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Budget telescopes are a great way to dip your toes into cosmic exploration without needing a fortune of galactic proportions. While you may miss out on advanced tech and smart features found in more expensive options, budget-friendly telescopes still allow you to view stars, planets, nebulas, and more. Choosing an affordable telescope can be challenging, though. Read on to discover our favorite picks and what you should look for in the best budget telescopes.
How we chose the best budget telescopes
While budget telescopes will result in limited selection compared to higher-price items, there are still plenty of options for those on tight budgets. When selecting the telescopes for this guide, we prioritized those from well-established brands to ensure quality, durability, and reliability. You’ll notice that Celestron is well-represented, and for good reason. Celestron is truly the heavy in the consumer telescope world, and it tends to dominate on the more accessible end of the spectrum. We then considered the optical design, mount type, aperture, and focal length, choosing a variety of options suitable for different stargazing needs. Finally, we assessed build quality, optical quality, and included accessories.
The best budget telescopes: Reviews & Recommendations
Manufacturers of budget telescopes inherently need to make sacrifices to keep prices down, but that doesn’t mean all budget-friendly devices are cheaply made or of poor quality. The options below will offer a balance of quality, features, and price so you can get the most for your money at a lower price point.
Best overall: Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ
Specs
- Optical design: Newtonian reflector
- Mount type:…
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