10 Best Beginner Telescopes 2026 in the United States

The Gskyer Telescope is designed with beginners and kids in mind. It features a 70mm aperture and a 400mm focal length, which are suitable for observing the moon and stars. The fully coated glass optics ensure clear and sharp images while also protecting your eyes. The telescope comes with an Altazimuth (AZ) mount, which is user-friendly and ideal for beginners as it allows smooth horizontal and vertical movements.

It's also portable, weighing just 5.7 pounds and including a carry bag, making it easy to take on trips or store away when not in use. Additionally, the telescope is equipped with two eyepieces and a 3x Barlow lens, providing a range of magnification options for different viewing experiences. The 5x24 finderscope helps in locating objects easily, which can be particularly beneficial for new users.

The package also includes a smartphone adapter and a wireless remote, allowing you to capture celestial images conveniently. However, the manual focus might be a bit challenging for some beginners, and the tripod, while adjustable, may not be as stable as more advanced models. This telescope is an excellent choice for beginners who are curious about astronomy and want a user-friendly, portable device to start their stargazing journey.

The Sky-Watcher Flextube 300 SynScan Dobsonian is a strong choice for beginners wanting to explore astronomy. Its impressive 12-inch aperture means you'll enjoy bright and clear views of celestial objects, making it ideal for stargazing. The innovative collapsible design is a standout feature, allowing you to easily transport the telescope without losing alignment, which is particularly useful if you plan on taking it to different locations.

One of its great strengths is the built-in WiFi, enabling control via a smartphone or tablet. This modern touch simplifies navigation and makes it easier to locate over 42,000 objects in the night sky, which can be overwhelming for newcomers but ultimately rewarding.

The telescope comes with two wide-angle eyepieces and a 9x50 finderscope, which are excellent for beginners as they provide a good range of viewing options right out of the box. The weight of 99.2 pounds when fully assembled may be a drawback for some users; while it is sturdy, moving and setting it up can be a challenge without assistance. Additionally, the all-metal gearing and DC servo motors enhance tracking accuracy, but the altazimuth mount may not be as versatile as some equatorial mounts for astrophotography, should you decide to pursue that path in the future.

For beginners, this telescope offers a blend of accessibility, advanced features, and impressive optics, but be prepared for its bulk and weight. If you have the space and assistance for setup, this telescope could be a fantastic choice to ignite your passion for astronomy.

The MEEZAA Telescope is a great choice for astronomy beginners looking to explore the night sky. With a 90mm aperture and 800mm focal length, this refractor telescope captures a significant amount of light, delivering bright and clear images. The fully multi-coated optical lenses further enhance image quality, making celestial observations more enjoyable. It comes with two eyepieces (10mm and 25mm) and a 3X Barlow lens, offering a wide range of magnification from 32X to 240X, which is ideal for viewing detailed lunar features and other celestial objects.

The Altazimuth (AZ) mount is user-friendly, allowing for straightforward manual adjustments to track objects in the sky. The package also includes a sturdy stainless steel tripod and a phone adapter, which is fantastic for astrophotography enthusiasts. The carry bag makes it portable and easy to store, adding to its convenience. On the downside, the manual focus might require some practice to get used to, especially for complete novices. However, the provided paper installation guidelines and 24/7 technical support from MEEZAA should mitigate this issue.

Weighing 11.53 pounds and with dimensions of 32 x 6 x 10.24 inches, it's relatively easy to transport. The MEEZAA Telescope combines solid performance with user-friendly features, making it a strong contender for beginners eager to dive into astronomy.