La noche del pasado 23 de abril una gran eyección de masa coronal producida por una tormenta solar de clase G4 (KP8/9) alcanzó el campo magnético terrestre a 580km/s. El efecto de este repentino impacto energético se ha traducido en vistosas auroras boreales de colores verdosos y rojizos en zonas próximas al circulo polar como es habitual pero no es tan frecuente que estas auroras se dejen ver en latitudes más bajas como Francia e incluso España como muestran las cámaras del observatorio de Calar Alto.
Obviamente el espectáculo no se ve igual desde nuestras latitudes que desde las zonas árticas. Aquí se pudo apreciar solamente como una tonalidad rojiza hacia el horizonte norte, difícilmente visible al ojo humano excepto si nos encontramos en un lugar sin contaminación lumínica, pero las cámaras fotográficas en modo de larga exposición si son capaces de captar esa tenue luz.
Las auroras son fenómenos nada inusuales que tienen ciclos de actividad motivadas por nuestro Sol. Actualmente nos estamos acercando al máximo solar del ciclo 25 por lo que es buen momento para plantearse un viaje a observarlas. La noticia no obstante radica en el hecho de poder apreciarse en esta ocasión desde latitudes tan bajas como las de España (hay algunos registros que hablan de auroras visibles en nuestro país durante la Guerra Civil). De hecho las auroras han llegado a ser divisadas desde latitudes de 29,5ºN en la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México.
Las redes sociales se han llenado de imágenes de personas que han capturado el fenómeno incluso con sus teléfonos móviles. Habrá que estar atento a las próximas tormentas solares y tener nuestras cámaras de fotos preparadas.
Today DJI announce the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, following the 2021 launch of the DJI Mavic 3 and 2022’s DJI Mavic 3 Classic. This new drone takes pole position as the company’s flagship and features a triple camera system that again boasts a close partnership with premium camera manufacturer Hasselblad. While the Mavic 3 featured two powerful cameras, this latest update packs in three, each featuring a different focal length. The Mavic 3 Pro is a highend enthusiast/professional-level drone that offers multiple possibilities for creators to push the boundaries of their creativity.
To watch the launch event tune in below:
The Mavic 3 Pro features next-level imaging performance thanks to its triple-camera system with multiple focal lengths (24mm/70mm/166mm), enabling you to capture your creative vision whatever the situation. The DJI Mavic 3 Pro features a dedicated 24mm Hasselblad camera with a 4/3 sensor and two tele cameras, allowing easy switching between compositions.
Aside from the outstanding image quality, what makes the Hasselblad camera stand out and a feature that will appeal to many photographers is the ability to shoot 12-bit RAW photos with a native dynamic range of up to 12.8 stops enabling unparalleled detail in your aerial photography shots. The drone also has a 10-bit D-Log M colour mode that supports recording up to one billion colours, even in high-contrast scenarios, delivering natural colour gradations with delicate details for a full-spectrum visual that will be an ideal choice for capturing sunrises and sunsets.
The Mavic 3 Pro features DJI’s signature Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing and APAS 5.0, which allows the drone to sense obstacles in all directions and plan a safe flight route to avoid them. It also has a maximum flight time of 43 minutes, giving you more time to consider your composition and less time worrying about battery life.
With DJI’s O3+ transmission system, the Mavic 3 Pro presents a stable, clear camera view and can transmit a 1080p/60fps HD live feed at high frame rates at a distance of up to 15 km. Other features such as Waypoint Flight, Cruise Control, and Advanced RTH elevate the automated flight experience.
If you’re looking for a drone that pushes imaging quality then the Mavic 3 Pro’s then once again DJI has co-launched the Mavic 3 Pro Cine. This drone is almost identical but packs in a few more features that will appeal to professional creators who need to shoot at the next level of quality. All three cameras support Apple ProRes 422 HQ, Apple ProRes 422, and Apple ProRes 422 LT encoding. It also has a built-in 1TB SSD and a 10Gbps lightspeed data cable to help facilitate the professional workflow.
The Mavic 3 Pro is available to order from store.dji.com and authorized retail partners, with shipping starting in May. It is available in the following configurations:
Mavic 3 Pro Price:
DJI Mavic 3 Pro (DJI RC) for the retail price of 1,879 GBP/from 2,099 EUR
DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Combo (DJI RC) for the retail price of 2,549 GBP/ from 2,799 EUR
DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Combo (DJI RC Pro) for the retail price of 3,169 GBP/from 3,499 EUR
DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine Premium Combo for the retail price of 4,109 GBP/from 4,599 EUR
The Mavic 3 Pro is compatible with the latest DJI Goggles Integra, DJI Goggles 2, and DJI RC Motion 2.
This new drone is an excellent addition to DJI’s lineup of high-quality drones. The Mavic 3 Pro is perfect for professional videographers and photographers needing a powerful and versatile tool to capture stunning aerial footage. With its triple-camera system and other advanced features, the Mavic 3 Pro looks to be an ideal choice for creative professionals. For more information, visit www.dji.com/mavic-3
Mavic 3 Pro Specifications
Takeoff Weight Mavic 3 Pro: 958 g Mavic 3 Pro Cine: 963 g Dimensions Folded (without propellers): 231.1×98×95.4 mm (L×W×H) Unfolded (without propellers): 347.5×290.8×107.7 mm Max Ascent Speed 8 m/s Max Descent Speed 6 m/s Max Horizontal Speed (at sea level, no wind) 21 m/s Max Takeoff Altitude 6000 m Max Flight Time 43 minutes
Measured in a controlled test environment. Specific test conditions are as follows: flying at a constant speed of 32.4 kph in a windless environment at sea level, with APAS off, AirSense off, camera parameters set to 1080p/24fps, video mode off, and from 100% battery level until 0%. Results may vary depending on the environment, actual use, and firmware version.
Max Hovering Time 37 minutes
Measured in a controlled test environment. Specific test conditions are as follows: hovering in a windless environment at sea level, with APAS off, AirSense off, camera parameters set to 1080p/24fps, video mode off, and from 100% battery level until 0%. Results may vary depending on the environment, actual use, and firmware version.
Max Flight Distance 28 km Max Wind Speed Resistance 12 m/s Max Tilt Angle 35° Operating Temperature -10° to 40° C (14° to 104° F) Global Navigation Satellite System GPS + Galileo + BeiDou Hovering Accuracy Range Vertical: ±0.1 m (with vision positioning)±0.5 m (with GNSS positioning) Horizontal: ±0.3 m (with vision positioning) ±0.5 m (with high-precision positioning system) Internal Storage Mavic 3 Pro: 8 GB (approx. 7.9GB available space)
Mavic 3 Pro Cine: 1 TB (approx. 934.8GB available space)
I am sure that some of you may have looked at today’s photo and thought, “That’s not a plant.” I know that I had made a New Year’s resolution to focus more attention on plants this year, but Nature herself threw me a curveball when this gorgeous male evening grosbeak (Coccothraustesvespertinus) appeared on my deck last week. I promise to make up for this in May with an extra plant column, but I simply could not ignore this amazing sighting.
First off, some context. When I was a boy, growing up in the 1970s, there was a brief moment in time when evening grosbeaks were all over the place. There seemed to be 20-30 of them at the winter feeders on a daily basis and this made such an impression on me that I (reasonably) thought that this was “normal.” I thought evening grosbeaks were regular winter birds that filled the back yard with dazzling color and wonderful activity.
But then, they just vanished. One winter there were grosbeaks all over the place and the next year there wasn’t a single one to be seen. It turns out that the brief period of time when they were so abundant was an extremely rare event and to my knowledge it has not been repeated since. That was 45 years ago and I have kept my eyes and ears open ever since, with little result.
Back when I had just started this column, I lived up in the town of Hawley and there were times when I was able to detect the call of an evening grosbeak as it flew over Hawley Bog. The birds were around, but they were not around in numbers larger than 1-2 birds. At my current home I have only seen evening grosbeaks on two occasions. Once, on November 7, 2007, I saw a female (or juvenile) at my hanging feeder for about five minutes. Then, last week, I saw this male for a total of eight minutes. Both occasions were the result of pure, unadulterated luck.
So what’s going on here? What is the deal with this species? Well, the answer (as in most cases when looking at ecology) is complex. Evening grosbeaks are particularly fond of spruce trees and they tend to stick to the boreal forests of the higher latitudes and altitudes. These sorts of trees will often have “good years” and “bad years” depending on the weather and during the bad years the birds may have to stray out of their normal range in search of food. This pattern of behavior is known as an “irruption” and it is common among the northern “winter” finches such as redpolls and siskins.
So, this explains why we have large flocks of common redpolls that visit every few years, but where have the grosbeaks been? Well, that brings us to some bad news for this species. According to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the population of evening grosbeaks has dropped by 74% since 1966. The reasons may include such factors as introduced diseases, habitat loss due to logging, and declines in summer food stocks (spruce budworms are a favorite) due to aerial spraying of pesticide (for the logging industry). Basically, human activity has not been kind to evening grosbeaks.
With just a little room left I want to take a look a the species’ scientific name, Coccothraustesvespertinus. The genus name “Coccothraustes” is a Greek word for the name of an unknown bird mentioned by Hesychius of Alexandria, a Greek grammarian of the 5th Century who assembled a detailed lexicon of Greek words. The name is a mashup of the Greek words “kokkos”, which means “a kernel” and the word “thrauo” which means, “to break, or shatter.” The species identifier “vespertinus” is a Latin word that means, “of the evening.” Thus, a literal translation would be something like, “the seed-breaker of the evening.” That’s a good name, in my opinion.
The word “gross” is a common English word for “large” and one look at the bird makes it easy to understand why this species was called a grosbeak. The massive beak of this species allows it to tackle all sorts of seeds and nuts, including the pits of wild cherries. If you have ever enjoyed a bowl of fresh cherries you have certainly had to deal with the pits. Imagine the prospect of chomping down on a cherry pit with enough force to crack one open. I think that teeth might start cracking before the pits do. It just goes to show that there is an ideal tool for any particular job and the grosbeak has the right tool for opening up seeds.
I’ll tell you to keep your eyes open for an evening grosbeak, but the odds of seeing one are quite small. Local birders may have information on grosbeak sightings, so an inquiry to the Athol Bird Club, or the Hampshire Bird Club might bear fruit. I’m sure that there are occasional sightings during the winter and I seem to remember a report of a few of these birds breeding in the Montague Plains, but that was a while ago. However, the sighting of this bird at my feeders is proof that every time you look out the window you might see something. So look outside, or better yet go outside and keep your eyes open. You never know what you might see.
Bill Danielson has been a professional writer and nature photographer for 25 years. He has worked for the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Nature Conservancy and the Massachusetts State Parks and he currently teaches high school biology and physics. For more in formation visit his website at www.speakingofnature.com, or head over to Speaking of Nature on Facebook.
We’ve rounded up the best telescopes for stargazing in this comprehensive overall guide. As well as picking the very best models, we’ve included telescopes to suit every level of astronomer and catered to every budget. Wondering what are the best telescopes? We’ve tested and reviewed some of the best telescopes you can buy.
If you’re an avid bargain hunter, check out our telescope deals page, which is regularly updated with the best telescope deals as we find them. For novices, we have a guide covering what are the best telescopes for beginners. But to discover what are the best telescopes to buy overall, read on.
Aside from telescopes, the best binoculars can be useful skywatching devices, too and the best cameras or best cameras for astrophotography will help you capture wonderful night sky images if night sky photography is an avenue you want to consider. While you’re here though, we’ve listed the best telescopes overall for beginner, enthusiast and professional observing respectively.
Best telescope deal April 2023
Best telescopes 2023
Beginner telescopes
In our full review of the Nexstar 4SE, we found it was quick and easy to set up, perfect for beginners who want a quality go-to telescope. (Image credit: Jonathan Lansley-Gordon)
Best for finding planets and other celestial objects easily with Celestron’s SkyAlign technology.
Specifications
Optical design: Maksutov-Cassegrain
Mount type: Computerized Alt-Azimuth Single Fork Arm
Aperture: 4 inches (102 mm)
Focal length: 52.16 inches (1325mm)
Highest useful magnification: Up to 100x with digital zoom
Supplied eyepieces: 1.25 inch
Weight: 21 lbs (9kg) fully assembled
Reasons to buy
+
Quick, uncomplicated setup
+
Celestron’s high-quality build
+
SkyAlign technology
Reasons to avoid
–
Restrictive portability
–
Narrow field of view
–
Power hungry
Boasting the build quality we’ve come to expect from the other models in Celestron’s NexStar range, the 4SE is optically comparable with the aforementioned Celestron Astro-Fi 102 but instead of relying on a smartphone, this model comes with a chunky and tactile hand controller. It is a good buy for beginner astronomers as it’s very simple to use and produces a clear and bright picture which is why we gave it four out of five stars during our Celestron NexStar 4SE telescope review.
The field of view is somewhat limited, which some users may find frustrating when manually slewing, but as Celestron’s SkyAlign software and GoTo system finds objects for you, this isn’t a deal breaker. The hand controller also allows nine different slewing speeds allowing for small corrections or a quicker scan of the night sky if you choose.
Given the power-hungry nature of the NexStar SE scopes, an external power supply is advised. The scope can otherwise quickly drain a whole pack of AA batteries. This does further limit portability further unless you are using it in combination with a portable power station (opens in new tab).
The Celestron Inspire 100AZ comes with a plethora of helpful accessories, but after our full review, we’d recommend updating the eyepieces. (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Best for budding skywatchers who want to get up and running quickly
Specifications
Optical design: Refractor
Mount type: Alt-azimuth
Aperture: 3.94″ (100 mm)
Focal length: 25.98″ (660 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 241x
Lowest useful magnification: 15x
Focal ratio: f/6.5
Supplied eyepieces: 10 mm, 25 mm
Weight: 20 lbs. (9.07 kg)
Reasons to buy
+
Excellent range of accessories
+
Great intro to astrophotography
+
Easy to assemble
Reasons to avoid
–
Slight false color in optics
–
Limited to short exposure photography
An excellent telescope for the beginner or those on a tighter budget, the Celestron Inspire 100AZ is a great choice for those looking for a complete package that offers more in the way of accessories than most starter telescope bundles.
The Inspire 100AZ comes with a 90-degree erect image diagonal with a 1.25-inch fitting that makes the telescope suitable for terrestrial (daytime/on land) and celestial views, a pair of eyepieces (20 mm and 10 mm), a red LED flashlight for preserving vision, an accessory tray, StarPointer Pro finderscope and a smartphone adapter for basic astrophotography. Be mindful that given the refractor’s focal ratio, the Inspire 100AZ is limited to short-exposure photography.
During the observations we made in our Celestron Inspire 100AZ review, we noticed a small amount of false color (purple color fringing), and a slight blurring in the field of view was noticeable. The latter is easily resolved with a careful selection of eyepieces, so we recommend investing in one of the best eyepieces to make the most of the Inspire 100AZ’s optical system and to ensure that it translates into the quality of your photos, if you’re taking them False color, on the other hand, is to be expected in telescopes at this price point but it doesn’t ruin the experience unless you’re exceptionally particular about color accuracy.
The overall build of this refractor is impressive. The StarPointer is a pleasant surprise since it’s able to pick out faint stars under moderate light pollution for an accurate star-hopping experience.
Not the most attractive telescope and could be considered as looking a little ‘toyish,’ but the optical quality is good. (Image credit: Jason Parnell-Brookes)
Best lightweight and portable go-to mount scope for beginner sky watchers
Specifications
Optical design: Maksutov-Cassegrain
Mount type: Computerized Alt-Azimuth Single Fork Arm
Aperture: 4.01-inches (102 mm)
Focal length: 52.16- inches (1325mm)
Highest useful magnification: Up to 100x with digital zoom
Supplied eyepieces: 25 mm and 10 mm
Weight: 6 lbs. (2.7kg)
Reasons to buy
+
Go-to is great for beginners
+
Highly portable
Reasons to avoid
–
Finish feels a little cheap
–
Other models better value for money
After undertaking our Celestron Astro Fi 102 telescope review we’d say this is perfect for beginners who don’t have prior knowledge of the night sky but want to start learning and enjoying it straight out of the box.
It’s not a budget scope by any means, but if you’re looking for a telescope that comes from a trusted brand that is highly portable, this one is worth your consideration.
This is an excellent grab-and-go option when weighing in at just 6 lbs (2.7 kg). It doesn’t have a huge footprint as some telescopes do, so you can leave it set up at home without compromising your space too much, though it is easy enough to pack away and reassemble at will.
We think the final finish on the telescope looks and feels a little toyish, and compromises such as the materials used have been made to keep the scope as lightweight as possible. Despite the slightly lackluster final finish though, the image is attractive, and you can explore the detail on the Moon’s surface, Saturn and its rings, Mars and Jupiter. You may also see nebulas and other deep sky objects in the right sky conditions. It’s swift and easy to sync with Celestron’s SkyPortal app, which contains approximately 100k celestial objects to explore.
Best telescopes for enthusiasts
Automatically track objects as they move across the sky with this high-quality Catadioptric telescope. (Image credit: B&H Photo)
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Celestron NexStar Evolution 9.25
Best GoTo scope for seeing the universe in HD at this price point
Specifications
Optical design: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Mount type: Computerized alt-azimuth fork arm
Aperture: 9.25″ (235 mm)
Focal length: 92.52″ (2,350 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 555x
Lowest useful magnification: 34x
Supplied eyepieces: 13 mm, 40 mm
Weight: 62.60 lbs. (28.39 kg)
Reasons to buy
+
Crisp views with no defects
+
Easy to set up
+
High-quality design
Reasons to avoid
–
Isn’t very portable
–
Expensive
The optical system of the Celestron NexStar Evolution 9.25 (opens in new tab) ranks as one of the best we’ve ever had the pleasure of observing the night sky through. With no interference or optical defects in the field of view, this high-quality instrument offers sights of a wide selection of astronomical targets with impressive clarity and contrast.
Although it is expensive (sitting around $2850), you get a lot of value for money with this telescope and its setup. The list of accessories you get include an attachable camera, a red dot finderscope, an international AC adapter, hand control for a seamless AutoAlign process and 13mm and 40mm eyepieces.
The stand-out piece of equipment with the NexStar Evolution 9.25 is undoubtedly its single-fork arm. Observers can slew from one target to the next and continue onwards at the touch of a button for up to 10 hours of continuous use, thanks to its rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
Built into the mount is the telescope’s very own Wi-Fi network, allowing the instrument to connect and control via the Celestron SkyPortal app (downloadable for free on iOS (opens in new tab) and Android). Being motorized, the mount can track objects as they move across the sky, making the NexStar Evolution 9.25 a must-try for astrophotography.
If you have the budget and if you’re looking for a complete high-definition tour of the universe, then we fully recommend this GoTo to seasoned skywatchers. The only downside is that the NexStar Evolution 9.25 is tricky to transport due to its weight, meaning that skywatchers will need to consider this before planning any trips beyond the backyard — a small trade-off given the telescope’s robust and high-quality design.
The Celestron Astro Fi 130’s wide field of view will let you explore wide galaxies without having to move the scope too much. (Image credit: B&H Photo)
A guide to the night sky, packed with technology at a low price
Specifications
Optical design: Newtonian Reflector
Mount type: Computerized altitude-azimuth single fork
Aperture: 5.19-inches (130mm)
Focal length: 25.59-inches (650mm)
Highest useful magnification: 307x
Focal ratio: f/5.9
Supplied eyepieces: 25 mm (26x) 10mm (65x)
Weight: 18lbs/8.6kg
Reasons to buy
+
Great entry-level telescope
+
Vixen dovetail for mount changes
+
Portable
+
Finds targets at touch of button
Reasons to avoid
–
Eyepieces limit observations
–
Focuser of low quality
–
Battery drains quickly
–
Useless without app
When we reviewed the Celestron Astro Fi 130 telescope we liked it a lot and think it’s excellent value for money. While it’s not necessarily a budget telescope, it is a lot more affordable than a few of the other telescopes in this guide, we think it’s excellent value for money.
If you’re new to stargazing, or even if you just don’t have a lot of experience, this telescope can give you an astronomy experience to marvel at using telescope technology and good optics, serving as a virtual guide to the night sky.
A 130mm aperture means that plenty of light is able to travel through the lens, making the night sky targets clearly visible and giving you amazing views of stars. A focal length of 650mm means you’ll get a wide field of view (you can see a lot at once).
This telescope is also sturdy but still lighter than some other scopes you might consider for the same experience, so it scores well on ease of transport. You also get a stable tripod, a red dot finder and eyepieces, which makes this even better value for money.
We can only think of two things that let you down a bit with this model: the battery life drains a little quicker than you might want, and the eyepieces aren’t the best. We think you should consider upgrading the eyepieces for a better experience, but for value for money, we highly recommend this scope.
Best Computerized or GoTo telescopes
‘The World’s most beloved telescope.’ A worthy investment for serious skywatchers that can grow with skill and experience. (Image credit: Jason Parnell-Brookes)
Best motorized scope for deep space and astrophotography, giving excellent image clarity and detail
Specifications
Optical design: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Mount type: Computerized alt-azimuth fork arm
Aperture: 8-inches (203 mm)
Focal length: 80-inches(2032 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 480x
Lowest useful magnification: 29x
Supplied eyepieces: 25 mm
Weight: 32 lbs (14.48 kg)
Reasons to buy
+
Sharpness across the entire field of view
+
Good value for money
Reasons to avoid
–
On the heavy side
–
Hard to fault for the price
The first of three of the NexStar telescopes on this list, and for a good reason. The Celestron NexStar 8SE is an excellent option for beginners and seasoned skywatchers. This telescope makes it easy for novices to view the night sky without knowing much about astronomy. At the same time, more experienced stargazers can use it to explore deeper into space or even attach a camera for impressive astrophotography.
If you pay a good chunk of money for a telescope, you can expect to receive exceptional optics with extraordinary views of a wide range of celestial objects.
The NexStar 8SE by Celestron is renowned and has earned the title ‘The World’s most beloved telescope.’ It is the number one bestseller on B&H Photo (opens in new tab). Featuring StarBright XLT optical coating, this telescope provides unparalleled clarity and contrast for viewing planets and the moon. Jupiter, its moons, Saturn, and its rings are breathtakingly vivid with no chromatic aberration or color fringing. Its 203.2 mm aperture lens allows for excellent views of deep-sky objects.
In our Celestron NexStar 8SE review, we walked you through what it’s like to get everything set up, and it’s very straightforward. No prior knowledge of the night sky is needed, as you can use Celestron’s SkyPortal app or any other stargazing app to help you find two stars for the alignment process.
Once the telescope is aligned, you can use the solid-in-the-hand, hand-held controller to direct it to any item in its massive database. This includes planets, galaxies, double stars, star clusters, and nebulae. A fantastic option for beginners and indecisive people is the ‘sky tour,’ which automatically directs the telescope to different interesting cosmic objects.
The motor runs smoothly, and the results are precise. Automatic tracking is a dream for astrophotographers, enabling them to take long exposures, which can then be stacked post-shoot to create beautiful images.
The Celestron NexStar 8SE comes with a hefty price tag, but it is well worth the investment for those serious about skywatching or astrophotography. Although it may be too pricey for those who are only casually interested in the solar system, it is an excellent choice for those who plan to engage in these activities for the long term.
The supplied tripod could do with extra support but aside from that, this is a very user-friendly scope. (Image credit: Amazon)
Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GoTo
Best GoTo for smaller budgets — the perfect mix of great tech and brilliant optics
Specifications
Optical design: Maksutov-Cassegrain
Mount type: Motorized alt-azimuth
Aperture: 5″ (127 mm)
Focal length: 59.05″ (1500 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 150x
Lowest useful magnification: 60x
Supplied eyepieces: 10 mm, 25 mm & Barlow
Weight: 39.7 lbs. (18 kg)
Reasons to buy
+
Very user friendly
+
Simple altitude-azimuth mount
+
Excellent clarity and contrast
Reasons to avoid
–
Tripod is a little shaky
–
Needs extra support in windy conditions
As an introduction to the world of GoTo skywatching, the Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ (opens in new tab) is a must-have for observers on a tighter budget. The SynScan AZ hand controller offers information on over 40,000 astronomical objects, which includes the most complete catalogs (Messier, NGC, IC and SAO) of deep-sky and solar system targets.
The astronomer has everything they need for a successful night under the stars: good quality star diagonal, 2x Barlow with a camera adaptor, 6×30 finderscope, a stainless steel tripod and an accessory tray.
Assembling the instrument is easy and, given the weight of 39.7 lbs. (18 kg), the Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ is light enough to carry across the backyard without a great deal of effort. Skywatchers have the choice of powering the Servo Drive with 8 AA batteries or a 12V power supply — because batteries tend to drain quickly in when it’s cold, we recommend investing in the latter for uninterrupted observations with the SynScan technology.
Alignment is simple, using two stars to set the instrument up, but beginners may need practice in getting this just right — we recommend becoming acquainted with the Skymax 127 before dark, ensuring that you read the manual from cover to cover.
In terms of optical prowess, we don’t have any complaints. We can fit a waxing gibbous moon phase in the field of view and, after tweaking the focuser, the craters and lunar mare come into exquisite focus, with lovely contrast and clarity. A moon filter offered even better sights. Slewing over to the star-forming region, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42), is also picked out easily with the 5-inch (127 mm) aperture — it appears as a dusty patch of light with the Trapezium Cluster’s member stars dazzling with brilliant clarity at the nebula’s heart.
The stainless steel tripod can be a bit unstable, so we suggest supporting the setup while slewing in windy conditions.
Celestron NexStar 6SE — has great technology and brilliant optics to match. (Image credit: Adorama)
A power hungry, but high quality telescope with excellent optics
Specifications
Optical design: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Mount type: Computerized alt-azimuth single fork arm
Aperture: 5.91″ (150 mm)
Focal length: 59″ (1500 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 354x
Lowest useful magnification: 21x
Supplied eyepieces: 25 mm
Weight: 30 lbs. (9.5 kg)
Reasons to buy
+
StarBright XLT multi-coated optics
+
High-quality build
+
Easy to set up and align
Reasons to avoid
–
Limited eyepieces
–
Drains batteries quickly — AC power cord required
Celestron’s range of NexStar telescopes has a well-deserved reputation for excellent optics, user-friendly assembly and a plethora of features. The telescope exemplifies all of these which we outlined in our Celestron NexStar 6SE review.
If you’re looking for a telescope with great light-gathering capabilities and a vast selection of astronomical objects to explore, this is an excellent choice. The 5.91-inch (150 mm) aperture provides superior performance compared to the Meade StarNavigator NG 114, while the NexStar+ hand controller contains an expansive database with over 40,000 objects. Unfortunately, extra eyepieces will need to be purchased in order to get the most out of the telescope, and even then, not all objects listed in the database can be viewed in great detail.
The NextStar 6SE offers a great way to explore the night sky using its ‘tour mode’. It will guide you through different targets across the sky, or in specific constellations, so you can observe like never before. This is perfect for those who don’t know what to look for or just want to get straight to observing interesting celestial objects that have been chosen for them.
The SkyAlign technology is simple to use and gets you pointed in the right direction fast. The motorized mount also has nine slewing speeds on top of its different tracking rates. All of this sounds brilliant, and it is, but there is a downside. The NexStar 6SE’s battery can drain very quickly, so we recommend powering the setup with an external power source.
Astrophotographers may initially be displeased with its slow f/10 focal ratio, limiting the NexStar 6SE to being a planetary or lunar imager at best. Still, there is the facility for more advanced users to switch out the secondary mirror for their camera, increasing the focal ratio to an astrophotography-friendly f/2.
Best Smart telescopes
The Unistellar eQuinox 2 can smoothly and silently slew to night sky objects and image them within minutes of getting it out of the box. (Image credit: Jason Parnell-Brookes)
Best smart telescope: This smart telescope offers simple astronomy powered by a clever smartphone app
Specifications
Optical design: Newtonian Reflector
Mount type: Motorized GoTo alt-azimuth
Aperture: 114mm/4.49-inches
Focal length: 450mm/17.7-inches
Highest useful magnification: 50x optical
Supplied eyepieces: N/A
Weight: 19.8lbs/9kg
Reasons to buy
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Simple, beautiful layout
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Incredibly quick to view cosmos
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Get enhanced astro photos
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Smartphone app is reliable
Reasons to avoid
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Average image resolution
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Difficult to orientate in twilight
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Focusing a little tricky at times
The Unistellar eQuinox 2 is the latest smart telescope to be released by Unistellar and proceeds to take over from the previous model the Unistellar eQuinox. In our Unistellar eQuinox 2 review we tested it for ease of use, robustness and compatibility with smart devices and found the smart telescope to be eminently usable, not least because of its Smart Light Pollution Reduction feature which aids its use in urban environments likes towns and cities.
A simple design with a single button on the telescope itself and a slotting mechanism with just two screws to hold it aloft the sturdy tripod makes this telescope one of the simplest we’ve ever reviewed (alongside the Unistellar eVscope 2 we reviewed). Users will take only a few minutes to get it out of the box and ready to synchronize with the smart device app (available on iOS and Android) and after a quick pairing we could manually slew the telescope and enhance exposure settings.
When the telescope is oriented, which it does by automatically orienting using the night sky and its on-board image sensor, the app allows us to automatically go-to night sky objects like galaxies, star clusters, nebulas and planets without any required knowledge of the night sky or constellations.
The Vaonis Vespera is small and reasonably priced for a smart telescope and has new useful features like solar observation and mosaicing for larger astrophotos. (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Best for tech fans — smart views of the night sky for beginners and veterans alike
At $2499 (opens in new tab)/£1982, the Vaonis Vespera is the smallest and most reasonably priced smart telescope to date. This telescope from French startup Vaonis is a smaller, lighter version of its robotic older sister, the Stellina.
Named after the Latin word for ‘evening,’ Vespera does not have an eyepiece like traditional telescopes but instead captures and shares images of the night sky with up to five connected smartphones or tablets through a mobile app called Singularity (opens in new tab).
The Vespera is effectively a camera for taking stunning pictures of deep sky objects, even in light-polluted cities. It is not intended for observing the moon and planets, but it can be used to capture remarkable images of star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. Here is all the information you need to know about how the Vespera works.
The Vespera is an impressive device that combines three technologies: star pattern recognition software, image live stacking technology, and an app. When switched on, its Sony IMX462 image sensor can detect a target in five minutes and take one photograph every 10 seconds (this varies depending on the target). This noise-canceling process can be seen in real-time on the Singularity app, resulting in a clearer, more contrasty and colorful image. In our Vaonis Vespera review we found that the images were a little soft, but they could be enhanced with post-processing.
Additionally, it uses a planetarium to generate a ‘tonight’s best’ list of celestial targets and an algorithm to determine the camera settings for viewing each target.
This scope features both an inbuilt camera and an electronic eyepiece — the best of both worlds. (Image credit: Jason Parnell-Brookes)
Best for bigger budgets — a sleek and smart astronomical imaging device
Specifications
Optical design: Reflector
Mount type: Motorized GoTo alt-azimuth
Aperture: 4.5-inches (114 mm)
Focal length: 17.7-inches (450 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 50x optical, 150x digital
Supplied eyepieces: Fixed Nikon eyepiece
Weight: 19.8 lbs (9kg) including tripod
Reasons to buy
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Effortlessly simple setup
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Stunning, sleek design is jaw-dropping
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Nikon eyepiece for those who want it
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App is well-designed and easy to control
Reasons to avoid
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Extremely pricey, especially for new astronomers
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May not appeal to purist telescope users
The eVscope 2, a telescope designed with great finesse, is ideal for photographers who are new to astronomy and have a considerable amount of money (about $5000 (opens in new tab)) to spare or for astronomers who desire an all-in-one system that is effortless to set up and use. Even though it may not be greatly appreciated by experienced telescope users accustomed to a more traditional viewing method, it can still create remarkable images.
The Unistellar eVscope 2 is a step away from traditional telescope stargazing and instead hosts an in-built camera, sleek design and electronic eyepiece. It is the second iteration of the eVscope line and has some noticeable improvements in both design and accessibility. It features a 4.5-inch (114mm) reflector with a focal ratio of f/3.9, which makes it ideal for viewing celestial objects such as nebulae.
Inside is a 7.7MP image sensor and new to the eVscope 2 is an electronic eyepiece designed by Nikon for those that want to get tactile with the telescope. The simple layout, stylish design, and excellent smartphone app user interface makes the eVscope 2 a doddle to use and photograph the night sky with, especially with its enhanced tracking feature, which we were very impressed with in our Unistellar eVscope 2 review.
Due to the high cost of all the premium features, in reality, it is reserved for those with a substantial budget.
Best telescopes to observe planets
Due to the hefty 12.6kg weight, this telescope is best for backyard sky watching. (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Best for exploring deep space from your back yard
Specifications
Optical design: Newtonian reflector
Mount type: German equatorial (EQ2)
Aperture: 5.1-inch /130mm
Focal length: 35.4-inch /900 mm
Highest useful magnification: 250x
Supplied eyepieces: 0.39-inch/10 mm (30x) and 0.98-inch/25 mm (75x)
Weight: 27.8 lbs/12.6 kg
Reasons to buy
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Affordable equatorial mount
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Good optics
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Slow motion controls for fine adjustments
Reasons to avoid
–
Relatively heavy
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Manual targeting
Sitting at a price of less than $300, the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 EQ2 is an excellent choice for those serious about taking the first steps into the world of astronomy.
Unlike other models at a similar price point, this telescope ships with an equatorial mount. When it is aligned with the Earth’s axis, it makes it simple (after some practice) to track objects in the sky once you’ve found them, as the Earth rotates.
It has a good-sized aperture at 5.1 inches, which means, unlike the models above, you will be able to explore deep sky objects, albeit only the brightest ones.
While not as long as the Celestron Inspire 100AZ, the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 EQ2’s long tube length results in f/7 and makes high magnification possible. During our review of the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 EQ2, using the supplied Barlow lens, we could easily get sharp views of the Jovian System (Jupiter, its rings and moons) and Saturn’s rings looked impressive.
This telescope is best suited for backyard stargazing, mainly due to its 12.6kg combined weight, which makes it a little more of an ordeal to take it out and about on sky-watching trips.
The Orion Skyline 6-inch Dobsonian Reflector is a great choice for beginner and intermediate astronomers. (Image credit: Amazon)
Best for getting closer to the finer details of celestial objects
Specifications
Optical design: Reflector
Mount type: Alt-azimuth
Aperture: 152mm
Focal length: 1200mm
Highest magnification: 133x
Eyepieces supplied: 9mm and 25mm
Weight: 37.5lbs
Reasons to buy
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High-quality optics
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Powerful and clear views
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Sturdy build
Reasons to avoid
–
Cheaper alternatives available
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Not best suited to advanced astronomers
The Orion Skyline 6″ (opens in new tab) telescope is a great choice for beginner and intermediate astronomers alike due to its easy-to-use nature and high-quality optics.
This telescope offers an impressive 152mm objective lens, allowing for plenty of light to pass through and making night sky targets more visible. The multi-coated optics further enhance the viewing experience, ensuring a clear image of those targets. With a focal length of 1200mm, you can observe the finer details of celestial bodies, such as craters on the moon and features of other planets.
This powerful telescope offers up to 133x magnification, allowing you to observe celestial objects in incredible detail. With the included eyepieces, this level of magnification is perfect for viewing the moon and planets. You won’t miss out on any of the finer details.
It’s also well built and easy to use, a huge plus for those without bags of astronomy experience. However, you can get alternatives for a lower price, even if they don’t quite match the Skyline 6″ for quality of specs. We also like the Orion AstroView 90 (opens in new tab) a lot, for which this is a suitable replacement, however, it’s hard to find it in stock online.
An attractive and well built telescope that comes with a sturdy steel tripod. (Image credit: B&H Photo)
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Celestron Omni XLT 102
Ideal for intermediate-level skywatchers
Specifications
Optical design: Refractor
Mount type: CG-4 equatorial
Aperture: 4.02″ (102 mm)
Focal length: 39.37″ (1000 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 283x
Lowest useful magnification: 15x
Supplied eyepieces: 25 mm
Weight: 33 lbs. (15 kg)
Reasons to buy
+
Very good quality optics
+
Sturdy design
+
Easy to accessorize
Reasons to avoid
–
Average-quality focuser
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Not ideal for absolute beginners
The Celestron Omni XLT 102 is aimed at intermediate-level skywatchers, particularly those who have mastered setting circles and know how to use the right ascension and declination coordinates on the supplied high-quality CG-4 German equatorial mount.
Featuring Celestron’s StarBright XLT coating to maximize light transmission, the Omni XLT 102 boasts high-quality optics and aspheric shaping technology to reduce spherical aberration, a visual defect in which incoming light is concentrated at select points.
As such, the Omni XLT 102, with its mix of aperture and f/10 focal ratio, is able to produce excellent views of the planets, from Jupiter’s atmospheric bands and moons, to Saturn’s rings and craters on the moon, showing great contrast between areas in shadow and those bathed in daylight. While there is a slight amount of color fringing, views through the optical system are outstanding.
The refractor comes with a 25 mm eyepiece, 1.25-inch star diagonal, heavy-duty stainless steel tripod, accessory tray, spirit level, Starry Night Special Edition software and a 6×30 finderscope.
Best astrophotography telescopes
The Celestron Advanced VX8 comes packaged with Celestron’s imager focused Advanced VX mount. (Image credit: Michael A. Covington)
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Best for pinpoint sharpness across the whole image
Specifications
Optical design: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Mount type: Motorized equatorial
Aperture: 8″ (203.2 mm)
Focal length: 80″ (2,032 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 480x
Lowest useful magnification: 29x
Supplied eyepieces: 40 mm
Weight: 61 lbs. (27.67 kg)
Reasons to buy
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Great-sized aperture
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High-quality optics for flat field
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Seamless motorized mount
Reasons to avoid
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A little heavier than most
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Lens cap can be fiddly
Celestron’s EdgeHD technology turns Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes into high-quality astrographs with perfectly flat fields. The way that the Schmidt-Cassegrain optics focus light usually means that the focal plane — where the light comes to focus — is curved, but if you are imaging, your CCD camera’s sensor is flat. A curved focal plane on a flat CCD sensor results in field curvature, where stars at the edge of the field tend to blur. This is generally an unwanted effect for astrophotographers.
We were pleased to find, during our Celestron Advanced VX 8 EdgeHD review, that the optics in the EdgeHD negate the blurred edges, creating a perfectly flat field right to the edge of the frame for pinpoint sharpness across the whole image. The optical performance that the Celestron Advanced VX 8 EdgeHD delivers is impressive, with crisp and clear views with no optical distortion or false color.
As an added bonus, the optical tube assembly comes packaged with Celestron’s Advanced VX mount, which is tailor-made for imagers, capable of photographing across the meridian (an imaginary north-south line) without needing to do a meridian flip. The setup also performs periodic corrections to remove errors when tracking objects and also features an auto guider port.
The Celestron Advanced VX9.25 EdgeHD can carry a load up to 30 lbs. (13.6 kilograms) too, so the tube and all your imaging accessories are fully supported and stable. Also included are the standard NexStar+ hand controller, a 40 mm eyepiece, and access to Celestron’s SkyPortal app (opens in new tab) and Starry Night Special Edition software (opens in new tab). Check out our Celestron deals page to see if you can snap up a bargain.
This is a scope that is a great astrophotography all-rounder. Capture everything from planets to deep-sky subjects. (Image credit: Amazom)
Sky-Watcher Skymax 150 PRO
Best for accessory loving astrophotographers
Specifications
Optical design: Maksutov-Cassegrain
Mount type: Equatorial (EQ-5 Pro)
Aperture: 5.90″ (150 mm)
Focal length: 70.87″ (1,800 mm)
Highest useful magnification: 450x
Focal ratio: f/12
Supplied eyepieces: 28 mm
Weight: 13.23 lbs. (6 kg)
Reasons to buy
+
High-quality build
+
Excellent optics
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Great for a wide selection of astrophotography
Reasons to avoid
–
Not all models come with a tripod
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Comes with only one eyepiece
Sky-Watcher’s Skymax 150 is a great package for the price, with some models offering a high-quality equatorial mount for short-exposure astrophotography and long-exposure imaging. This well-constructed Maksutov-Cassegrain also comes with a single eyepiece with a focal length of 28 mm for a magnification of 64x.
Weighing in at 13.23 lbs. (6 kilograms), the Skymax 150 is suitable for most regular equatorial mounts — many makes and models will be able to take the load of both the telescope and extra accessories, including CCD or DSLR cameras, filter wheels and other such add-ons. For versatility in the type of mount you choose, a Vixen-style dovetail plate is supplied for a moderate price tag.
The Skymax 150’s optical prowess is outstanding, with no sign of optical distortion. The telescope is a great all-arounder, suitable for imaging everything from the planets to deep-sky galaxies and nebulas — and as you would expect for a telescope designed for giving great images. As an added bonus, the instrument is a breeze to use and accessorize.
The focuser is lovely and smooth to operate and the Skymax 150 keeps a good amount of fine focus once it’s been found — vital for those long imaging sessions.
Telescope FAQ
Telescope types compared
If your biggest question is, ‘which type of telescope type should I buy?’ or ‘what is the best telescope in the world?’ let us help. There are three types of telescopes: Reflector vs refractor vs catadioptric telescopes. There are some key differences between how they work and how each type of telescope is helpful for different observations. Telescopes look visually similar from when the telescope was invented but there have been many improvements to both design and function over the years.
Before purchasing one of the best telescopes available, it is important to consider your desired outcome. Are you looking to observe distant star clusters, nebulas and galaxies? A reflector telescope is undoubtedly the most suitable option if the answer is yes.
Telescope Glossary
Aperture: The diameter of the primary mirror or lens, where the telescope collects light. Field of view: Area of sky visible through the eyepiece. Focal length: A telescope’s tube length. Short focal lengths offer a wide field of view and a small image. Focal ratio: Also known as the telescope’s speed. Small focal ratios provide lower magnifications, a wide field of view and a brighter image. Magnification: The relationship between the telescope’s optical system and the eyepiece.
Alternatively, a refractor telescope is the best choice if you are mainly interested in seeing the moon and other planets in our own galaxy.
Another option would be a catadioptric telescope, which can work as a happy middle ground. Some models have computerized motors that make aligning and tracking targets easy and can even capture images for you, excellent news for astrophotographers.
The aperture size is one of the most important things to consider when purchasing a telescope, followed by the focal length. The main thing to remember here is that bigger isn’t always better.
It all comes down to what subjects you want to view. Shorter focal lengths, saf about 20 inches (500 mm), will provide a field of view for you to take in large areas of the Milky Way and showpieces such as the Pleiades (Messier 45) and Orion Nebula (Messier 42). Meanwhile, high-power objects like the moon, planets or double stars need a telescope with a longer focal length of about 80 inches (2000 mm).
If you can’t decide, there are plenty of compromises between aperture and focal length, but you must be willing to make a few trade-offs regarding the weight of your instrument, the field of view and its ‘power.’ Read on for what you can expect from the three major kinds of telescope: the refractor, reflector and catadioptric.
How does a refractor telescope work?
Refractors are usually supplied with a simple alt-azimuth mount that allows you to slew from left to right and up and down (Image credit: Amazon)
How do telescopes work? Well, as their name suggests, refractors bend (or refract) the light that they gather to give you a view of your astronomical target. As telescopes go, they have a fairly straightforward assembly and consist of a main objective lens at one end that focuses light through to the other (the bit you look through).
Intuitive to use, the refractor is often a popular choice of instrument for novice astronomers since they require little maintenance and are usually affixed to the simple alt-azimuth mount, which allows the skywatcher to slew from left to right and up and down in order to locate the desired target. Being easy to use means that these telescopes are also simple to manufacture, making them cheaper to buy with price points increasing with aperture size.
Refractors are particularly good at giving highly magnified and high-contrast images. Because of this, they are ideal instruments to use when looking at solar system targets such as the moon and the planets. The best refractors usually have an aperture of two inches (60 mm) or more and will provide reasonable views of astronomical objects. If you’re looking for a larger aperture, then a three- or four-inch (80 mm to 90 mm) will suit you best.
The drawback of a refractor is that they can suffer from chromatic aberration, also known as color fringing. When a single lens doesn’t focus all of the colors emitted from a target object at the same point, bright objects such as the moon, Venus or Jupiter usually have a colored halo around them. Many refractors are manufactured as achromatic or apochromatic (also known as Extra Dispersion (ED) telescopes) to reduce this problem.
The achromatic refractor is cheaper than the apochromatic refractor and, combined with its efficiency, is often the type of telescope that novice astronomers go for. Even if you decide to go for the more expensive achromat, you’re still likely to get a stubborn degree of purple fringing around some targets.
Unless you’re a seasoned skywatcher and you can afford to go for the more expensive apochromat — which corrects for such an effect by using exotic glass for the lenses — this degree of color fringing will not ruin your observing experience to any great extent. If you decide to go for the expensive option, you will be stunned by the views you will get through these excellent telescopes.
Something to consider though: you might find that some apochromats come without a tripod, so you’d need to buy one separately along with any other accessories.
How does a reflector telescope work?
Reflector telescopes are excellent for low-magnification targets such as galaxies and nebulas. (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
There are two common types of reflector telescope — the Newtonian and the Dobsonian. However, the way these instruments operate is exactly the same — they both use mirrors to reflect light to create an image of the object you’re looking at.
The Newtonian telescope comprises a curved-light collecting mirror, which can be found at the tube’s base. The light that hits this mirror is reflected back to the front of the tube, where a smaller flat mirror — orientated at 45-degrees — brings light to the observer who can see their chosen object.
The Newtonian can be found on alt-azimuth mounts, but you shouldn’t be too surprised to find this type of reflector is more popularly affixed to an equatorial mount, allowing the telescope to follow the rotation of the sky while being aligned with your hemisphere’s celestial pole. This reflector is a favorite in the amateur astronomy community due to its versatility by observing a wide selection of astronomical targets and allowing for astrophotography. With Newtonians, you can also buy a large aperture for less money — for instance, an eight-inch (203.2 mm) reflector would cost you less than a refractor with the same aperture, allowing you to get much more value for your money.
On the downside, the Newtonian doesn’t come hassle-free, especially regarding maintenance. You might find yourself having to have optical mirrors realigned as well as the mirror’s surfaces repainted since they can eventually become tarnished. If you choose to go for a reflector of this sort, you should always choose one with mirrors with a protective coating as they will last longer.
Some beginners to the hobby of astronomy might find setting up and using an equatorial mount tricky and that’s where the Dobsonian comes in. These telescopes give the capabilities of a reflector without the complexities an equatorial mount will bring since it employs an alt-azimuth mount. Dobsonians are very simple to use and can easily be pulled into orientation when looking at astronomical objects. If you’re not confident in navigating your telescope though, then GoTo or computerized Dobsonians and Newtonians (that slew to objects for you) are on the market — but at a higher cost.
Whatever reflector you choose, these telescopes are excellent for low-magnification targets such as galaxies and many types of nebulas.
How does a catadioptric telescope work?
The short optical tube allows high power magnifications in smaller packages. (Image credit: B&H Photo)
To get the best of both reflectors and refractors, manufacturers developed the Schmidt-Cassegrain and the Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. These catadioptric telescopes generally correct issues found in refractors and reflectors.
The Maksutov-Cassegrain corrects the problem that the reflector experiences — an aberration effect called ‘coma,’ which can make objects look distorted and appear like they have a tail. This effect is reduced or banished with the combined efforts of a mirror and a corrector lens. The Maksutov is ideal for beginners or for those who don’t have the time (or money!) to complete any extensive maintenance on their instrument since the tube’s optics are sealed off.
This catadioptric is very robust and is the ideal family telescope. Packed into its short optical tube is a system that allows you to target higher magnification objects such as the planets, moon and double stars. You’ll be able to pick up a Maksutov for a very good price and, if you struggle to find objects and your way around the night sky, then both this type of catadioptric telescope and the Schmidt-Cassegrain can be found in abundance and equipped with a GoTo system.
What you get with a Schmidt-Cassegrain is very similar to the capabilities of the Maksutov. It will allow you to make general observations of planetary targets and stars. It is also possible to expand the telescope’s field of view with the help of corrector lenses, allowing you to view an even wider selection of astronomical targets.
The catadioptric telescope is also suitable if you want to try astrophotography, but combine this with their marked improvement on your standard telescope and you should expect a substantial rise in cost compared to standard reflect and refractors.
How we test the best telescopes
To guarantee you’re getting honest, up-to-date recommendations on the best telescopes to buy here at Space.com we make sure to put every telescope through a rigorous review to fully test each instrument. Each telescope is reviewed based on numerous aspects, from its construction and design, to how well it functions as an optical instrument and its performance in the field.
Our expert staff and knowledgeable freelance contributors thoroughly test each telescope. This ensures honest reviewing based on the telescope’s price, category, and intended use. For example, a 10-inch Dobsonian should not be compared to a 2.76-inch refractor, even though they may be the best in their own class.
We assess the ease of setup of both computerized and motorized mounts, as well as their reliability, accuracy, and noise level. Additionally, we decipher whether a telescope comes with appropriate eyepieces and tripods. We also make suggestions for any additional kits that may be beneficial for the best experience possible.
With complete editorial independence, Space.com are here to ensure you get the best buying advice on telescopes, whether you should purchase an instrument or not, making our buying guides and reviews reliable and transparent.
Aside from this comprehensive list, we do also have brand-specific telescope guides for Celestron, Skywatcher, Meade, and Orion deals for those loyal to their favorite brands. Like this guide, we also keep those updated year-round, so they’re always worth checking out. There are plenty of stores out there that dabble in skywatching equipment as well. Do Best Buy sell telescopes? They sure do, and we have a guide on Telescopes at Best Buy.
Still wondering ‘what telescope should I buy’? We have also selected our favorite budget telescopes under $500, best beginner telescopes and best telescopes for kids and not just what the best telescope to buy for adults is, in case you’re looking for those specifically.
An analogy that’s often used is if you give a monkey a typewriter and enough time, it will eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare. This same principle can be applied to photography. By capturing a multitude of random images, you’re bound to find something that appears intentional, stunning, or both.
Edas Wong, a Hong Kong-based street photographer and graduate of UMIST in Manchester, England, is a master at discovering these hidden gems. While his shots may be spontaneous, they are still remarkable. It’s incredible how a fortuitous perspective can evoke metaphors, juxtapositions, and a sense of visual poetry. It demonstrates that, at times, it’s better to let fate take the wheel.
Unlike most photographers who plan their shots to perfection, Edas Wong relies on his intuition and fortune. He wanders the streets, searching for anything that might pique his interest. His playful photographs cleverly incorporate the foreground and background, resulting in stunning, thought-provoking images that inspire and captivate.
You can find Edas Wong on the Web:
#1 Good thing it’s not an emergency exit
#2 “Well, thanks!”
#3 The dark side of the truck
#4 She escalated quickly!
#5 New hairstyle idea
#6 That’s MINE!
#7 She’d definitely win the Long Jump
#8 This is what’s called flashing
#9 The force is strong with this tire
#10 Very striking indeed
#11 This baby’s the chosen one
#12 Don’t even think about it!
#13 Watch out!
#14 Hey you, duckhead!
#15 Yellow is the trend
#16 “Let’s cut those branches.”
#17 This man wants to be lifted up
#18 Red Bull gave him wings
#19 The stairway to heaven
#20 D O G G O
#21 Seems like a Disney character
#22 A very strange pose
#23 Deadpool having a rough time
#24 This is one trippy image
#25 The Asian Rapunzel
#26 They say removing the masking tape off a painting can be very satisfying
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – A hobbyist photographer recently snapped a pretty awesome picture of nature at work — a big snake eating an equally large fish.
Ed Means caught the serpent snacking on his lunch on April 19 while he was standing on a pier in Landa Park hoping to get a photo of a Green Heron he’d been watching.
“I heard a ruckus in the water and the Green Heron took off. And then I noticed something moving on the green mat of algae and river greenery in the middle of the river,” Means told KSAT. “It was too far away for me to see what I was looking at until I looked at it through my 500 mm camera lens.”
That’s when he spotted the Diamondback water snake and his fishy meal.
Diamondback water snake (Ed Means)
“It was an amazing sight – something I had never seen before,” Means said. “It was quite dramatic watching this snake slowly swallow this fish. It would seem that the fish would be too big for this snake but snakes are able to dislocate/unhinge their jaws to allow for bigger prey.”
According to the online animal encyclopedia Animalia, Diamondback water snakes are carnivores and feed on a variety of aquatic species, including fish.
Diamondback water snakes are typically found basking on branches over water, Animalia’s website states.
“They only typically resort to biting if physically harassed or handled. The bite of these snakes is known to be quite painful due to their sharp teeth meant to keep hold of slippery fish,” according to Animalia.
Means told KSAT he photographs birds and other critters and posts them to his Facebook page.
“It’s strictly a retirement hobby and to keep my Facebook page interesting.”
De nuevo volvemos al ataque. Una semana después de la última salida cargamos otra vez todos los trastos en el coche y salimos de Madrid rumbo sur en busca de cielos oscuros llenos de estrellas. Nos espera una noche bajo las Líridas, las estrellas fugaces del mes de abril, que esta noche tienen su máximo de actividad.
A pesar de que el día había amanecido con algunos chubascos la tarde ya se mostraba totalmente despejada, además no había llovido mucho y los campos acusan la sequía por lo que el poco agua que cayó enseguida fue capturada por el suelo y no había ningún charco. Llegamos al punto de observación en Toledo a la misma hora que la semana pasada y nuestros amigos ya habían llegado e incluso uno de ellos ya tenía montado el telescopio.
Aunque la temperatura era agradable soplaba una ligera brisa que nos acompañó durante la primera mitad de la noche y en algunos casos resultaba algo molesta por producir rachas.
La puesta de Sol fue un espectáculo. El cielo se llenó de infinitas variaciones de tonos azulados que se fundían en el horizonte con otra infinita combinación de anaranjados. Tras el chaparrón de la mañana el cielo estaba muy limpio de nubes aunque se apreciaba que la concentración de polen era altísima.
Una luna creciente de tan sólo 2 días mostraba su tímida sonrisa acompañada de un brillantísimo Venus de la -4,1 iluminado a un 69%. Estuvimos buscando Mercurio pero su tenue brillo de la +3 acompañado del hecho de que al atardecer ya se encontraba bastante bajo nos impidió verlo esta vez como si que hicimos la semana pasada.
Con las últimas luces del día ya empezaban a brillar algunas estrellas, Sirio era la que más destacaba y gracias a esta podíamos encontrar después a Betelgeuse (marcando máximos de brillo en las últimas fechas) y tras ésta podíamos encontrar Rigel y un poco más lejos Castor y Pollux junto a un puntito rojizo que no podía ser otro que el planeta Marte. Estuve disfrutando un rato de estos primeros astros visibles hasta que el vuelo de un mochuelo se cruzó en mi camino y le estuve siguiendo hasta su olivo. Los grillos empezaban a cantar y la banda sonora de la noche arrancaba acompañada de ululatos.
Lo que era un total espectáculo era la Luna, que presentaba una destacada luz cenicienta y se dejaba disfrutar tanto con prismáticos como con telescopio. Una estrella variable doble (HD26128) se deslizó rodando la superficie de la Luna y llegamos a pensar que sería ocultada, cosa que no ocurrió finalmente pero era una maravilla apreciar el movimiento de traslación de nuestro satélite (sumado al de rotación de nuestro planeta) en relación a la estrella.
Después de disfrutar el bocadillo y a eso de las 22:00 empecé la rutina de alineación del telescopio. La idea era empezar la sesión a las 22:38 que marcaba el inicio de la noche astronómica.
En esta ocasión sacaría el color el objeto de la semana pasada, M58 y alrededores. Así que programé dos sets RGB de 150” a bin2 de 12 imágenes cada uno con dithering cada 4 tomas y reenfoque cada 6 imágenes o si había un cambio de filtro.
Una vez funcionando el telescopio ya pude continuar con mi observación visual (si bien cada 15 minutos o así le voy echando un vistazo al telescopio por si pasara algo con el guiado o el enfoque, no hay que confiarse).
Estuvimos observado varios objetos con los prismáticos aunque teniendo el 100mm de “S” y el 12” de nuestro otro compañero al final terminamos mirando más por sus telescopios. Multitud de galaxias como NGC4565 (aguja) o NGC3521 que además de ser muy bonita en fotografías es toda una delicia en visual.
Destacada visibilidad de Líridas
Como esa noche era el máximo de las Líridas por supuesto no pudieron faltar algunos de estos meteoros, la mayoría de ellos muy sutiles y rapidísimos pero otros mucho más brillantes que dejaban una gran estela y parecían muy rasantes. También pudimos ver varios meteoros esporádicos que por su radiante no pertenecían a las Líridas. Entre los 4 que éramos fácilmente vimos unos 30 meteoros y eso que muchas veces andábamos mirando los ordenadores o a través de los telescopios.
Una de las espinitas que me quedó de la última noche fue poder ver el cúmulo de Omega Centauri así que esta vez volví a intentarlo. Me alejé por el camino y subí por unas tierras de labranza en busca de algo más de altura pero nada, debía estar justo oculto por el horizonte de montes que tenía delante. El caso es que ya estaba culminando así que lo tenía difícil para verlo más tarde… no obstante como 1 hora después volví a intentarlo y en esta ocasión tuve más suerte. Un pequeño borroncillo muy difuso era visible rozando el horizonte. Una sonrisa se dibujó en mi cara –“¡Te pillé!”. Y no pude evitar acordarme de un timelapse que unos amigos publicaron en Twitter hace unos días con una captura similar a lo que yo estaba viendo si bien en mi caso el cúmulo estaba más cerca incluso del horizonte.
El gran cúmulo globular Omega Centauri, desplazándose por el horizonte. 100 imags x 15 seg Sony a6400, objetivo 24/240 Sierra Norte de Sevilla 16 abril 2023 pic.twitter.com/ye7qRhehHp
Otra de las cosas un poco fuera de lo normal que vi esa noche fue un grupo de 3 satélites en formación triangular por la zona de Casiopea, muy bajos en el horizonte. Fue quejarme de ellos en alto y de la cantidad de basura espacial que hay e instantáneamente aparecer otros tres satélites más con la misma formación y en la misma zona, siguiendo a los anteriores ¿Serían Starlink?
Con una agradable noche disfrutada que empezó con 15º y terminamos con 10º, un SQM que llegó a marcar 21.24 y temperatura IR del cielo de -24º dimos por terminada la sesión a las 03:30 ya que al día siguiente teníamos compromisos familiares. Ya en mayo veremos lo que hacemos porque al anochecer más tarde igual empieza a salir a cuenta ir a una casita rural o algo así para aprovechar lo máximo posible. Es lo malo de estas fechas, que las noches cada vez son más cortas.
De momento más que en la próxima salida toca pensar en el Congreso Estatal de Astronomía que se celebra la semana que viene en Zaragoza y donde iremos por primera vez a ver que se desarrolla por allí. Ya os iré contando.
22 Cute Gift Ideas for Your Photo-Obsessed FriendJohn Francis
“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”
We all have *that* one friend. The one who takes the best Instagram photos, who somehow always finds your good side (yes, even in candids), and who just has to stop and take a photo of the sunset on a gorg summer night. And friends like that, well, they deserve a thank you every now and again. And what says “thank you for taking my Hinge profile pic” better than a thoughtful gift?
Picking the perfect gift for any photographer is hard—whether they’re a professional or just your unofficial Instagram husband. Not only is it an extremely technical (and pricey) art, but there are also SO. MANY. OPTIONS. There are Bluetooth shutter buttons that let you take selfies more easily, digital photo picture frames to share pics with family and friends from afar, and even camera phone cases à la Emily in Paris. And that’s just scratching the surface. If you’re overwhelmed, don’t worry, I found all the best gift ideas that every photographer lover will appreciate (and actually use).
TBH, these gifts for photographers don’t need to go to your go-to photographer bestie. They’re perfect for any photo lover at any level—beginner to full-on professional. They might even help turn your friend into your very own personal paparazzo. Just sayin’.
Shop Even More Gift Ideas Here
Instax Mini 11 Instant Film Camera
What better way to experiment with Polaroids than this cute Instax Mini Camera? This version comes with an easy, one-touch selfie button so you can snap pics with your friends.
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Instax Mini 11 Instant Film Camera
$93.95
amazon.com
Amazon
Annie Leibovitz Teaches Photography
Best known for her portrait work in Vanity Fair and Vogue (she’s photographed Kim and Kanye and Queen Elizabeth), photographer Annie Leibovitz lends her years of experience to anyone with a Masterclass membership in this webinar. It’s the perfect experience gift for your friend who’s been dying to take a photography class.
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Annie Leibovitz Teaches Photography
$15.00
masterclass.com
MasterClass
Personalized Camera Strap
Being a photographer requires a lot of gear, and not a lot of it is particularly cute. Enter: these personalized floral camera straps.
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Personalized Camera Strap
$17.61
etsy.com
DeboShop1/Etsy
Solar Photography Kit
Learning a new way to take pictures is always exciting for a photographer, especially when it involves getting back to basics: taking pics using only the light from the sun, some photo paper, and a subject.
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Solar Photography Kit
$14.95
uncommongoods.com
Uncommon Goods
Art Book Box Subscription
Give the gift of inspiration and ~fancy~ home decor with Cratejoy’s Art Book Club subscription box, which can be personalized for an “Art and Photography” fan.
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Art Book Box Subscription
$50.00
cratejoy.com
Cratejoy
Camera Lens Earrings
Give your photo buddy the gift of wearing their passion on their ears with these v realistic looking lens earrings.
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Camera Lens Earrings
$12.95
etsy.com
ObsessoriesHandmade/Etsy
Camera Tripod
No photographer likes taking blurry pictures—unintentional ones, at least—and you can help them avoid that with this handy tripod! (Note: this one claims to be for DSLR cameras only, but reviewers write that they’ve used the tripod with other devices just fine.)
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Camera Tripod
$27.99
walmart.com
Walmart
Digital Camera
Have a friend that loves photography, but hasn’t yet taken the step into actually being a photographer? This digital camera is a great place to start. It’s small and light enough for the average person to travel with, and can take great pictures on automatic settings. It also shoots HD videos.
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Digital Camera
$99.00
walmart.com
Walmart
Rage Tote Bag
Every photographer needs something to carry their gear in. They also sometimes need some inspiration. This tote, designed by collage artist great/grand/golden, does both.
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Rage Tote Bag
$24.80
society6.com
great/grand/golden/Society6
Funsaver One Time Use Film Camera
Nothing says nostalgia quite like disposable cameras. These babies still shoot on film, allowing a budding photographer to play with film without having to buy an expensive camera.
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Funsaver One Time Use Film Camera
$38.00
amazon.com
Amazon
SD Card Holder Keychain
Cute, unique, and useful? Talk about the perfect gift. This camera keychain comes in a whole bunch of different colors and features a slot for a memory card, so whoever is taking pics will never run out of storage.
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SD Card Holder Keychain
$13.00
etsy.com
NotABoxCreations/Etsy
2-Pack Content Creator LED Light Kit
Good lighting can make or break a photo. These two lights each give off different effects—one is a RGB colorful flare, the other a white light—to help customize the lighting to your photographer’s liking.
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2-Pack Content Creator LED Light Kit
$39.98
walmart.com
Walmart
Dock Plus Instant Photo Printer
This instant printer is an Amazon best seller that will charge your phone while printing out gorgeous 4×6 prints. It can also be used via Bluetooth.
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Dock Plus Instant Photo Printer
$137.99
amazon.com
Amazon
Professional Camera Cleaning Kit
Taking care of a camera is key for any photographer—nothing ruins a great shot quite like flecks of dust on the lenses. This cleaning kit has everything a photographer needs for clear pics.
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Professional Camera Cleaning Kit
$34.99
amazon.com
Amazon
Micro Fiber Cleaning Cloth Pouch
If a whole kit seems like overkill, there’s also this simple micro fiber cleaning cloth keychain. Easy to strap onto any camera bag, the pouch comes with one cleaning cloth that will clear away any lens smudges. (Hot tip: also a great gift for glasses wearers.)
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Micro Fiber Cleaning Cloth Pouch
$5.00
photodom.shop
Photodom
The Drop Art Print
Losing your artistic drive is tough, but it happens to everyone. One way to help ease out of it: fill your home with inspiration, like this cool print from photographer Aaron Ricketts.
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The Drop Art Print
$33.60
society6.com
Aaron Ricketts/Society6
Camera Backpack
For more serious photographers, a camera backpack is a must. This baby has customizable compartments to hold multiple cameras, lenses, and attachments (tripods, etc) easily. Add in a stylish, waterproof design, and you’ve got yourself a win.
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Camera Backpack
$66.99
amazon.com
Amazon
5 in 1 Cellphone Lens Kit
Carrying a camera everywhere can be hard on the back, but there’s nothing heavy about these interchangeable camera phone lenses that will help take phone photography to the next level. This set comes with a fisheye lens, a wide angle lens, a macro lens, a telescope lens, and a CPL lens, and a convenient little pouch to store them in.
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5 in 1 Cellphone Lens Kit
$16.99
walmart.com
Walmart
Manifestation Lined Journal
You never know when inspiration will strike, so help a photographer keep track of their ideas with this cute notebook.
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Manifestation Lined Journal
$18.00
nordstrom.com
Nordstrom
SD Card Reader
A lot of computers don’t come with built-in memory card slots (), so if you know a photographer who shoots digital, odds are they need one of these handy USB SD card readers. They are super useful, but also incredibly easy to misplace. Even if whoever you’re shopping for already has some, I’m sure they wouldn’t say no to one more.
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SD Card Reader
$14.99
amazon.com
Amazon
Photoshop
Photoshop is a super fun tool for photographers to edit their own pictures. It can also be somewhat expensive for amateurs, which is what makes it such a great gift.
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Photoshop
$10.49
adobe.com
Photoshop
Classic Leather Album
In the age of digital, it can be easy to want to just keep all your photos safe in the cloud, but there’s really nothing like the joy of opening up a photo album IRL. Plus, this photo album has room for notes so your photog friend can keep track of when/where/what lens was used, etc. All important info for a pro.
The UAE Space Agency shared the new footage of Deimos on Monday
It was captured from just about 60 miles away
The data gives new dimensions to the debate about the origins of the Martian moons
We now have the closest ever view of the Martian moon Deimos, thanks to the United Arab Emirates’ Hope mission.
The UAE Space Agency shared never-before-seen footage of Hope Probe spacecraft making a close approach to one of Mars’ natural satellites until the planet itself comes into view. It also posted an image that shows Deimos with the majestic Red Planet right behind it.
While it wasn’t the first time Deimos was imaged, the previous ones were rather from far away, Space.com reported. By comparison, the new footage was captured from just 60 miles (100 kilometers) away, making it the closest view of the moon yet.
But apart from providing unprecedented views of Deimos, the smaller and lesser-observed of Mars’ two satellites, it also provides an excellent opportunity for space scientists to understand its structure more.
The Hope space probe, more formally the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), used all its instruments during the flyby, according to a feature on Nature.
Previously, it was believed that Deimos and Phobos were perhaps like asteroids that were captured to be in the orbit of Mars. However, the new data suggests it seems to be composed of the same material as the ones on the surface of Mars, not like those in asteroids.
It’s possible then that Deimos actually formed with Mars.
“The new observations challenge the longstanding theory that Mars’ moons are captured asteroids and instead point to a planetary origin,” the space agency wrote on Instagram.
This won’t be the last of Deimos that we would see from the Hope probe, as the flyby was only one of several planned to gather data on the moon — all while it still continues its primary mission of capturing data on the atmosphere of Mars.
“The deimos campaign aims to provide the international scientific community with previously unseen observations and data,” Emirates Mars Mission science lead, Eng. Hessa Al Matroushi, said in a release issued by the agency in February when the probe moved to a new Mars orbit to observe the moon. “The Hope Probe will capture high cadence images and data of the irregularly shaped, crater-heavy moon, during fly-bys at different times.”
The Hope Probe was launched in 2020 and reached Mars in 2021. The spacecraft is now proving to be vital in our understanding of Mars and its enigmatic moons.
“We still have achievements and explorations that we aspire to achieve to enrich the global scientific community and to put the UAE footprint in exploring the secrets of the Red Planet,” the agency wrote.
This montage shows asteroid 951 Gaspra top compared with Deimos lower left and Phobos lower right, the moons of Mars. NASA/JPL
One of the best astrophotography cameras you can buy is massively reduced at Walmart.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is one of the best astrophotography cameras that money can buy right now – but it doesn’t come cheap. That’s why we were so surprised to stumble upon this doozy of an offer from Walmart.
The retailer is offering the OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark III for just $1141.97 – a discount of over $650 from the MSRP of $1799. Weirdly, the Walmart page doesn’t mark it down as a deal, but this is indeed a great discount on this lightweight astro camera.
OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark III – Was $1799,now $1141.97 at Walmart
Save over $650 on one of the best astrophotography cameras around (lens not included)View Deal
One of the best features of the OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark III is its Starry Sky Autofocus, which means the camera is able to use an algorithm to zero in on the smallest stars visible for an impressively sharp picture.
There are two priority modes, too; one for accuracy, and one for speed. The former is ideal for tripods, but the latter means you can grab some great astrophotography shots with a handheld camera. Don’t worry about your arm getting tired, either – the OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark III is impressively compact and lightweight.
That small size does mean the sensor is a little smaller, but with the wealth of features on offer we’d say it’s still worth a look.
There’s even a Live Composite mode that keeps the shutter open for six hours, adding exposure when lighting changes, and USB connectivity is ideal for keeping the battery topped up while out and about.
You will need your own lenses, however, as this deal is for the camera body only.
Looking for more of the best cameras around but taking photos of nature instead? Be sure to check out our picks for the best wildlife photography cameras.
