be able to find a gently used, better quality telescope at a significant discount. Check out local and online classifieds, eBay or Amazon – yes even Amazon sells used and refurbished telescopes.

If your child loses interest in astronomy, you can always use these same avenues to sell a telescope that’s no longer being used to cut your losses.

What is the best telescope for kids?

If you think your child is legitimately serious about astronomy as a hobby or if it’s something you are interested in and plan to share and enjoy together then any of the telescopes recommended in our Best Telescope For Beginners or Best Budget Telescope are perfectly suitable for children and much better quality than the telescopes recommended below. Larger Dobsonian telescopes will obviously require the help of an adult to move and setup.

Nearly all telescopes on tripod mounts under $100 are not very good. This is mainly due to the unstable mounts which result in shaky views, difficulty focusing and poor tracking. A tabletop Dobsonian reflector telescope solves these issues with its sturdy and smooth mount. Tabletop Dobsonians also offer the lowest cost per inch of aperture giving you more light gathering ability than other types of telescopes. They perform better than almost all other telescopes at this price point. But you’re not going to find the perfect telescope or even a really good telescope for under $100.

Most low budget telescopes are not something that will be used for years to come. They’re more of a cheap introduction to astronomy. You can use one to gauge a child’s interest before they either move on to something else or want to upgrade to a better quality and larger aperture telescope.

What can you expect to see?

To be totally honest, have low expectations. Low budget telescopes are not much better than toys. They have small apertures, low quality optics and the accessories are just not very good. The short focal lengths will limit the magnification you’re able to achieve.

Children are mainly interested in viewing the moon and planets. While this is definitely possible with a low budget telescope, the views are underwhelming and not that impressive. You should be able to observe the standard favorite objects for kids including our moon, Jupiter’s cloud bands and 4 moons as well as Saturn’s rings and largest moon Titan. The planets will appear very small, some as tiny points of light.

The moon and planets are unaffected by light pollution, however deep-sky objects will require dark skies and optimal viewing conditions. Deep-sky viewing will be limited to the brighter objects that will still appear faint and fuzzy. Some double stars will be visible.

Do not point the telescope at the sun without a proper solar filter! It’s important that your child understands this and the consequences of damaging their eyes.


Best Reflector Telescope For Kids

Orion SkyScanner 100mm Tabletop Reflector


The Orion SkyScanner 100mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope is a definite step up from the lower budget telescopes. It is a quality entry-level telescope and earns our Best Reflector Telescope For Kids award. Despite being priced at the upper end of the $100 budget, it’s still considered a good value.

The SkyScanner has improved optics over the lower cost telescopes. The almost 4″ (100mm) aperture parabolic primary mirror has 73 percent more light gathering ability than a 76mm aperture mirror. It has a focal length of 400mm and a focal ratio of f/4. The parabolic primary mirror eliminates spherical aberration which results in sharper and clearer images. However, coma is still noticeable around the edge of the field of view.

The Dobsonian base is a simplified altazimuth mount meant to be placed on a table or other sturdy surface. It is solidly constructed and has three rubber feet to reduce vibrations and eliminate wobble. The azimuth and altitude rotations are smooth and the optical tube can be locked into position with the adjustable altitude tension knob. The bottom of the mount has a built-in adapter for attaching the telescope to a camera tripod with a 3/8″ or a 1/4″-20 threaded post. You can also remove the optical tube from the mount and attach it to a compatible altazimuth or equatorial tripod mount with a narrow dovetail saddle, common with most of Orion’s mounts.

The SkyScanner comes with a battery-powered red dot finder, the EZ Finder II, worth about $40 on its own. Red dot finders do not provide any magnification like a finderscope. Looking through the viewing window, align the red dot on the celestial object you want to observe. Once the red dot is centered on the target object, look through the telescope’s eyepiece and it should be in view.

Two 3-element 1.25″ eyepieces are included with the SkyScanner. The 20mm eyepiece provides 20x magnification and the 10mm eyepiece provides 40x magnification. Remember, magnification is calculated by dividing the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece (400mm/20mm = 20x power). Both eyepieces are low power and provide wide fields of view but they are not capable of showing details of the moon and planets. For that you’ll need a short focal length eyepiece like a 3.2mm or 4mm which would provide 125x and 100x magnification, respectively. The SkyScanner performs better than the other low budget telescopes when it comes to viewing deep-sky objects.

The 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser is standard for low cost telescopes. The dual focus knobs make smooth adjustments.

Although the secondary mirror is adjustable, the primary mirror is fixed to the optical tube and cannot be collimated.

As a bonus, the SkyScanner comes with a “special edition” version of its Starry Night astronomy software. It can simulate the sky for different dates, times and locations.

It has a fully assembled weight of only 6.2lbs with a 15.7″ long optical tube. A child should be able to move and operate this tabletop telescope on their own. Even if your child graduates to a larger, better quality telescope, it might be worth keeping the SkyScanner around as a grab-and-go or travel telescope.

  • Parabolic mirror
  • Good value for aperture size vs cost
  • Includes a red dot finder
  • Bottom of mount has built-in tripod adapter
  • Can mount the optical tube to AZ or EQ mounts with dovetail
  • Short focal length
  • Primary mirror is fixed, cannot collimate
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for moon and planets

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Best Refractor Telescope For Kids

Meade Infinity 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope


A refractor is what most people picture when thinking of a telescope. If your child has this image of a telescope in their mind then it may be difficult to convince them that a different type of telescope is better.

The Meade Infinity 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope is a decent entry-level telescope to get your child started with astronomy. It is the Best Refractor Telescope For Kids under $100 and is priced midway between the Celestron Cometron FirstScope and SkyScanner. A bonus feature of refractor telescopes is that they also can be used during the day to view birds, wildlife, ships, landscapes and landmarks.

The Infinity 70 has a 2.8″ (70mm) aperture, a focal length of 700mm and an f/10 focal ratio. The aperture is small and the optics aren’t great. The long focal length offers more magnification but a smaller field of view. Chromatic aberration will be noticeable at higher magnifications and appear as color fringing around bright objects.

The tripod is an altazimuth mount constructed from aluminum. As expected with telescopes in this price range, the tripod is lightweight, wobbly and susceptible to vibrations. The height is adjustable from 29″ to 50″. You can track objects with the basic slow motion control rod which moves the telescope in small increments by turning a knob. An accessory tray attaches to the tripod and can hold extra eyepieces.

The battery-powered red dot finder is a must-have for finding the celestial object you wish to observe and orienting your telescope towards it.

Two fully-coated 1.25″ Modified Achromat eyepieces are included. The 26mm eyepiece provides 27x magnification and the 9mm eyepiece provides 78x magnification. The Infinity 70 also comes with a 2x Barlow lens which doubles the magnification of the eyepieces to 54x and 156x. You get a wide range of magnifications (27x, 54x, 78x, and 156x) right out of the box which is more than the other kids telescopes offer. This telescope is better suited for the moon and planets than for deep-sky objects although some binary stars can be observed. You should be able to see Jupiter’s cloud bands and moons, and recognize Saturn’s rings, however the planets will appear very small.

Using the 90 Degree Erect-Prism diagonal will correctly orient the image seen in the eyepiece both horizontally and vertically unlike a reflector telescope where the image appears flipped upside down. One disadvantage is that the prism diagonal reduces the sharpness of the image. The 90 degree diagonal also allows a more comfortable viewing angle especially when the telescope is pointed near the zenith.

The 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser is typical for cheap telescopes. The shaky tripod can give you some difficulty focusing.

The telescope and tripod have a combined weight of only 7.5lbs which should be manageable for older children to move around and setup.

  • Includes a high power and low power eyepiece
  • 2x Barlow lens doubles magnification of each eyepiece
  • Image is correctly oriented with 90 degree erect-prism
  • Accessory tray
  • Smallest aperture
  • Shaky tripod mount
  • Chromatic aberration

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Best Lower Budget Telescopes For Kids

When it comes to lower cost telescopes for kids, there are 3 main options. All are tabletop Dobsonian reflectors with similar specs and performance. They each have a focal length of 300mm, a focal ratio of around f/4 and a spherical primary mirror. One is not necessarily better than the others. They all suffer from the same flaws and limitations. The main differences are found in the accessories (finders, eyepieces, tripod adapter and Barlow lens).

Celestron Cometron FirstScope Telescope


The build quality and finish of the Celestron Cometron FirstScope are surprisingly good for a cheap telescope. It has a 76mm (3″) aperture primary mirror and a focal ratio of f/3.95.

As should be expected, the optics of the Cometron FirstScope are not very good. The short focal length and large central obstruction are less than ideal for viewing at higher magnification. The spherical mirror makes it difficult to focus even above 60x magnification due to the resulting spherical aberration. Coma aberration will be present near the edge of the field of view.

The tabletop Dobsonian mount is stable with smooth motions. It swivels 360 degrees, rotates up and down, and has an adjustable tension knob. You will need to place the telescope on a sturdy table or stool in order to provide a comfortable viewing height. The rubber feet provide better surface grip and reduce vibrations.

Setting up the telescope is quick and easy as no tools are required. The optical tube comes preassembled to the mount. All you need to do is remove the dust caps, attach the finderscope and insert an eyepiece into the focuser.

There are actually two versions of the Celestron FirstScope that are roughly the same price. The FirstScope has a white mount and a black optical tube showing the names of famous astronomers and scientists. The Cometron FirstScope has a black mount and a white optical tube. Besides these styling differences, the Cometron version comes with a 5×24 finderscope. The FirstScope does not include any finder and should be avoided for this reason. While a 5×24 finderscope is not great, having a finder is better than nothing at all making it easier locate celestial objects and point the telescope in their direction. The numbers 5×24 indicate that the finderscope has 5x magnification and a 24mm aperture.

The Cometron FirstScope comes with two 1.25″ Kellner eyepieces: a 10mm (30x magnification) with a 1.5° field of view and a 20mm (15x magnification) with a 3° field of view. The included eyepieces are low power and not really that great for planets but do offer a wide field of view. It is possible to view brighter deep-sky objects like Orion nebula. Buying an additional eyepiece with higher power for more lunar and planetary detail would cost almost the same as the telescope. That money would be better spent on buying a better telescope. It should also be mentioned that the eyepieces included with the Cometron FirstScope are better quality than the FirstScope’s eyepieces.

At f/3.95, the Cometron FirstScope is considered to have fast focal ratio. This means that the light entering the telescope has a steep angle and even the smallest turns of the focuser knobs can cause the image to lose focus. The 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser does not hold focus very well under the weight of the eyepiece. As mentioned previously, the telescope’s limitations make focusing difficult even at medium power. The focuser does come with a dust cap which is nice to have.

Collimation is not possible as the primary mirror is fixed to the optical tube and cannot be adjusted.

The Cometron FirstScope is extremely portable weighing only 4.3lbs with a 10″ long optical tube. It should be no problem for a child to handle on their own. Even if you’re not a kid, its small size and weight make it ideal to use as a grab-and-go or travel telescope to take in the car on a road trip or to go camping.

  • Wide field of view
  • Lowest cost
  • Extremely portable
  • Includes a finderscope
  • Spherical mirror, aberrations
  • Short focal length
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Primary mirror is fixed, cannot collimate
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for moon and planets

Buy on Amazon


Orion FunScope 76mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope


The Orion FunScope 76mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope is nearly identical to the Cometron FirstScope in terms of specs, build quality and finish but it’s slightly more expensive. It too has a 76mm (3″) aperture primary mirror and a focal ratio of f/3.95. There are some minor differences with the finder and mount.

The FunScope performs similar to the Cometron FirstScope and also suffers from optical issues due to the short focal length and spherical primary mirror. Achieving focus at medium and high power can be difficult. Coma aberration will be noticeable around the edge of the field of view. On the positive side, a short focal length also means a wide field of view which allows you to see more of the sky. This makes it easier to find and track celestial objects.

The tabletop Dobsonian mount is solid and sturdy with smooth movements. It uses a single-arm to hold the optical tube and an adjustable tension knob controls the up and down motion. The base of the mount includes a tripod adapter which is a nice feature not included with the Cometron FirstScope. The adapter allows you to mount the telescope onto a camera tripod if you are not near a table. Make sure to use a heavy duty tripod to avoid vibrations. The mount and optical tube are already assembled in the box. To complete the setup, attach the finder using thumb screws and insert an eyepiece. The optical tube and focuser also come with dust caps.

The FunScope comes with a red dot finder to help you accurately aim the telescope at objects in the sky. The EZ Finder II is a battery-powered red dot reflex sight with zero power (no magnification). It costs about $40 if purchased separately.

The FunScope includes a 10mm 1.25″ eyepiece (30x magnification) and a 20mm 1.25″ eyepiece (15x magnification). They are decent 3-element fully coated eyepieces. The eyepieces are good for low power, wide field viewing but not the best for viewing any details of the moon and planets. You may want to consider purchasing a Barlow lens or a short focal length eyepiece for high power views. Keep in mind that these extras will add to the cost of the telescope which could have been spent on a better quality telescope instead.

The rack and pinion focuser accepts 1.25″ eyepieces. The steep light cone from the fast focal ratio causes the focuser to be very sensitive, losing focus with even minor adjustment of the focus knobs.

You will not be able to collimate this telescope as the primary mirror is glued to the optical tube.

As a bonus, Orion has included a Moon Map which names and describes over 260 features on the moon including various craters and mountains.

Weighing only 4lbs, the FunScope is extremely portable. It shouldn’t take up much room in your car if you are planning to take it on a trip or go camping.

  • Wide field of view
  • Includes a red dot finder
  • Extremely portable
  • Mount has a built-in tripod adapter
  • Bonus Moon Map
  • Spherical mirror, aberrations
  • Short focal length
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Primary mirror is fixed, cannot collimate
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for moon and planets

Buy on Amazon


Meade LightBridge Mini 82 Telescope


The Meade Instruments LightBridge Mini 82 Telescope is the smallest telescope in Meade’s lineup of tabletop Dobsonians. The largest of which, the LightBridge Mini 130, is one of our recommended Best Budget Telescopes. The LB Mini 82 is well-built and the all white design looks good. It has a slightly larger 3.2″ (82mm) aperture primary mirror and a slightly faster f/3.7 focal ratio than the Cometron FirstScope and FunScope.

Like the other lower budget telescopes, the LB Mini 82 also has a spherical mirror and the optical performance is not much different. Comatic and spherical aberrations will be present, affecting the quality of the views and the ability to focus especially at higher magnifications.

The tabletop Dobsonian mount is made of particleboard. It operates like a see-saw on a lazy susan, moving up and down, and rotating 360 degrees. The bottom of the mount has rubber feet to improve grip and stability. A large adjustable knob controls the friction of the altitude motion and can lock the optical tube in place.

A standard red dot reflex sight is included as the telescope’s finder and is mounted on the top of the optical tube.

The two eyepieces that come with the LB Mini 82 are a 26mm that gives 12x magnification and a 9mm that gives 33x magnification. The addition of a 2x Barlow lens is a welcome bonus not included with the other lower budget scopes. The Barlow doubles the magnification of each eyepiece giving you 4 different powers (12x, 24x, 33x, 66x) with only 2 eyepieces. Despite the added magnifications from the Barlow, a higher power eyepiece would still be necessary to view greater details of the moon and planets.

The 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser has large dual focusing knobs. The f/3.7 focal ratio is the fastest of the lower budget telescopes and results in a steeper angle of light entering the telescope. This makes precise focusing more difficult as a minor turn of the adjustment knobs can quickly knock the image out of focus.

The LB Mini 82 is the lightest of the low budget options weighing in at a mere 3.8lbs. Even young children should be able to manage moving it with no issues. It’s small enough to fit on a bookshelf and would make a nice display piece.

  • Lowest cost
  • Extremely portable
  • Includes a red dot finder
  • 2x Barlow lens doubles magnification of each eyepiece
  • Spherical mirror, aberrations
  • Short focal length
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Primary mirror is fixed, cannot collimate
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for moon and planets

Buy on Amazon


Comparison of Accessories

 Celestron Cometron FirstScopeOrion FunScope 76mmMeade LightBridge Mini 82
Finder5x24 finderscopered dot finderred dot finder
Eyepieces20mm KE - 1.25"
10mm KE - 1.25"
20mm - 1.25”
10mm - 1.25”
26mm - 1.25"
9mm - 1.25"
Barlow LensNoNoYes
Focuser1.25" rack & pinion1.25” rack & pinion1.25" rack & pinion
Tripod AdapterNoYesNo

Conclusion

If your only willing to spend $100 or less on a telescope for your child, buying one with the largest aperture for your money and a sturdy mount will give them the best opportunity to explore the night sky. A tabletop Dobsonian telescope should give you the most value and meet this criteria.

The Orion SkyScanner 100mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope is our best overall telescope for kids. It provides a solid mount and the largest aperture with better optics than the lower budget telescopes. If your child has their heart set on a refractor style telescope, the Meade Infinity 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope is good option that provides 4 different powers for viewing and can be used during the day to view objects on land. The Celestron Cometron FirstScope Telescope, Orion FunScope 76mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope, and Meade LightBridge Mini 82 Telescope are close in price and performance with similar specs. If you prefer the finderscope, go with the Cometron FirstScope. If you like the red dot finder and bonus Moon Map or if you want to mount the telescope on a tripod, buy the FunScope. If you’re not interested in buying an additional eyepiece, the Barlow lens included with the LightBridge Mini 82 will provide a wider range of magnifications.

While none of these telescopes are perfect, they should be enough to give your child a decent introduction to telescopes and astronomy.

Best Budget Telescope

Last updated: July 2, 2017


Many aspiring backyard astronomers have purchased a cheap beginner telescope only to be frustrated and disappointed by an experience that didn’t meet their expectations. Cheap telescopes are typically used a few times and then abandoned, left to collect dust. A lot of budget telescopes are considered junk due to the low quality optics and unstable mounts. An unstable mount means a shaky view, difficulty focusing and poor tracking.

Budget telescopes are popular gifts especially for Christmas. Choose the correct telescope and it could be an amazing gift that sees tons of use and inspires a budding astronomer to continue their new found hobby. Pick the wrong one and you may have wasted your money on a disappointing telescope that gets used once or twice.

For around $200, there are some very good options for budget beginner telescopes. Any cheaper and you’ll find telescopes with small apertures, optical issues and mount troubles. You’d be better off saving your money. Like we mentioned in our Telescope Buying Guide, if your budget is $100 or less, buying a pair of binoculars is the best option for stargazing.

Table of Contents

  • Buy used
  • What is the best budget telescope for under $200?
  • Telescopes to avoid
  • What can you expect to see with a 5″ tabletop Dobsonian?
  • Budget Telescope Reviews
    • AWB OneSky 130 Reflector Telescope
    • Meade LightBridge Mini 130 Telescope
    • Zhumell Z130 Portable Altazimuth Reflector Telescope
  • Comparison of Accessories
  • Conclusion

Buy used

Don’t forget about used telescopes. A 6″ or 8″ aperture Dobsonian reflector, like the ones recommended in our Best Telescope For Beginners article, are better than the best budget telescopes recommended here. If you can’t afford to buy a new Dobsonian, check Craigslist, Kijiji or other classifieds for a used Orion SkyQuest XT6 or XT8, a Sky-Watcher 6″ or 8″ Traditional Dobsonian or a Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian. You might be able to find a deal on a used Dob for around $200. It’s even possible to buy used or refurbished telescopes from Amazon.com.

What is the best budget telescope for under $200?

For budgets under $200, a 5″ tabletop Dobsonian telescope offers the best value. A tabletop Dobsonian is a Newtonian reflector telescope with a simple single-arm altazimuth mount that swivels 360 degrees and moves up and down (think of a see-saw on a lazy susan). Like their larger Dobsonian cousins, tabletop Dobsonian mounts are cheap to manufacture meaning more money can be spent on making larger primary mirrors. A 5″ Dobsonian is the largest aperture telescope you can buy for less than $200.

Tabletop Dobsonian mounts are very sturdy compared to the unstable tripod mounts included with most budget telescopes. They are simple to setup and incredibly easy to use. The optical tube can be quickly attached or detached from the mount if you wish to store or transport them separately. Placing the telescope on a stable surface like a table or stool will provide a more comfortable viewing height.

These mini Dobsonians are extremely portable, weighing around 14lbs. This makes for the perfect telescope to take camping, on road trips, hiking to a dark site or as a grab-and-go telescope. The best telescope is the one you will use most often and a portable telescope with a reasonably sized aperture will see a lot of use. Many experienced astronomers with large aperture telescopes also have a small, budget telescope in their collection for convenience or for travel.

Avoid all "Jones-Bird" or "Bird-Jones" Newtonian telescope designs. You can easily identify these low-budget telescopes as the optical tube is much shorter than its stated focal length. They use a spherical primary mirror with a short focal length and a corrector lens which extends the focal length and corrects spherical aberrations. This telescope design has several optical issues and is difficult to collimate.

Examples include the Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ and Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker. They are usually priced between $100 and $200.

What can you expect to see with a 5″ tabletop Dobsonian?

A 5″ aperture telescope can show quite a bit especially under dark skies. Factors like light pollution, atmospheric conditions and the eyepiece you’re using will determine what you’re able to see and the quality of the view.

The moon and planets are mostly unaffected by light pollution. With good viewing conditions, expect to see the craters of the moon, some details of Jupiter including its main cloud bands and 4 moons, the rings of Saturn and its largest moon Titan, Mars as a small red disk with more detail in ideal conditions, Mercury and Venus as small disks with changing phases, Neptune and Uranus will be very tiny with possible blue or greenish coloring, sunspots and surface granulation on the Sun. You must use a proper solar filter when pointing your telescope at the Sun or you can severely damage your eyes and go blind!

A 5″ Dobsonian telescope is large enough for observing deep-sky objects, however it is much more dependent on darker skies than a larger telescope would be. Patience is important when viewing objects like galaxies, nebulae, and globular clusters. Getting outside of the city, away from light pollution will improve your ability to see fainter deep-sky objects and more of them.

Newtonian reflector telescopes suffer from a type of optical aberration known as coma. With coma, stars appear distorted near the edge of the field of view while stars in the center of the field of view are unaffected. Coma in an f/5 telescope is not as noticeable as it is in an f/4 telescope. A parabolic primary mirror eliminates the visual defect known as spherical aberration which is present in budget telescopes with spherical primary mirrors. This results in a sharper and clearer image.


Budget Telescope Reviews

Each of the following tabletop Dobsonian telescopes has a 5.1″ (130mm) aperture, a focal length of 650mm, a focal ratio of f/5, and a parabolic primary mirror. All of telescopes reviewed were priced at less than $200 at the time of this article’s last update.

We have compiled a Comparison of Accessories table which is included below.

AWB OneSky 130 Reflector Telescope


The AWB OneSky 130 Reflector Telescope is designed with portability in mind but you’ll appreciate its solid performance. It has been well reviewed by Sky & Telescope magazine and is actively discussed on the Cloudy Nights forum. While not perfect, it is a very good starter telescope and even seasoned astronomers will find it to be a good quality travel or grab-and-go telescope.

AWB stands for Astronomers Without Borders, a non-profit organization that runs astronomy programs in developing countries. They have partnered with Celestron to reduce costs and offer the OneSky for $199.99 with about half of the purchase price going towards supporting these programs.

The OneSky’s optics are surprisingly good for the price. The optical tube is a collapsible open truss design. One simple modification you can make to improve contrast is to build a light shroud around the open tube with plastic, cardboard or foam. This will block stray light and also prevent dew from forming on the mirrors.

The tabletop Dobsonian mount is made from laminated particle board with a cutout carrying handle. It is sturdy, fairly smooth, and has an adjustable altitude tension knob. If you don’t want to use the telescope on a table or stool, the Vixen-style dovetail rail allows you to attach the optical tube to a compatible tripod mount. The dovetail rail also allows you to adjust the balance of the optical tube.

The OneSky comes with a basic red dot finder. To use a red dot finder, look through the viewing window and move the telescope until the red dot is centered on your target celestial object. The red dot finder does not provide any magnification and while not as good as a finderscope, it does the job.

Included are two decent quality 1.25″ Super Modified Achromat eyepieces: a 25mm and a 10mm, providing 26x and 65x magnification, respectively. Jupiter’s main cloud bands should be visible with the 10mm eyepiece. You could double the magnification of these eyepieces by picking up a 2x Barlow lens although a dedicated higher power eyepiece will perform better than using a Barlow. We recommend purchasing at least one additional eyepiece like a 4mm wide-angle (162.5x magnification) or 3.2mm wide-angle (203x) for better lunar and planetary detail, a 15mm wide-angle (43x magnification) for deep-sky viewing or a 32mm Plossl (20x magnification) for wider field of view.

The plastic helical focuser is decent for fine focus adjustments and has a low profile, however one annoyance is that there is enough play in the helical threads to cause the eyepiece to wobble. This can be fixed by using Teflon plumbing tape or wax on the threads.

A Cheshire eyepiece collimation tool is included and the primary mirror has a center dot which makes collimating the OneSky super easy. The OneSky does a good job of maintaining collimation even after several sessions of extending and collapsing the truss tube.

For a telescope with a 5″ aperture, the OneSky is extremely portable. The rigid truss tube design collapses from a fully extended length of 24″ to only 14.5″ in just a few seconds. You can easily fit the optical tube in a backpack or carry-on bag and either carry or check the mount separately. The optical tube and mount have a combined weight of 14lbs.

The AWB OneSky is only sold in the US (with free shipping), however the Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P is essentially the same telescope and sold in other countries (like Canada and the UK) but is slightly more expensive.

  • Carrying handle
  • Includes a Cheshire eyepiece collimation tool
  • Vixen-style dovetail plate can mount OTA to a compatible AZ or EQ tripod
  • Most portable option
  • Helical focuser can be wobbly
  • Open tube design – lower contrast
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for better lunar and planetary details

AWB OneSky 130 Reflector Telescope

Sold by AstronomersWithoutBorders.org
$199.99
Buy Now

Meade LightBridge Mini 130 Telescope


Want high-level performance at a reasonable price? Meade Instruments LightBridge Mini 130 Telescope delivers. It has very good optics and similar specs to the AWB OneSky but the main difference is that the LB Mini 130 has a closed tube design which provides better contrast. It has the lowest price of the three tabletop Dobs and can occasionally be found on sale making it an even better deal.

The tabletop Dobsonian mount has rubber feet to grip the surface of a table or stool and reduce vibrations. One complaint is that unlike the other tabletop mounts, the LB Mini 130 does not have a carrying handle. If you don’t like the tabletop mount, the Vixen-style dovetail plate allows you to attach the optical tube to a compatible altazimuth or equatorial mount. The dovetail plate is much shorter than the OneSky’s dovetail rail so there is less room to balance the optical tube, however this shouldn’t be much of an issue. There is an adjustable altitude tension knob on the side.

Like the OneSky, the LB Mini 130 comes with a basic red dot finder. The LB Mini 130′s red dot finder has a taller mount making it more comfortable to use than the OneSky’s finder. A red dot finder is fine for getting started. Most people prefer the magnification of a finderscope over a red dot finder and this is definitely an upgrade you could make down the road.

It comes with two 1.25″ Modified Achromat eyepieces: a 26mm which provides 25x magnification and a 9mm which provides 72x magnification. We recommend adding a higher power eyepiece or a Barlow lens to see greater detail of the moon and planets including impressive views of Saturn’s rings. As mentioned above, you may want to purchase additional eyepieces like a 4mm wide-angle (162.5x magnification), a 3.2mm wide-angle (203x), a 15mm wide-angle (43x magnification) or a 32mm Plossl (20x magnification).

The plastic 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser has dual focusing knobs and is an improvement over the OneSky‘s helical focuser. It can hold the focus better under the weight of the eyepiece and doesn’t have any eyepiece wobble like the OneSky.

The LightBridge Mini 130 does not come with a collimation tool so you will need to buy a basic collimation cap, Cheshire eyepiece collimator, laser collimator or attempt a no-tool collimation. However, the collimation thumbscrews are a nice upgrade allowing adjustments with your fingers.

While not as portable as the AWB OneSky due to the longer optical tube, the LightBridge Mini 130 is pretty lightweight weighing only 13.6 lbs. The optical tube can quickly be removed from the mount for easier portability.

  • Typically the cheapest option
  • Better focuser
  • Closed tube – improved contrast
  • Can adjust collimation by hand with thumb screws
  • No carrying handle
  • No collimation tool is included
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for better lunar and planetary details

Buy on Amazon


Zhumell Z130 Portable Altazimuth Reflector Telescope


The Zhumell Z130 Portable Altazimuth Reflector Telescope is one of the best telescopes you can buy for under $200. It would make an ideal gift or starter telescope for a beginner. The optics are very similar to the OneSky and the LightBridge Mini 130. The all-black design would look great on a bookshelf.

The tabletop Dobsonian mount is made of wood and melamine with two carrying handle cutouts. The optical tube is mounted to the base with tube rings and a Vixen-style dovetail. The tube rings allow you to rotate the optical tube to your preferred eyepiece angle which is a nice feature. The dovetail allows you balance the optical tube. You can adjust the tension of the up and down movements of the optical tube or lock it in place with the altitude tension knob. There’s also a handy eyepiece tray that attaches to the side and can hold three eyepieces.

Like the other mini Dobsonians, the Z130 includes a basic red dot finder. The red dot finder has a taller mount like the LB Mini 130′s finder which is better than the OneSky. You could replace the red dot finder with a finderscope if desired.


The Z130 includes a 1.25″ Kellner 25mm eyepiece (26x magnification) and a 1.25″ Kellner 10mm eyepiece (65x magnification). The quality and performance of the eyepieces are not too different from the OneSky or LB Mini 130. Consider adding a 4mm wide-angle (162.5x magnification), a 3.2mm wide-angle (203x), a 15mm wide-angle (43x magnification) or a 32mm Plossl (20x magnification).

The dual knob 1.25″ rack and pinion focuser is made of plastic. Like the LB Mini 130, it resists the weight of the eyepiece and holds focus better than the OneSky‘s helical focuser.

To collimate the telescope you first need to remove the rear dust cover. No collimation tool is included but Zhumell recommends using a collimation eyepiece. You will also need a Philips head screwdriver (included) as well as 2mm and 2.5mm Allen wrenches to collimate the mirrors.

The solid optical tube makes the Z130 less portable than the OneSky although it is still a convenient grab-and-go telescope and fits easily on a car seat.

  • Two carrying handles
  • Eyepiece tray
  • Closed tube – improved contrast
  • Vixen-style dovetail plate can mount OTA to a compatible AZ or EQ tripod
  • Can adjust eyepiece angle with tube rings
  • No collimation tool is included
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for better lunar and planetary details

Zhumell Z130 Portable Altazimuth Reflector Telescope

Sold by TelescopesPlus.com
$199.99
Buy Now

Comparison of Accessories

 AWB OneSky 130Meade LightBridge Mini 130Zhumell Z130
Finderred dot finderred dot finderred dot finder
Eyepieces25mm SMA - 1.25"
10mm SMA - 1.25"
26mm MA - 1.25”
9mm MA - 1.25”
25mm KE - 1.25"
10mm KE - 1.25"
Focuser1.25" helical1.25” rack & pinion1.25" rack & pinion
Collimation ToolCheshire eyepieceNoneNone

Conclusion

Weeding through all of the junk budget telescopes, there are a few worth considering around the $200 mark: the AWB OneSky, Meade LightBridge Mini 130 and Zhumell Z130. These 5″ tabletop Dobsonian reflectors have similar quality optics and specs. Each includes two eyepieces that are decent to start with and perform about the same but you will likely want to purchase an additional eyepiece or two.

If you’re looking for the most portable budget telescope, the AWB OneSky is the best option and it comes with a Cheshire collimation eyepiece. If you prefer the improved contrast of a closed tube, the LB Mini 130 and Z130 are comparable. If you like the carrying handles, eyepiece tray and tube rings, go with the Zhumell Z130. If you want to save a few dollars and like the collimation thumbscrews, the Meade LightBridge Mini 130 is a solid choice.

It’s hard to recommend one of these budget telescopes over the others. Any of the three would be an excellent choice for a beginner telescope, travel telescope, grab-and-go telescope, or gift.

Best Telescope For Beginners

Last updated: July 1, 2017

Photo by Tobias Lindman

A beginner who is seriously interested in astronomy should plan to spend between $300 and $400 when buying their first telescope. This may be too expensive for some while others may be comfortable spending considerably more.

A good starter telescope should:

  • fit within your budget
  • be simple to setup
  • be easy to use
  • have a sturdy mount
  • have a large aperture
  • provide early success
  • allow you to learn and grow with it

A common experience with beginners who buy a small aperture telescope is that after the first few nights of stargazing they have a strong desire to upgrade to a telescope with a larger aperture.

Be sure to check out our Telescope Buying Guide For Beginners to learn about the different types of telescopes, advantages and disadvantages for each, and things to consider when choosing your first telescope.

Table of Contents

  • Say no to GoTo
  • What is the best telescope for beginners?
  • What can you expect to see with an 8″ Dobsonian?
  • Astrophotography with Dobsonians
  • 8″ Dobsonian Telescope Reviews
    • Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
    • Sky-Watcher Traditional Dobsonian 8″ Telescope
    • Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
    • Orion SkyLine 8″ Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
  • Comparison of Accessories
  • Conclusion

Say no to GoTo

We do not recommend buying a GoTo as your first telescope and suggest you ignore the advice of those who do. Half the fun of picking up a new hobby is seeing your skill-level progress after starting from scratch. Learning how to navigate the night sky is a skill that you can only acquire through practice. Looking up celestial objects in a database and letting your computerized telescope do all the work is not how you learn. Expect to spend at least $700 for a decent GoTo unless you’re willing to settle for a small aperture and lower quality optics.

What is the best telescope for beginners?

If you want the best bang for your buck, an 8″ Dobsonian reflector is the largest aperture telescope you can buy for under $400. Remember that aperture is the most important specification to look for when choosing a telescope. The larger the aperture, the more light will be collected resulting in brighter and sharper images. An 8″ aperture telescope has 78% more light gathering capability than a 6″ aperture telescope. You’ll quickly understand why these telescopes are called light buckets.

Photo by Akarsh Simha

A Dobsonian is a Newtonian reflector telescope with a sturdy and simplified altazimuth mount, sometimes called a rocker box, that sits on the ground. The simplicity of these mounts means that they are cheaper to manufacture and more money can be spent on the optics, resulting in much larger apertures than other telescopes at the same price point.

Setting up a Dobsonian is quick and easy – just place the optical tube in the base and add an eyepiece, that’s it! The telescope is moved by hand (up and down, left and right) to locate a celestial object and then nudged to track its motion across the sky. They are much more intuitive to operate than equatorial mounts. With the eyepiece located at the front of the tube, Dobsonians provide a consistent and comfortable viewing height.

There are three telescope brands with excellent 8″ Dobsonians to choose from: Orion, Sky-Watcher, and Zhumell. Of the three, Zhumell is considered to be the best but is also the most expensive, Sky-Watcher has the lowest cost, and Orion is known for their great customer service. If you’re wondering where Celestron’s Dobsonian offering is, its parent company, Synta, owns Sky-Watcher.

An 8″ Dobsonian is a fairly large telescope. The optical tube is about 4 feet long and weighs around 20lbs with the base adding another 20+lbs (the Zhumell dob is a little heavier). Most people should be able to handle moving the optical tube and base separately. However, if storage space or portability is a concern or you can’t fit a telescope of this size in your car than you may want to consider a different telescope. Orion and Sky-Watcher do make slightly smaller 6″ aperture Dobsonian telescopes, Zhumell does not, and Orion even has a 4.5″ aperture Dobsonian with a total weight of only 17.6lbs.

As with other Newtonian reflectors, a Dobsonian will require occasional collimation, a process that involves manually adjusting the alignment of the mirrors for optimum optical performance. With practice it should take no longer than a minute or two to complete.

What can you expect to see with an 8″ Dobsonian?

This depends on a few factors including light pollution, atmospheric conditions, and the eyepiece. With an 8″ Dobsonian, views of open star clusters, the moon and the planets of the solar system are possible even in urban areas with light pollution. With good seeing conditions, Jupiter and Saturn will offer the most detail of the planets. Expect incredible views of Jupiter’s cloud bands, 4 moons, and Great Red Spot as well as Saturn’s rings, and its moons. You can see the changing phases of Mercury and Venus, the tiny disk shapes of Neptune and Uranus with green or blue coloring at high magnification, Mars as a small red disk and its polar ice caps are also a possibility. With a proper solar filter you can see surface granulation of the Sun and sunspots. You must use a solar filter or you can severely damage your eyes and go blind!

An 8″ aperture Dobsonian telescope has enough light gathering ability to view fainter objects like nebulae, galaxies, and globular clusters. While some deep-sky objects are visible in urban light-polluted areas, viewing fainter objects is more dependent on darker skies. You may need to get outside of the city for better views and to see more celestial objects including the 100 Messier objects and the Herschel 400 objects. At a dark site, an 8″ aperture will reveal the spiral structure of galaxies. Deep-sky observing requires time and patience. Using averted vision can help you see fainter details.

This field of view simulation is a helpful comparison of different eyepieces with an 8" Dobsonian telescope.

Astrophotography with Dobsonians

We recommend that beginners focus on learning how to operate a telescope and how to navigate the night sky before even considering astrophotography. While it is possible to use a Dobsonian to capture very short exposures of the moon and planets, these telescopes are better for viewing than for imaging.

A mount is the most important factor in astrophotography. An Equatorial mount is recommended for its very precise tracking and stability. Dobsonian mounts are not suitable for long exposure imaging of deep-sky objects. It is possible to buy or build an equatorial platform for your Dobsonian to allow tracking, however they are typically not precise enough for deep-sky imaging.


8″ Dobsonian Telescope Reviews

Each of the following Dobsonian telescopes has an 8″ (203mm) aperture, a focal length of 1200mm, a focal ratio of f/5.9, and a parabolic primary mirror. All of telescopes reviewed were priced at less than $400 at the time of this article’s last update.

We have compiled a Comparison of Accessories table which is included below.

Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope


The Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope is one of the most popular and most recommended telescopes for beginners. It would be wrong to suggest that it’s exclusively for beginners as it’s a great telescope for all levels of experience. It’s the kind of telescope that many people hang onto even after they upgrade to a larger telescope or a GoTo.

The XT8 has essentially the same optics as the Sky-Watcher 8″ Traditional Dobsonian as they are both manufactured by Synta. It is an excellent telescope right out of the box that will allow you to upgrade accessories and add eyepieces over time as your skills improve.

The XT8 Dobsonian mount is very stable with relatively smooth rotation, just not as smooth as the Zhumell Z8. The simple azimuth bearings are comprised of three Teflon pads attached to the bottom base piece while the alt bearings consist of UHMW polyethylene pads. A system of heavy-duty tension springs secures the telescope to the base and keeps it in balance.

The EZ Finder II is a simple red dot reflex sight which does not provide magnification. You look through the finder’s viewing window and align the red dot with the celestial object you wish to observe by moving the telescope. Most people prefer a finderscope although some favor red dot finders. Replacing the red dot finder with a finderscope or Telrad finder is one possible upgrade you could make down the road.


The XT8 comes with a 25mm Sirius Plossl 1.25″ eyepiece which has a 52° apparent field of view and provides 48x magnification. With a 25mm eyepiece in suburban conditions, you should be able to observe of the moon, planets, and deep-sky objects like nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies like Andromeda. For better lunar and planetary detail you will likely want to buy an additional eyepiece. A 6mm wide-angle eyepiece with long eye relief will provide 200x magnification and would be an ideal add-on. You may also want to consider a 15mm wide-angle eyepiece (80x magnification) to fill the gap for viewing deep-sky objects.

The 2″ Crayford single-speed focuser has large focus knobs which are smooth and keep the image steady while focusing. It comes with a removable 1.25″ adapter to allow use of 1.25″ or 2″ eyepieces.  The single-speed focuser is good but a dual-speed focuser would be better. Again this is something that you could upgrade in the future.

The collimation tool is a simple cap with a hole in the middle and a reflective surface on the back that is placed in the focuser. It does the job but you may consider upgrading to a laser collimator for easier collimation. This YouTube video walks you through the steps to collimate the XT8.

The steel optical tube is 46.5″ long and weighs 20.3lbs with the wood base weighing an additional 20.7lbs for a total assembled weight of 41lbs. The XT8 is well constructed and should last a lifetime. If you don’t think the XT8 will fit in your car, have limited storage space or if you just want to save some money, consider the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 Classic Dobsonian or Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian with 4.5″ and 6″ apertures, respectively. The XT4.5 is considerably lighter with a total weight of 17.6lbs. The XT6 is a better value than the XT4.5 with about a $30 higher price tag. Also be aware that the XT8 has better focuser than these smaller dobs.

For an extra $20 (total still under $400), Orion offers an XT8 kit that also includes a 2x Shorty Barlow Lens, a Moon Map, Telescope Observer’s Guide book by Richard J. Bartlett, a planisphere, and a red LED flashlight.

It’s not a bad deal but performance of the Barlow with the kit lens isn’t terrible but it isn’t great either. Your money would be better spent buying a 6mm eyepiece instead.

The XT8 Plus model includes a few minor upgrades, an additional eyepiece, a Barlow lens, and a solar filter but is not worth the extra $120. There is also the XT8i IntelliScope that comes with a computerized object locator with a database of over 14,000 objects. It is a PushTo telescope, not a GoTo, as you have to manually move the telescope to locate and track the object based on the arrow directions given by the handheld controller. It is also nearly double the cost of the XT8 Classic and simply not worth it.

  • Large aperture
  • Focuser can accept 1.25″ and 2″ eyepieces
  • Includes collimation cap
  • Only one eyepiece included
  • A finderscope would be better than a red dot finder
  • Need a higher power eyepiece for moon and planets
  • No accessories like eyepiece rack, cooling fan, moon filter

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Sky-Watcher Traditional Dobsonian 8″ Telescope


The Sky-Watcher Traditional Dobsonian 8″ is another popular telescope for beginners. It is typically priced about $25 less than the Orion XT8 making it a great value with the added accessories and upgrades. As mentioned above, the Sky-Watcher and the Orion XT8 are manufactured by the same company so the quality of the optics is very similar. The Sky-Watcher strikes the perfect balance between quality, performance and affordability.

The design of the wood rocker box is slightly different than the Orion XT8. The Sky-Watcher also uses Teflon pads for the azimuth bearings which provide relatively smooth motion. However, the optical tube sits on round Teflon altitude bearings and instead of springs it uses a tension control handle with steel ball bearings to adjust the tension of the altitude movement and provide stability. It also comes with a handy built-in eyepiece rack at the front of the mount.

The Sky-Watcher includes a 9×50 finderscope which is better than a basic red dot finder. The finderscope has 9x magnification with a 50mm aperture which will allow you to detect fainter objects. It’s easier to aim your telescope at a target object using a finderscope than with a red dot finder.

The Sky-Watcher comes with two Plossl 1.25″ eyepieces: a 25mm and a 10mm. The 25mm eyepiece provides 48x magnification and the 10mm provides 120x magnification. These are good starter eyepieces and you may wish to add a 6mm wide-angle eyepiece in the future to see greater detail of the moon and planets.

The 2” single-speed Crayford focuser also includes a 1.25” adaptor and can accept eyepieces of both sizes. It is smooth to focus and doesn’t cause the image to wobble while adjusting focus.

Unfortunately, the Sky-Watcher does not come with a collimating tool. The telescope comes factory collimated so you shouldn’t have to make any adjustments initially unless the package was mishandled or you bumped the optical tube during transport. You will want to buy a simple collimation cap, collimating eyepiece or laser collimator although you could try the no-tool collimation method.

The optical tube is 44″ long and weighs 20lbs with the base weighing an additional 25lbs for a total assembled weight of 45lbs, slightly heavier than the Orion XT8. If the 8″ Dobsonian is too big for your liking or if you want to save some money, Sky-Watcher also makes a smaller Traditional Dobsonian 6″ Telescope. The main differences being that the 6″ version includes a 2″ rack and pinion focuser which is not as good as the Crayford-style focuser and the finderscope is a 6×30.

  • Good value
  • Large aperture
  • 9×50 finderscope
  • Two eyepieces are included
  • Focuser can accept 1.25″ and 2″ eyepieces
  • Eyepiece rack
  • Heavier than Orion XT8
  • No collimation tool is included
  • No cooling fan or moon filter

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Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope


Despite being the most expensive of the three 8″ Dobsonians reviewed, the Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope offers the most value. Although retailing for more than $400, it’s frequently on sale and can be purchased while staying within the $400 budget. It is manufactured by Guan Sheng Optical (GSO) which arguably produces slightly higher quality optics with better quality control. The included accessories are definite upgrades over the other Dobsonian options and are more expensive when individually compared, making the Z8 a better deal overall.

A cool feature of the Z8 is the primary mirror cooling fan. The battery-powered cooling fan brings the telescope’s optics to ambient temperature faster which means less waiting time and improved viewing.

The Z8‘s mount uses azimuth ball bearings instead of Teflon pads providing very smooth motion tracking, by far the smoothest rotation of the three dobs. The altitutde movements are adjusted with tension knobs on each side of the rocker box which can also lock the telescope in place. A visual scale allows you to easily adjust the balance of the optical tube depending on the weight of various eyepieces and accessories. The mount also includes a handle and an eyepiece rack.

The finderscope is an 8×50 right angle correct image. This means it has 8x magnification with a 50mm aperture. The right angle is a more comfortable viewing position when pointing near the zenith. The correct image means that the image has the correct orientation making it easier to work with sky maps as the star patterns look the same.

The Z8 comes with two eyepieces. The 2″ 30mm wide-angle (70°) eyepiece provides 40x magnification and is best used for large and faint sky objects such as nebulae, galaxies, and open star clusters. The 1.25″ Plossl 9mm provides 133x magnification, has a smaller field of view and is best used on smaller objects like planets, planetary nebulae, small galaxies, and globular clusters. You may want to purchase a 6mm wide-angle eyepiece and a 15mm wide-angle eyepiece to complement the others.

The 2″ dual-speed Crayford focuser provides both coarse and fine focusing. Make large focus adjustments by turning either of the coarse focus knobs and finish focusing with the 10:1 focus knob. Turning the fine focus knob 10 times equals 1 rotation of the coarse focus knob. This helps especially when viewing at high power. You can use both 1.25″ and 2″ eyepieces with the included 1.25″ adapter.

A laser collimator is included and is a welcome bonus. It makes collimating your telescope a lot easier. The Z8 also comes with a moon filter which will reduce the brightness of the moon to help see more lunar detail.

The optical tube of the Z8 is 45.25″ long and with the base has a total assembled weight of 54lbs. It is the heaviest of the Dobsonians with the extra weight of the base due to the ball bearings. Zhumell does not make a smaller Dobsonian.

  • Best value if on sale for less than $400
  • 8×50 finderscope (right angle correct image)
  • Two eyepieces including good quality 2″ 30mm
  • Dual-speed focuser
  • Includes laser collimator
  • Cooling fan for primary mirror
  • Eyepiece rack
  • Moon filter
  • Heaviest of the 8″ Dobsonians
  • Most expensive

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Orion SkyLine 8″ Dobsonian Reflector Telescope


Orion also offers the “fully-loaded” SkyLine 8″ Dobsonian that is comparable to the Zhumell Z8 but it is more expensive and slightly over budget by about $50. The SkyLine and Z8 are both manufactured by GSO and are essentially the same telescope with the same accessories but different branding. Everything in the above Z8 review applies to the SkyLine.

The SkyLine mount includes azimuth roller bearings, adjustable altitude tension knobs, and an eyepiece rack. A 2″ Erfle 30mm wide-angle eyepiece and a 1.25″ Plossl 9mm eyepiece are included. The 2″ Crayford dual-speed focuser with fine focus adjustment includes a 1.25″ adapter. Also included is a laser collimator, an 8×50 right angle correct image finderscope, and a primary mirror cooling fan.

The only difference between the included accessories is that the Zhumell Z8 comes with a moon filter and the SkyLine does not.

The optical tube is 45.25″ long and the total assembled weight is 54lbs.

If the Zhumell Z8 is out of stock or you’re willing to spend the extra $50, the Orion SkyLine is a really good substitute.

  • 8×50 finderscope (right angle correct image)
  • Two eyepieces including good quality 2″ 30mm
  • Dual-speed focuser
  • Includes laser collimator
  • Eyepiece rack
  • Cooling fan for primary mirror
  • Not typically on sale
  • Heaviest of the 8″ Dobsonians
  • No moon filter

Orion SkyLine 8″ Dobsonian Reflector Telescope

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$449.99
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Comparison of Accessories

 Orion SkyQuest XT8Sky-Watcher 8"Zhumell Z8
FinderEZ Finder II reflex sight
(red dot)
9x50 Finderscope8x50 Finderscope
(right angle correct image)
Eyepieces25mm Plossl - 1.25"25mm Plossl - 1.25”
10mm Plossl - 1.25”
30mm - 2"
9mm Plossl - 1.25"
Focuser2" Crayford
(single-speed)
2” Crayford
(single-speed)
2" Crayford
(dual-speed)
Collimation ToolCollimation capNoneLaser collimater
Moon FilterNoNoYes
Cooling FanNoNoYes
Eyepiece RackNoYesYes

Conclusion

You really can’t go wrong buying any of these 8″ Dobsonians. The Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope provides the best value and is our top pick. It comes with high quality accessories including a really good 2″ 30mm eyepiece. If you want to save some money the Sky-Watcher Traditional Dobsonian 8″ is another solid choice. The included 9×50 finderscope and extra eyepiece are a plus. The Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope is popular for a reason. It is a reliable telescope with good optics but you’ll want to make some upgrades eventually.

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