10 Best Telescopes For Beginners 2025 in the United States

The Gskyer 600x90mm AZ refractor telescope is a solid choice for beginners interested in astronomy. Its 90mm aperture is large enough to gather a good amount of light, allowing you to see the moon, planets, and some star clusters with decent clarity. With a focal length of 600mm and multiple eyepieces (24X, 60X, 120X) plus a 3x Barlow lens, it offers flexible magnification options up to 360x, which is more than enough for beginner stargazing.

The altazimuth mount is simple to use and intuitive, letting you move the telescope up/down and left/right easily, which is ideal if you’re new to telescopes. The adjustable aluminum tripod is sturdy and can be set between about 31.5 to 49 inches, making it easy to set up for both kids and adults. While the telescope weighs 18 pounds and is somewhat bulky (about 38 inches long), it’s still portable enough to take outside for night viewing. The optics are fully coated, enhancing image brightness and protecting your eyes.

A manual focus requires some practice to achieve sharp images, especially at higher magnifications. Also, while the telescope is easy to operate without tools, some users might find the setup slightly heavy compared to smaller beginner models. This telescope offers great value with quality optics and good magnification flexibility, making it well-suited for beginners who want a dependable and versatile instrument to explore the night sky.

The Gskyer Telescope is an appealing choice for beginners looking to explore the night sky. With a 70mm aperture and a 400mm focal length, it offers good light-gathering ability, allowing for clearer views of celestial objects such as the moon and stars. The telescope's fully coated optics enhance image quality and make stargazing enjoyable without straining your eyes. One of its strengths includes a 3x Barlow lens, which significantly increases the magnification, giving users more versatility with the two included eyepieces.

This telescope is designed with portability in mind, featuring an adjustable aluminum alloy tripod and a convenient carry bag, making it easy to transport for outdoor stargazing sessions. The inclusion of a smartphone adapter and a wireless remote is a fantastic bonus, allowing users to capture images of what they're observing and share their experiences easily.

There are a few considerations to keep in mind. The manual focus may require a bit of patience and practice for beginners who are unfamiliar with focusing telescopes. Additionally, while the finderscope is helpful for locating objects, those more interested in deeper space observations might find the telescope's limitations as they begin to explore more complex celestial targets.

As a beginner’s telescope, the Gskyer Telescope stands out with its user-friendly features and solid performance for casual astronomers. It is well-suited for kids and novice enthusiasts, providing an engaging way to start exploring the wonders of the universe.

The MEEZAA Telescope is designed for beginners with a keen interest in astronomy. With a large 90mm aperture, this telescope can capture a good amount of light, creating brighter and clearer images. Its 800mm focal length, combined with fully multi-coated optical glass, enhances image clarity, making it suitable for observing celestial objects such as the moon and planets.

The telescope provides a range of magnifications from 32X to 240X, thanks to two included eyepieces and a 3X Barlow lens, which will help you see detailed views of lunar surfaces and other celestial objects. The Altazimuth mount is user-friendly, allowing smooth movement in both horizontal and vertical directions, which is ideal for beginners still learning how to track objects in the night sky. Portability is another notable feature; it comes with an adjustable stainless steel tripod and a carry bag, making it convenient to transport and set up anywhere.

Additionally, the included phone adapter lets you capture and share your observations via your smartphone. However, while the manual focus and straight-through finderscope can be challenging for absolute beginners, the provided paper installation guidelines and 24/7 technical support can help ease the learning process. Weighing 11.53 pounds, it is relatively lightweight but still stable enough for steady viewing. The MEEZAA Telescope offers a strong balance of power, clarity, and ease of use, making it a solid choice for adult beginners who are eager to explore the night sky.