10 Best Beginner Telescopes 2025 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 HEXEUM AZ80600 telescope is a great option for adults and beginner astronomers who are eager to explore the night sky. It features an 80mm aperture and a 600mm focal length, which means it captures more light for brighter and clearer images. This is especially useful for viewing details on the moon and other celestial objects. The multi-coated lenses further enhance image quality, making your stargazing experience more enjoyable.

The telescope comes with two high-quality eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) that provide different levels of magnification (24X and 60X), and it also includes a 3x Barlow lens that can triple the magnification power. This combination allows you to see up to 180X magnification, which is impressive for a beginner telescope. A 5x24 finder scope is included to help you easily locate objects in the sky. The telescope uses an Altazimuth mount, which is simple to use and ideal for beginners. No tools are required for assembly, making it user-friendly and quick to set up.

This telescope is also portable, thanks to its lightweight design (6.2 pounds), adjustable aluminum tripod, phone adapter, wireless remote control, and carrying bag. This makes it easy to take with you on trips or to different viewing locations. One potential downside is that manual focus and the Altazimuth mount may limit more advanced users who might prefer automatic tracking or equatorial mounts. However, for beginners, this simplicity can be an advantage as it reduces the learning curve. The telescope also comes with a lifetime maintenance guarantee and excellent customer support, which is reassuring for those new to astronomy. In conclusion, the HEXEUM AZ80600 is a well-rounded beginner telescope that offers good optical quality, ease of use, and portability, making it a solid choice for novice stargazers.

The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is a fantastic option for beginners looking to explore the night sky with minimal hassle. One of its standout features is the integration with the StarSense app, which uses your smartphone to guide you towards celestial objects. This is especially beneficial for those who might feel overwhelmed by traditional astronomy methods, as it simplifies the locating process significantly. The 130mm Newtonian reflector provides ample light-gathering power, allowing users to see impressive details on planets and deep sky objects, making for an engaging experience.

Setting up this telescope is straightforward, thanks to the manual altazimuth mount that offers smooth motion control, ensuring users can easily follow targets. The included eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) help enhance viewing options, catering to different celestial objects.

There are a few considerations to keep in mind. While the telescope is reasonably portable, weighing 18 pounds, it may not be the easiest for everyone to transport, especially if you plan to travel to darker skies for better viewing. The manual focus can also be a bit tricky for complete beginners. Additionally, although the app assists greatly with navigation, users must have a smartphone, which could be a limitation for some.