Telescopes for Beginners
We know how confusing buying your first telescope can be so in this section you will find a dozen of our most popular choices for beginners.
To start with we have focussed mainly on the simplest to use types of mount - Alt AZ or dobsonian. This means the telescope moves up and down and left to right making it intuitive to use, and there is no complicated polar alignment to worry about either. An Equatorial mount is needed for long exposure Deep Sky Photograph but adds some extra complexibility for some beginners. You can still have alot of fun taking shots of the moon or webcam imaging planets with all the Alt-AZ computerised scopes listed here.
That said we have included some basic beginner scopes with an EQ mount in this section because they offer good value for money, and the traditional tripod is useful if you don't have a flat surface to use a dobsonian on. When thinking about these scopes you need to consider the following. The advantage of the equatorial mount is that if you align the RA axis with the centre of the earths rotation you can track objects as they move more easily by only having to move one control to do so. The disadvantage is that if you dont align it, you still have to use both controls! and secondly, because each axis is on an angle it will take a little while to get used to how the telescope moves.
In the right conditions these telescopes will be able to see objects such as the Moon, Planets, The Orion Nebula and The Andromeda Galaxy. The larger the aperture the more you will see, but you have to find your own balance based on your budget, acceptable weight and storage space. A smaller scope that is used often is much better than a large heavy one that gathers dust! and if you suffer with alot of light pollution then sometimes a smaller scope is best.
Computerise GO-TO or Manual Mount?
A Manual Dobsonian Telescope will give you the best optical performance per £ spent. Its simple design means most of your budget is spent on the optics, and its easy and intuative to use. The drawback is that you will have to find sky objects yourselves, and when you do find them you will need to constantly nudge your scope to keep them in the field of view. On the positive side you will need to find sky objects yourselves and when you do find them you will need to constantly nudge your scope to keep them in the field of view!! This process really does help you learn the night sky and how things move and you won't need power either, so no batteries of power packs are needed.
On the other hand Computerised or so called Go-To mounts are what Sat-Navs are to Maps. They can be a huge benefit to beginners helping them quickly find objects that they would not otherwise see. They also track objects adding the possibilty of some basic Astro-Photography. If your viewing time is limited then these can be a great time saver.
All Go-To mounts do need an element of setting up. Typically they require you to input Time, Date and Location as well as pointing it at two or three Alignment Stars. The Sky-Watcher System requires you to know the names of the 'Alignment Stars' used during the set up, Celestrons Sky-Align system allows you to use any bright objects withiout having to know any names, and for ultimate ease of setup Celestron's Starsense technology included on the SkyProdigy Series aligns itself using its onboard camera!
So what else do I need?
All these telescopes have everything you need (except batteries for the powered models) to be up and running out of the box. That said, there are a few accessories that can enhance your viewing experience and make life a little easier for you.
Eyepieces - You telescope will include one or two eyepieces (depending on model) that will enable you to use your telescope straight away. These are perfectly fit for purpose, but just like you can extend a DSLR Camera's flexibility by adding different 'length' lenses like telephotos or wide angle the same is true for your telescope. Adding some different focal length eyepieces will give you a wider choice of magnifications to work with, and investing in higher quality eyepieces can improve you viewing experience.
If your going to buy a computerised mount then you are going to need batteries, and lots of them! so an alternative supply like a PowerTank or 240V to 12V Power Adapter should be high on your list.
To attach a DSLR you will need a T-Ring and in some cases also a T-Adapter, or for planetary imaging a Webcam that you can slot into the eyepiece holder is a great option.
To find your way around the Night Sky a Planisphere or a good book like 'Turn Left at Orion' is a great option and a Red Light Torch will help you read them in the dark without destroying your night vision.
We are always very happy to listen to you and help you find the right telescope, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. You can contact us via email or chat online, by telephone or by visiting our showroom where you can see and try a range of products.
In the meantime you may also find this video from our friends at the Sky at Night Magazine quite useful. It contains some good explanation and tips.
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Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80 Refractor Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope
£229.99£219.99Designed for beginners and families to easily find and enjoy stars, planets, and more using your smartphone.
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Skywatcher Skyhawk 1145PS AZ Pronto
£199.00Simple to use, great value reflector! Price includes free delivery to mainland UK postcodes
Out of stock -
Sky-Watcher Heritage-100P
£149.00With its quality 100mm f/4 parabolic optics, this compact scope can be used to view the Moon and bright planets and also has enough light gathering for the observation of star clusters, bright galaxies and nebulae.
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Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P FlexTube Dobsonian Telescope
£219.00£199.00(1)Fantastic mix of aperture and ease of use with the convenience of the flex-tube design
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Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P Classic Dobsonian Telescope
£359.00(1)NEW IMPROVED: Now supplied with 12.5mm and 20mm 70-Degree Wide Angle Eyepieces, a 1.25" Adaptor with Brass Compression and a Universal Smartphone Camera AdaptorOut of stock -
Sky-Watcher Mercury-707
£139.00Out of stock until 2025. Why not try the Celestron Inspire 80 AZ?Out of stock -
Sky-Watcher Star Discovery P150i Wi-Fi Telescope
£599.00£519.00Easy to use Goto scope controlled from and app on a compatible smartphone or tablet!
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Skywatcher Skymax 102s AZ Pronto
£269.00Easy to use, No Fuss, Grab-and-Go Telescope. The compact but powerful SKYMAX-102S is ideal for the observation of double-stars, and the surface detail of the Moon and bright planets. -
Celestron NexStar Evolution 6 SCT Telescope
£1,739.99£1,599.00Typical delivery leadtime approx 3-5 days
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Acuter Voyager MAK80-FAST 80mm Maksutov-Cassegrain OTA
£199.00Out of stock -
BRESSER Solarix Telescope 114/500 with Solar Filter
£157.00Includes Solar Filter and smart phone holder bracket - Ships in 7-10 days -
Celestron Astro Fi 130mm Newtonian Reflector Telescope
£499.99£479.00Typical Delivery Leadtime 3-5 days -
Celestron Inspire 80AZ Refractor Telescope
£249.00£139.00Out of stock -
Celestron Inspire 90 AZ Short Refractor Telescope
£279.00£145.00 -
Celestron NexStar 127 SLT
£599.00£539.00A timeless classic - this 127mm Maksutov based goto telescope is fantastic for lunar and planetary views, as well as brighter deep sky objects. Compact, portable and easy to use.
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Celestron NexStar 6SE Telescope
£1,349.00£1,199.00Delivery 3-5 working days. Free Delivery to mainland UK postcodes (exceptions to Highlands and Islands)
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Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope
£1,699.00£1,475.00Includes free 30 min one to one user lesson. - Available from stock
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Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102 AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Refractor Telescope
£419.99£389.00Uses your smartphone to analyse the night sky and calculate its position in real time
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Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 5" SCT Smartphone App Enabled Telescope
£569.00£529.00 -
Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 6" SCT Smartphone App Enabled Telescope
£719.99£659.00 -
Celestron Starsense Explorer 114mm Smartphone App-Enabled Tabletop Dobsonian Telescope
£249.99£239.00Out of stock -
Celestron Starsense Explorer 12" Smartphone App-Enabled Dobsonian Telescope
£1,259.00£1,175.00Available now! -
Celestron Starsense Explorer 130DX AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Newtonian Reflector Telescope
£449.99£409.00Uses your smartphone to analyse the night sky and calculate its position in real time
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Celestron Starsense Explorer 130mm Smartphone App-Enabled Tabletop Dobsonian Telescope
£299.99£299.00 -
Celestron Starsense Explorer 150mm Smartphone App-Enabled Tabletop Dobsonian Telescope
£399.00 -
Celestron Starsense Explorer 8" Smartphone App-Enabled Dobsonian Telescope
£649.00£599.00Celestron has reinvented the Dobsonian telescope with StarSense Explorer—the first Dobsonian that uses your smartphone to analyze the night sky and calculate its position in real-time -
Heritage-150P Flextube™ (Virtuoso GTI)
£419.00£399.00Price includes free standard delivery to mainland UK postcodes.Out of stock -
ISA Space Exploration NASA 70/700 AZ Telescope
£124.00 -
ISA Space Exploration NASA-themed Dobsonian Telescope 150/1200
£369.00Delivery approximately 7-10 working days. -
ISA Space Exploration NASA-themed Telescope AR-102L/1350 EXOS-1/EQ4
£654.00Delivered in 5-10 working days. -
ISA Space Exploration NASA-themed Telescope AR-90/900 EXOS-1/EQ4
£439.00Delivered in 5-10 working days. -
ISA Space Exploration NASA-themed Telescope NT-114/500 AZ
£369.00Delivery approximately 7-10 working days. -
Royal Observatory Greenwich Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 100AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope
£299.99£289.00Uses your smartphone to analyse the night sky and calculate its position in real time
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Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P AZ-Go2 Wi-Fi Newtonian Reflector Telescope
£369.00The New AZ-GOT2 range from Sky-watcher. This is the Explorer 130P (model #10193)
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Sky-Watcher Skyhawk -1145P AZ-Go2 Wi-Fi Newtonian Reflector Telescope
£319.00Expected March
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Sky-Watcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian Telescope
£279.00Includes to delivery to most mainland UK postcodes - exceptions apply for highland and remote areas.Out of stock -
Sky-Watcher Skyliner 250P Classic Dobsonian Telescope
£549.00Includes Free Delivery to most mainland UK postcodes - exceptions are the Highlands and Islands.Out of stock -
Sky-Watcher SkyMax 102 AZ-Go2 Wi-Fi Maksutov Telescope
£409.00The New AZ-GOT2 range from Sky-watcher. This is the Skymax 102 (model #10194)
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Sky-Watcher SkyMax 127 AZ-Go2 Wi-Fi Maksutov Telescope
£529.00£469.00The highly portable Sky-Watcher SKYMAX-127 (AZ-Go2), has been designed to be controlled wirelessly with your Smartphone or Tablet, using the free SynScan App for iOS or Android.
Now Includes 10mm and 20mm Photo/Visual eyepiece and a Universal Smartphone adaptor
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Sky-Watcher Skymax-102 (AZ-GTI)
£479.00£445.00 -
Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 (AZ-GTI) Wifi Go-to Telescope
£649.00£559.00A great portable scope with built in Wifi technology. Can be upgraded with an optional wedge and via firmware to operate as an EQ mount too.
Out of stock -
Sky-Watcher Startravel-102 (AZ-GO2) WIFI GOTO Refractor Telescope
£389.00 -
Skymax-127 Virtuoso GTI Computerised Tabletop Telescope
£599.00£489.00Skymax 127 (Virtuoso GTI) 10996 - A table top telescope controlled via the free SynScan APP on your smartphone or tablet. -
Skywatcher Evostar 90/660 AZ Pronto
£279.00£253.00Price includes delivery to mainland UK postcodes. -
Unistellar eVscope 2 Smart Telescope with 7.7Mpixel Electronic Eyepiece by Nikon
£3,999.00 -
Unistellar eVscope 2 Smart Telescope with 7.7Mpixel Electronic Eyepiece by Nikon with BACKPACK
£4,199.00 -
Unistellar eVscope eQuinox 2 Smart Telescope
£2,199.00 -
Unistellar eVscope eQuinox 2 Smart Telescope with Backpack
£2,399.00 -
Unistellar Odyssey PRO Smart Telescope
£3,499.00 -
Unistellar Odyssey Smart Telescope
£1,999.00 -
Unistellar Smart Solar Filter
£219.00 -
Unistellar Smart Solar Filter (Odyssey Pro & Odyssey)
£219.00 -
ZWO Replacement SOLAR FILTER for Seestar S50 Smart Telescope
£19.90Bahtinov mask printed with carbon fiber filament. -
ZWO SeeStar S30 All-in-One Dual-Lens Smart APO Refractor Telescope with Tripod
£369.00Pre Order NowOut of stock -
ZWO SeeStar S50 All-in-One Smart APO Refractor Telescope
£539.00(1)Groundbreaking Smart Telescope Makes Astrophotography Easy: Equipped with a high-performance camera, snap amazing photos of celestial objects and create your own starry portfolio.
Out of stock