All the popular reflector telescopes are listed below – you may browse by brands or mountings (alt-azimuth or equatorial).

About Newtonian Reflector Telescopes

Newton improved on the earlier design of the reflector telescopes specifically for astronomy use. Unlike refractor telescopes, a reflector telescope uses mirrors to collect and focus light from distant objects.

Since mirrors are used to reflect light in the telescope, hence its name.

Mirrors are less costly than lenses and for the same amount of money, reflector telescopes give you a more generous spread on the celestial table. With their bigger apertures, they are great for deep-sky observation. Get one and start viewing nebulas, galaxies, star clusters and see more details of our Solar System.

The down side of reflector telescopes is their size and the need to collimate the mirrors. But practice makes perfect, and once that obstacle is overcome, their affordability and functionality make them the top choice as beginner telescopes for amateur astronomers, whether children or adults.

Basically, whether a particular telescope is good for you as a beginner will depend very much on, firstly, your observation preferences, whether your focus is on the moon and planets or you have the intention to venture further into deeper space to view nebulae, galaxies and star clusters. Secondly, your usual observation site, since light pollution will affect your ability to see faint objects.

The above factors will help you narrow down your selection. Before going on your shopping spree, do familiarize yourself with the basics on how to choose a good beginner astronomy telescope. You will then be able to identify the most suitable starter telescope that meets most, if not all, your requirements.

What are the Differences between a Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Level Starter Telescope?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions by beginners.

Depending on how deep you want to dive into your hobby in amateur astronomy, you may choose any one of the following telescopes as a starter telescope in terms of their complexity in construction.

(a) Entry level beginner telescopes are comparatively easier to set up, operate and maintain. The recommended mounts are alt-azimuth or Dobsonian due to their ease of use. Go for one with good optical and mechanical quality so that you will not grow out of it too soon. Having said that, we do not discount the usefulness of a cheap kiddie telescope in nurturing young children’s interest in astronomy.

(b) An intermediate level starter telescope offers more features, better performance, excellent mechanics and quality optics. It allows an enthusiast to grow into the hobby without having to upgrade too soon.

(c) Advanced telescopes are high performance instruments with exceptional quality. They generally require more commitment to use, i.e. you must have the patience and be technically savvy to set one up properly. There tends to be some trade-offs in these types of telescopes. While some are easy-to-use, they are usually large and heavy, or are intended for specific usage, e.g. astrophotography. With careful selection, an advanced telescope can be your lifetime companion in your exploration of the outer space.

Comparison Shopping for Good Beginner Telescopes

For your hassle-free online shopping experience, we’ve meticulously categorized all types of telescopes for your easy comparison. Having set your budget, decide on the Type of telescope and its Mounting, then choose the Aperture size followed by the Brand.

Compare Prices

Use the recommendation below as a rough price guide:-

1. Kiddie telescopes under $100 are great for introducing young children to astronomy. Complement it with a best selling book on astronomy for children, A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky. Find well-illustrated books on astronomy for children here.
2. Young adult users whose focus are on near Earth objects may opt for a refractor telescope. For a wider choice of views, a low cost Newtonian reflector telescope with an equatorial mount priced under $200 is a fair choice and allows you to grow into your hobby.
3. Some of the best beginner telescopes are available for under $300 and are suitable for most adult beginners; and
4. Telescopes priced at $500 or higher are generally considered as “Intermediate Level” telescopes and are highly recommended for the serious beginners.

Compare Types of Telescopes

Select your preferred type of telescope kits and compare the offers.

• Reflector Telescopes;
• Refractor Telescopes;
• Dobsonian Telescopes;
• Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes;
  
• Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes; and
• Entry Level Computerized and Go-To Telescopes.

Compare Aperture Sizes

The true power of an astronomy telescope is in its aperture size. The larger the aperture, the more light it can collect and therefore, gives sharper images. For the same aperture size and similar overall quality, a refractor usually cost more than a reflector telescope.

Browse and compare aperture sizes:-

1. Less than 80mm aperture;
2. 80mm to 90+ mm aperture;
3. 100mm to 150 mm aperture;
4. 150mm to 200mm aperture;
5. Over 200mm aperture.

Compare Brands

You may wish to compare the following popular brands of telescopes:-

1. Orion Telescopes
2. Celestron Telescopes
3. Galileo Telescopes
4. Bushnell Telescopes
5. Meade Telescopes
6. SkyWatcher Telescopes
7. Tasco Telescopes
8. Barska Telescopes
9. Konus Telescopes
10. Zhumell Telescopes
11. Vixen Telescopes

This heavy-duty tripod is super compact and lightweight. It supports any medium-weight cameras, giant binoculars, spotting scopes and telescopes. With the stability provided by its wide leg spread, it can comfortably hold any small Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. When fully extended, the tripod allows for comfortable eye-level viewing.

Panning can be easily done using the 11-inch long adjustable handle. The smooth panning feature is unique to this tripod, you can pan your scope smoothly and easily using the adjustment knobs for both axes. Its stability and fluid panning makes it the top choice for adult beginner stargazers. If you own a Mak-Cass telescope, you may mount it on this tripod for both terrestrial and celestial viewings. Leveling of your scope may be achieved with the built-in bubble level.

Tips for adult beginner amateur astronomers: Consider getting a Mak-Cass 102mm telescope tube, an Orion HD-F2 Paragon Tripod and an Orion EQ-2 Mount.

Why?

• You’ll get more mileage from your initial investment in a Mak-Cass as it allows you to grow into this new hobby – all the way to astrophotography!  You get quality images and a wider spread of the night sky.
• Mount your Mak-Cass on the Orion HD-F2 Paragon and use it for terrestrial viewing in the day and as an astronomy telescope at night. This multipurpose usage is afforded by the unique smooth panning feature of the tripod.
• When you are ready to venture further with an equatorial mount, do consider the Orion EQ-2 mount since it gives you the option of adding tracking functionality in the future.

Truly a match made in heaven – for viewing the heavens!

Confirmed: Quality, both the parts and the images.

Terrific feature: Portability and great value for money!

Good things do come in small packages and the proof of the pudding is in the eating.  Just take a peek into this Mak-Cass, both at night and during the day, will convince you of its quality delivered in a short one-foot compact tube.  Combined with its comparatively large 102mm aperture, it is able to serve up brighter and highly resolved images. In spite of its short housing, the 1300mm focal length is achieved through mirrors and lenses which folds the light several times.  This design allows Mak-Cass to perform many times more powerful than telescopes of similar size.

.

For Terrestrial Viewing

The Apex 102 is excellent as a spotting scope as the 45° diagonal provides a correctly-oriented field of view.

For Observational Astronomy

For astronomy viewing, you may wish to get a 90-degree mirror diagonal.   Use this Mak-Cass telescope to view the planets, the Moon as well as nebulas and star clusters.  It accepts standard 1.25″ telescope eyepieces for nearly unlimited magnification options.  Because of the superb quality of its optics, you may wish to spend time studying detailed features on the Moon surface, the cloud patterns of Jupiter or even the ring of Saturn.  You may even use it to study brighter deep sky objects of up to magnitude 12 (our naked eyes can see up to magnitude 6).

Photography

The scope can be easily mounted on a telescope mount or camera tripod with the built-in 1/4″-20 adapter plate. It can be used as a high-power telephoto lens for photography by mounting a 35mm camera body (with optional T-ring) to the T-threads on the eyepiece holder.

Tips for adult beginner amateur astronomers: Consider getting a Mak-Cass 102mm telescope tube, an Orion HD-F2 Paragon Tripod and an Orion EQ-2 Mount.

Why?

* You’ll get more mileage from your initial investment in a Mak-Cass as it allows you to grow into this new hobby – all the way to astrophotography by mounting it on an equatorial mount with tracking functionality.  You get quality images and a wider spread of the night sky.

* Mount your Mak-Cass on the Orion HD-F2 Paragon and use it for terrestrial viewing in the day and as an astronomy telescope at night. This multipurpose usage is afforded by the unique smooth panning feature of the tripod.

* When you are ready to venture further with an equatorial mount, do consider the Orion EQ-2 mount since it gives you the option of adding tracking functionality in the future.

Truly a match made in heaven – for viewing the heavens!

Orion EZ Finder II

Zoom in to your desired night sky objects easily with the Orion EZ Finder II. This sleek-looking and reasonably priced finderscope offers all astronomy beginners great value for your money!  Highly recommended.

How to use the Orion EZ Finderscope

The red dot shows where your telescope is pointing.

This quality low-priced version of Orion’s range of finderscopes is simple and easy to use.  You can quickly find and pin-point the celestial objects you want to view by superimposing a tiny LED-illuminated red dot on the sky.  When properly aligned with your telescope’s field of view, it will show exactly where your telescope is pointing.  It’s much simpler to use than other standard finder scopes because what you see is what you get – the objects are neither magnified nor inverted, but are as you see them with your naked eyes.

Other useful features of this finderscope is that the brightness of the dot is adjustable.  It comes with thumbwheels allowing for easy positioning of the dot both horizontally and vertically to ensure precise alignment with the main telescope.

If you own an Orion telescope, the bracket that comes with this finder scope allows it to be easily fitted onto the quick-release dovetail mounting of your telescope.  For non-Orion telescopes, the dovetail can be purchased separately.

This finder scope comes with a 3-volt lithium battery and a one-year limited warranty.

.

Telescopes with apertures of more than 200 mm

Telescopes with apertures of more than 200mm are considered as advanced level or professional telescopes.

Telescopes with apertures of between 150mm to 200 mm

Telescopes that come under this aperture range are intermediate to advanced level telescopes.

Telescopes with apertures of less than 150 mm

Most of the telescopes under this aperture range are Newtonian reflectors.

If you enjoy gazing at the night sky, this software pack will show you what the sky should actually look like at your location, light pollution or not.  It’s great to be able to check before you go outside.

It’s easy to use and you can easily learn it even if you have no knowledge of any celestial objects. For beginners, to complement your out-in-the-field stargazing activities, this is an ideal pack that has everything you need to get started. You get to see the various kinds of night sky phenomena and explore the Universe in the comfort of your couch. Travel to the edges of the known Universe. Travel through time, from 4713 BC to 3000 AD, and see what the Universe looked like thousands of years ago or what it will look like thousands of years from now.

What you can get from the software:

* See how the night sky looks like from anywhere on Earth;
* View your home location night sky;
* Learn how to identify planets, stars, and popular asterisms such as “The Big Dipper”; and
* Space travel to visit any planet in the solar system, its moons, or the Milky Way.

Highlights of the software:

All new discoveries will be automatically updated into the software.
.