For an astronomer, a telescope isn’t just any instrument to take for granted. Even the one from Galileo’s time garnered serious fame with all its limitations.

This age got us lucky as a low-end modern telescope presents far better optical clarity and specifications than the early version.

So, looking for the Best Telescopes Under $200 is a rational idea because you’ll have an acceptable threshold of lens quality, aperture size, resolution, and magnification to see the sharpness of the telescopic images of galaxies, planets, stars, and other celestial bodies.

After hours of labor and down-to-earth attention to the dozens of telescopes at this special price, we can conclude that Celestron – PowerSeeker 127EQ comes on top, and it’s fair enough to mention a few more choices that are worth your time and dime.

Our Guide to Choosing the Best Telescope Under $200

Models Type Aperture Focal Length Focal Ratio Resolution Mount Magnification
Celestron – PowerSeeker 127EQ Newtonian Reflector 127mm (5″) 1000mm (39″) f/7.87 0.91  arc second German Equatorial 50x, 250x
Celestron Astromaster 70 AZ Refractor 70mm (2.76″) 900mm (35″) f/13 1.66 arc seconds Alt-Azimuth 45x, 90x
Celestron – AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Reflector 114mm (4.48″) 1000mm (39.37″) f/8.77 1.02 arc seconds German Equatorial 50, 100x
Orion 10012 Skyscanner Parabolic Reflector 100mm (~4″) 400mm f/4 1.16 arc seconds Alt-Azimuth 20x, 40x
Orion 10033 FunScope Spherical Reflector 76mm (~3″) 300mm f/3.9 1.52 arc seconds Alt-Azimuth 15x, 50x
Instruments 209006 Achromatic Refractor 102mm (4″) 600mm f/5.9 N/A Alt-Azimuth 23x, 66x, 95x
Meade Instruments 216006 Newtonian Reflector 130mm (5. 1″) 650mm f/5 0.90 arc second German Equatorial 23x, 66x, 95x
Orion 10015 StarBlast Parabolic Reflector 114mm (4.5″) 450mm f/4 1.02 arc seconds Dobsonian 26x, 75x
Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope Refractor 70mm (2.8″) 400mm (15.74″) f/5.7 1.66 arc seconds Manual Alt-Azimuth 20x, 40x

All products reviewed here are from some of the world’s most prestigious brands and have their appeal to astronomers with different levels of experience and depth of passion. Except for PowerSeeker 127EQ, others aren’t necessarily in any order of preference.

1. Celestron – PowerSeeker 127EQ

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With a larger aperture, Barlow lens, and higher magnification, PowerSeeker 127EQ is way more powerful and reasonably costlier than others on the list.

Features

  • Mirror and Aperture: The large primary mirror assigns a good value to the aperture, which is 127mm/5 inches. It gathers 329 times more light than unaided human eyes. The secondary mirror creates some obstruction, but that is only 32% in diameter or 10% of its total area.
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: Focal length is 1000mm or 39 inches and two eyepieces measuring 20mm (0.79″), and 4mm (0.16″) contribute to great magnification – 50x and 250x, which may run as high as 300x and as low as 18x. The focal ratio is f/7.87, giving you a shorter exposure time for taking images than a higher ratio.
  • Mount: With the German Equatorial mount, the telescope allows you to follow the stars according to their movements through the sky. Adjustment to the slow-motion altitude rod lets you point toward the object accurately and smoothly. Make sure you tighten the cross knob while adjusting.
  • Accessories: Look at the accessories: 2 Eyepieces with holder, 1 Barlow Lens, 1 No-Tool Tray, Tripod, Starry Night Basic Edition! The 3x Barlow lens adds to the power of the eyepieces. Oh, don’t forget about the Finderscope. It works!
  • Materials and Coatings: The aluminum coatings won’t go away without taking a sizeable amount of impact and daily wear. The aluminum tripod is another example of how Celestron cares about durability.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: Since some essential accessories come preassembled, the setup won’t be difficult. Speaking of portability, the telescope could be a little lighter than 21.38 lbs or 9.7 kg.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Newtonian Reflector
  • Aperture: 127mm (5″)
  • Secondary Mirror Obstruction: 41mm (1.6″); Diameter- 32%; Area- 10%
  • Focal Length: 1000mm (39″)
  • Focal Ratio: f/7.87
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Focal Length): 20mm (0.79″); 10mm (0.16″)
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Magnification): 50x; 250x
  • Magnification: Highest- 300x; Lowest- 18x
  • Resolution: Rayleigh- 1.1 arc seconds; Dawes 0.91 arc seconds
  • Mount: German Equatorial with an Altitude rod
  • Optical Tube: Length- 508mm (20″); Material- Aluminum
  • Height Adjustment Range (including tripod and mount): 812.8mm to 1295.4mm (32″ – 51″)
  • Included Items: 2 Eyepieces with holder, 1 Barlow Lens, 1 No-Tool Tray, Tripod, Starry Night Basic Edition, and user manual

Pros

  • An affordable telescope with essential accessories included
  • Large aperture and magnification settings
  • Very little risk of aberration
  • Easy to set up and use with illustrated user manual
  • 2-year warranty with resourceful software for further studies on astronomy

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Heavy
  • Not stable enough

While the second eyepiece is arguably not very good at what it does, it still stays ahead of the competition due to the low price brackets and is a great instrument for amateurs.

2. Celestron Astromaster 70 AZ

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Astromaster 70 AZ packs all the benefits of a refractor telescope combining a list of useful accessories.

Features

  • Objective Lens and Aperture: The aperture measures 70mm or 2.76 inches meeting only the humble demands of professionals. However, you can still get the actual direction of your favorite celestial body, thanks to the erect image optics!
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: Two eyepieces measuring 20mm/0.8 inches and 10mm/0.4inches and the focal length being 900mm/35 inches give you 45x and 90x magnification power (for each eyepiece, respectively). It makes a significantly high focal ratio (f/13) ideal for double stars, planets, or the moon.
  • Mount: You’ll see an Alt-Azimuth mounting system which is pretty much a basic style. There’s a panning handle or control clutch, which makes all the adjustments for accurate pointing easier and smoother.
  • Accessories: Two eyepieces are available to allow for variable magnifications. The travel tripod makes the positioning a breeze. The red dot finderscope lets you pinpoint the desired star. The erect image star diagonal gives the true direction of your target astronomical object.
  • Materials and Coatings: The aluminum optical tube can withstand regular wear and tear except for any major impact. The optics being fully coated and made of pure glass should give you an undistorted viewing experience while being scratch-resistant.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: Weighing 11 lbs. when assembled, the telescope is portable, thanks to the lightweight frame and aluminum tube. Use the well-written instruction manual to get it on the go in just a minute without additional tools.

Specifications

  • Optical Design/Type: Refractor
  • Aperture: 70mm (2.76″)
  • Focal Length: 900mm (35″)
  • Focal Ratio: f/13
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Focal Length): 20mm (.8″); 10mm (.4″)
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Magnification): 45x; 90x
  • Magnification: Highest- 165x; Lowest- 10x
  • Resolution: Rayleigh- 1.99 arc seconds; Dawes 1.66 arc seconds
  • Mount: Alt-Azimuth with panhandle and clutch
  • Optical Tube: Length- 914mm (36″); Material- Aluminum
  • height adjustment Range (including tripod and mount): 812.8mm to 1295.4mm (32″ – 51″)
  • Included Items: OTA, preassembled tripod and mount, two eyepieces, red-dot Finderscope, tripod, erect image 90° diagonal, and user manual

Pros

  • A budget model with no major feature missing
  • A great companion for beginners
  • Easy setup and flexible control with the mount and panning handle
  • All useful accessories included
  • 2-year warranty with helpful documentation and visuals

Cons

  • Barlow lens included meaning that you aren’t fully free of concerns for aberration
  • Stability issues with the tripod (difficulty getting it right unless the surface is plain enough)

It’s not a telescope for professionals, but hobbyists or beginners will find it hard to deny the package’s convenience.

3. Celestron – AstroMaster 114EQ

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Here we got another telescope from the famous AstroMaster series but with a larger aperture, shorter focal ratio, and higher magnification than the other on our list.

Let’s see if it’s worth the price.

Features

  • Mirror and Aperture: The aperture is 114mm (4.48″), slightly smaller than PowerSeeker 127EQ. The ability of the primary mirror to gather light is 265x. The secondary mirror obstruction is 44mm (1.73″) which accounts for 38% by diameter and 14% by area. However, the quality of the glass and very few maintenance requirements may seal the deal.
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: The focal length of eyepieces is 1 and 2 to 20mm (.78″) and 10mm (4″), giving you 50x and 100x in magnification, respectively. The highest and lowest useful magnification can be 269x and 16x. The focal length being 1000mm (39.37″) makes a small number, f/8.77 in focal ratio, and thus fewer tracking errors. The erect image corrector increases the utility of the eyepiece.
  • Mount: The German Equatorial Mount that comes with this model is slightly better than those with most other models of Celestron. Its two control knobs help users with precision adjustments while maintaining slow motions.
  • Accessories: The package is full of them! You’ll have Tripod plus Center Support Bracket, CG-2 Equatorial Mount, 2 Eyepieces, 2 Counterweights with bar, 2 Slow-motion Cables, Accessory Tray, The Sky™ CD Software, and Battery. The StarPointer Finderscope is the brand’s one of many patented innovations.
  • Materials and Coatings: The mirror comes fully coated with very little susceptibility to damage unless there’s any purposeful attempt to destroy it. The aluminum tripod has steel tube legs measuring 1.25 inches each.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: The short focal length and thus the ratio should be some of the telescope’s pluses. While we expected 114EQ to be a little lighter, it’s still a lightweight device.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Newtonian Reflector
  • Aperture: 114mm (4.48″)
  • Secondary Mirror Obstruction: 44mm (1.73″); Diameter- 38%; Area- 14%
  • Focal Length: 1000mm (39.37″)
  • Focal Ratio: f/8.77
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Focal Length): 20mm (0.78″); 10mm (0.4″)
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Magnification): 50x; 100x
  • Magnification: Highest- 269x; Lowest- 16x
  • Resolution: Rayleigh- 1.22 arc seconds; Dawes 1.02 arc seconds
  • Mount: German Equatorial with a Couple of Slow-Motion Control Cables
  • Optical Tube: Length- 457mm (18″); Material- Aluminum
  • Height Adjustment Range (including tripod and mount): 812.8mm – 1295.4mm (32″ – 51″)
  • Included Items: Optical Tube, StarPointer Finderscope, Tripod plus Center Support Bracket, CG-2 Equatorial Mount, 2 Eyepieces, 2 Counterweights with bar, 2 Slow-motion Cables, Accessory Tray, The Sky™ CD Software, and Battery.

Pros

  • Decent OTA specifications (aperture, mirror, and focal length) for the money
  • Reliable CG-2 Equatorial Mount with control knobs for adjustments at slow motions
  • Easy-to-use accessories
  • Little maintenance requirement
  • 2-year warranty with great support (for installation/setup)

Cons

  • Users’ Complaints: Rusty counterweights, visible glue on the assembly points, and tripod

Some arrangements to handle spherical aberration and a slightly larger aperture might be useful. After all, it’s worth your money unless you’re reluctant to maintain cost-efficiency.

4. Orion 10012 Skyscanner

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The quality of the optics and other hardware parts of this tabletop reflector compensate for the considerable trade-off on the aperture and magnification.

Features

  • Mirrors and Aperture: Located at the optical tube’s rear part is the primary mirror that collects the incoming light. The gathered light is then projected to deliver bright images of Jupiter, many of the moon’s craters, and other planets, thanks to the parabolic shape! The 100mm aperture comes up to approximately 4 inches; a little larger could be better, though!
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: Two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm) allow you to see objects magnified by 20x and 40x, respectively, whereas the highest applicable limit of that can be 200x and the lowest 14x. The focal length is 400mm, which gives f/4.0 in focal ratio; not bad when you want to handle it on your own.
  • Mount: This Orion reflector has a mounting base with three stable legs and an integrated photo tripod adapter.
  • Accessories: Not many ‘bells and whistles come with it, but the box contains all the essentials. The eyepieces, reflex sight (EZ Finder II), 1.25″ Rack-and-pinion focuser, the special edition of Starry Night, and a 3/8″-to-1/4″-20 threaded adapter make a decent $100 package.
  • Materials and Coatings: The mirror is made of soda-lime and comes coated with silicon dioxide and aluminum, and the material it uses is a soda-lime plate. The steel tube has a scratch-resistant, painted finish, and the aluminum tripod is okay.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: The 15.7-inch optical tube weighs 3.4 lbs. The tripod adds another 2.8 lbs. to the total weight, which is 6.2 lbs. (fully assembled). The focus knob lets you adjust the optics for the desired level of image sharpness.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Parabolic Reflector
  • Aperture: 100mm (~4″)
  • Focal Length: 400mm
  • Focal Ratio: f/4.0
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Focal Length): 20mm; 10mm
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Magnification): 20x; 40x
  • Resolution: 1.16arc seconds
  • Magnification: Highest- 200x; Lowest- 14x
  • Mount: Alt-Azimuth
  • Optical Tube: Ideal for ¼”-20 tripods; Material- Steel
  • Weight: 6.2 lbs.
  • Included Items: 2 Eyepieces, Threaded Adapter, 1 Finderscope, and Starry Night Special Edition

Pros

  • An ideal choice for beginners and learners
  • Chemically solid optics at an affordable price
  • Sturdy tube and tripod
  • Lightweight and easy to assemble and maintain
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • Not big on magnification

However, you can still get the most of its magnifying power to catch sight of many of the craters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NihZIw8f1-o

5. Orion 10033 FunScope

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This FunScope telescope comes as a basic model with everything but acceptable compromises on the aperture size and magnification limits.

Features

  • Mirror and Aperture: The primary mirror is a spherical kind that offers 76mm or around 3 inches in aperture. The secondary mirror deflects the collected light out the optical tube’s side through the telescope’s focuser.
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: Two Kellner eyepieces measuring 20mm and 6mm lets you have 15x and 50x magnification, respectively, with the highest practical and theoretical level up to 90x and 152x, whereas the lowest level is up to 11x. 300mm in focal length gives f/3.9 in focal ratio, making it a handy device for kids and new users.
  • Mount: The alt-azimuth base provides the required stability when the user has to move it in altitude and azimuth. With rubber grips on their underside, the three feet don’t skid much but bring adequate ground clearance and stability.
  • Accessories: The package includes 2 Eyepieces, 1 Barlow Lens, Red-dot reflex sight (non-magnifying), and Orion MoonMap 260 alongside the telescope. Kellner eyepieces use an achromatic doublet, which helps reduce chromatic aberration.
  • Materials and Coatings: Steel for the tube and aluminum and silicone dioxide for mirror coatings makes it a typical Orion telescope. The mounting base uses wood composite with a water-resistant laminate.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: The focus wheels add to your convenience by letting you move the rack-and-pinion focuser and bring the target objects into sharp focus. There’s a tension knob to allow you to set the required amount of tension in your chosen altitude. The small focal length makes for a small tube (259.08mm/10.2 inches) and an overall lightweight telescope.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Spherical, Reflector
  • Aperture: 76mm (~3″)
  • Focal Length: 300mm
  • Focal Ratio: f/3.9
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Focal Length): 20mm; 6mm
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Magnification): 15x; 50x
  • Resolution: 1.52 arc seconds
  • Magnification: Highest- 90x; Lowest- 11x
  • Mount: Alt-Azimuth
  • Optical Tube: Length- 259.08mm/ 10.2 Inches; Material- Steel
  • Weight: 4 lbs.
  • Included Items: 2 Eyepieces, 2x Barlow Lens, 1 Red-Dot Reflex Sight, Orion MoonMap 260

Pros

  • A well-built entry-level model within budget
  • A lightweight telescope for one person
  • Easy to use and maintain (dust cover included)
  • Durable OTA assembly
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • The primary mirror being not adjustable cause makes the sharp focus available on just one side.

The other limitations you see in it are just the outcome of its awesome affordability. Nonetheless, beginners aren’t out of luck, a credit to the FunScope!

6. Meade Instruments 209006

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It has the optical excellence and features of a moderately priced intermediate-level instrument. Let’s see what makes it worth your time.

Features

  • Objective Lens and Aperture: This achromatic refractor has a 102mm objective which gives a 4-inch aperture allowing the user to view hundreds of celestial objects, including the Orion nebula and the Milky Way’s nearest major Galaxy named Andromeda Galaxy, without many aberrations.
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: As with Instruments 216006, three eyepieces having 26mm, 9mm, and 6.3mm in focal length let you enjoy magnifying objects at 23x, 66x, and 95x while allowing for as high as 204x and as low as 15x. The unordinary standard focal length (600m) makes for a typical focal ratio of f/5.9.
  • Mount: It has an improved version of a typical alt-azimuth mount. With a panhandle and precision slow motion controls on both axes, you can track many objects, no matter if it’s a day or a night.
  • Accessories: In addition to the eyepieces and Barlow lens, there’s a Red-Dot viewfinder, focuser, tripod, Meade’s astronomy software package, and essential instructions in a video.
  • Materials and Coatings: The optical tube uses steel, and so does the tripod, whose legs are made with stainless steel tubes. Special coatings are neither in use nor essential.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: The lightweight tube makes a portable telescope. Both visual and written instructions are available to assist you in the setup process.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Achromatic Refractor
  • Aperture: 102mm
  • Focal Ratio: f/5.9
  • Focal Length: 600mm
  • Eyepiece 1, 2, 3 (Focal Length): 26mm; 9mm; 6.3mm
  • Eyepiece 1, 2, 3 (Magnification): 23x; 66x; 95x
  • Magnification: Highest- 204x; Lowest- 15x
  • Diagonal: 90° Erect-Prism
  • Mount: Alt-Azimuth
  • Weight: 12 lbs.
  • Focuser: Rack-and-Pinion
  • Included Items: 3 Eyepieces, 2x Barlow Lens, Red-Dot Viewfinder, 1 Tripod, and “Autostar® Suite Astronomer Edition DVD”

Pros

  • Decent optical power for both nighttime view and daytime terrestrial observation
  • An alt-azimuth mount with smooth tuning knobs
  • Lightweight and easy setup
  • Useful accessories with no additional pieces required for basic astrophotography
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • Long-distance focus may not be a pleasant experience
  • Aligning the Red-Dot Viewfinder can be difficult for new astronomers.

Before beginning the setup and aligning the viewfinder, you should watch the instructional video at least two times.

7. Meade Instruments 216006

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With improved OTA details, nearly the same list of accessories, and a heavier build, this reflector telescope sells significantly lower than Instruments 209006.

Here’s an elucidation of its features.

Features

  • Mirrors and Aperture: The 130mm objective (5. 1-inch aperture) and other hardware parts make this achromatic reflector a smart choice for both intermediate and new astronomers.
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: The package includes three eyepieces measuring 26mm, 9mm, and 6.3mm. These allow for magnifications up to 23x, 66x, and 95x respectively, where the highest limit is 260x and the lowest is 19x. The focal length is 650mm, which may not be too much but still account for its hefty build.
  • Mount: The large yet stable German Equatorial style Mount features slow-motion control cables and a latitude adjuster with a scale for convenient tracking and viewing celestial objects across various directions.
  • Accessories: With the eyepieces, you’ll have a Barlow, a viewfinder, an accessory tray, a tripod, and an instructional DVD. The 2x Barlow lens inserted between the focuser and the eyepiece should help reduce chromatic aberration.
  • Materials and Coatings: It uses the same material as Instruments 209006. Also, the construction of the optical tube doesn’t require any additional coatings.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: The telescope’s weight, around 12 kilograms (26.8 lbs.), may pose challenges for those who need to move frequently.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Newtonian Reflector
  • Aperture: 130mm
  • Focal Ratio: f/5
  • Focal Length: 650mm
  • Eyepiece 1, 2, 3 (Focal Length): 26mm; 9mm; 6.3mm
  • Eyepiece 1, 2, 3 (Magnification): 23x; 66x; 95x
  • Magnification: Highest- 260x; Lowest- 19x
  • Resolving Power: 0.90 arc*second
  • Mount: German Equatorial
  • Focuser: Rack-and-Pinion
  • Weight: 26.8 lbs.
  • Included Items: 3 Eyepieces, Red-Dot Viewfinder, 2x Barlow Lens, 1 Accessory Tray, 1 Tripod, 1 Focuser, and “Autostar Suite Astronomy Planetarium DVD”

Pros

  • High-quality optics with a large aperture
  • German Equatorial Mount with good control options
  • Useful accessories for a variety of uses
  • Quick setup and easy to use (follow the video instructions properly)
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • It’s a heavy instrument that may disappoint frequent travelers.

Despite the average performance as the reducer of aberration, the Barlow works fine as an enhancer for the eyepiece(s) as it takes magnification to a higher level.

8. Orion 10015 StarBlast

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This parabolic reflector has the potential to stand beside the Celestron – AstroMaster 114EQ and the slightly higher-end Celestron – PowerSeeker 127EQ.

Features

  • Mirrors and Aperture: A 114mm optical diameter makes for a 4.5-inch aperture, giving you an actionable objective mirror for viewing the bright deep sky and imaging lunar and planetary bodies. In addition, the obstruction (34mm, 30% in diameter, and 9% by area) created by the secondary mirror is not beyond acceptance.
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: Two eyepieces allow for 26x and 75x in magnification, respectively, with the highest being 228x and the lowest being 16x. The focal length is 450mm, which confirms the use of a short tube and, therefore, a small f-number (f/4.0).
  • Mount: The Dobsonian mount stays balanced, moves vertically and horizontally, and helps you make each adjustment useful.
  • Accessories: A useful piece of accessory is the collimation cap which allows you to line up the mirrors and get the focused light delivered to the eyepieces. There’s 1 eyepiece rack, 1 reflex sight, and 1 standard focuser – all adding up to the usability of the entire package.
  • Materials and Coatings: The mirrors use borosilicate glass that suffers thermal expansion in very low coefficients and features strong resistance to temperature differentials, leading to enhanced durability. Other coatings include silicone dioxide and aluminum. The steel optical tube and sturdy tripod add to the overall durability.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: The telescope isn’t lightweight, but the carrying handle makes it easily portable. The tube clamp lets you ensure a more stabilized setup.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Parabolic Reflector
  • Aperture (Primary Mirror): 114mm (4.5″)
  • Secondary Mirror: Obstruction- 34mm; Obstruction Diameter and Area- 30%, 9%
  • Material: Glass- Low Thermal Expansion Borosilicate; Tripod- Wood; Coatings- Aluminum & Silicon Dioxide
  • Focal Length: 450mm
  • Focal Ratio: f/4.0
  • Eyepieces 1 & 2 (Focal Length): Explorer II 17mm; 6mm
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Magnification): 26x; 75x
  • Magnification: Highest- 228x; Lowest- 16x
  • Resolving Power: 1.02 arc*sec
  • Mount: Dobsonian with Alt-Azimuth Base
  • Optical Tube: Length- 457.2mm/ 18.0 Inches; Material- Steel
  • Focuser: 1.25″ Rack-and-Pinion
  • Weight: 13 lbs.
  • Included Items: 2 Eyepieces, 1 EZ Finder II Reflex Sight, 1 Collimation cap, Carrying handle, Eyepiece Rack, Tube clamp, and Starry Night Special edition

Pros

  • Good OTA specifications
  • An improved mount system
  • High-quality materials to ensure durability
  • Many accessories including the common ones
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • Poor magnification and distorted views of some important planets like Venus, Jupiter, and Uranus

You may take some extra measures to eliminate the vibrations and other weather factors to avoid aberrations to some extent.

9. Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope

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This Travel Scope fulfills the needs of those who want something modest with average specifications at half the price of many entry-level telescopes.

Features

  • Objective Lens and Aperture: Meeting the least of what a telescope should offer, the aperture size, which is 70mm (2.8″), should not create a fuss among enthusiasts, but after all, you’ll have something to thrive on, especially if it’s the first time you’re buying.
  • Eyepieces, Magnification, and Focal Length: Eyepieces 1 and 2 measure 20mm (.78″) and 10mm (4″) in focal length, respectively, offering 20x and 40x in magnification. The magnification can be useful up to 269x, with 16x as the lowest level. The focal length is 400mm (15.74″) which makes a small ‘f-number, f/5.7 in (focal ratio).
  • Mount: Nothing exceptional about it! The manual Alt-Az mount comes with a panhandle and clutch to let you move the OTA in both left/right, and up/down directions, so you’re not going to miss the chance of flexibility.
  • Accessories: See if you can complain looking at the accessories: 1 Manual Alt-Azimuth Mount, 1 Tripod 2 Eyepieces, Erect Image Diagonal, Finderscope, SkyPortal app, backpack, and Starry Night Software (Basic Edition).
  • Materials and Coatings: What we’ve seen about Celestron’s coatings when used on the glasses/lenses is still applicable to this one.
  • Ease of Use and Portability: As light as Orion FunScope, this one easily fits inside the provided backpack. It usually takes a beginner up to 3 minutes for the setup. Both written and visual instructions are available.

Specifications

  • Optical Design: Refractor
  • Focal Length: 400mm (15.74″)
  • Aperture: 70mm (2.8″)
  • Magnification: Highest- 168x; Lowest- 10x
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Focal Length): 20mm (0.78″); 10mm (0.4″)
  • Eyepiece 1 & 2 (Magnification): 20x; 40x
  • Focal Ratio: f/5.7
  • Resolution: Rayleigh- 1.98 arc seconds; Dawes 1.66 arc seconds
  • Mount: Manual Alt-Azimuth
  • Optical Tube: Length- 431.8mm (17″); Diameter- 98.4mm (3.87″); Material-Aluminum
  • Height Adjustment Range (including tripod and mount): 558.8mm – 1320.8mm (22″-52″)
  • Included Items: 2 Eyepieces with holder, 1 Mount, 45° erect image diagonal, 5×24 Finderscope, SkyPortal App, 1 Tripod, Starry Night Basic Edition, backpack, and user manual

Pros

  • A budget telescope with adequate optical power for beginners and amateurs
  • Usable for day and night observations
  • A lightweight product with required accessories
  • Little cleaning/maintenance required
  • 2-year warranty

Cons

  • No Barlow lens or special optics to reduce chromatic aberration

You may get pair items like low dispersion or extra-low dispersion glasses to make this telescope a great first purchase for yourself or a nice present for a teenage astronomy enthusiast.

Now that you’ve a handful of choices to fit a $200 bill, you can still try and find whatever is best for you, especially regarding a telescope’s power.

Without any hands-on user experience, the only way to do this is to know what the specifications suggest.

How to Choose the Best Budget Telescope?

A telescope is ideal depending mostly on four qualities: aperture, resolution, optics, materials, and magnification. Let’s know how many of these things you need.

Light-Collecting Ability

The more light a telescope collects, the better (brighter and sharper) viewing experience it offers. When the budget is too tight for a very large aperture, you should aim for a 100mm to 130mm objective with an aperture of 4″ to 5″.

Resolution (Resolving Power)

High resolution lets you see two different points of light separately, while low resolution gives you a blurry view, meaning that you’ll get one point of light to see the two different points together.

Examples of telescopes with a good objective diameter and resolution include Celestron – PowerSeeker 127EQ and Meade Instruments 216006, which offer 5″ and 5.1″ and a resolving power up to 0.91 and 0.90 arc second, respectively.

Quality of Optics

Whether it’s a lens or a mirror, the overall cost of a telescope is associated with its optics. One of the primary goals is to choose optics that can handle aberrations, and the lens/mirror on a budget telescope may not always come in handy in all circumstances.

Quality of Materials

Most telescopes use materials for making the optical tube, mount, and tripod remain almost the same. Some differences can be visible when it comes to optical coatings.

Most of the budget telescopes we’ve recommended come with fully coated optics.

Take a look at these two quick ideas to choose from.

Choose a Refractor for an Aperture Not Exceeding 5″

If you can cheer yourself with an aperture size not larger than 5 inches, refractors are your best bets. With the aperture, lens quality has its part to play.

We’ve one good suggestion for the refractor lovers: Celestron Astromaster.

Choose an Affordable Newtonian Reflector with a 4″ or Larger Aperture

Newtonian reflectors are some of the most desirable telescopes with apertures between 4″ and 6″. Our top recommendations include Meade Instruments 216006, Celestron 114EQ, and Celestron 127EQ.

What Do the Specifications Mean?

In this section, we’ll discuss whatever you see on the list of specifications.

Optical Design

Telescopes that you’ll see at a departmental/local store fall into either of these two types – reflector and refractor. The part responsible for gathering light is known as the object, which also tells us the type.

The objective of a refractor telescope is a glass lens that helps collect and focus light. Two types of lenses are in use.

  • The convex lens gathers light.
  • A concave lens spreads light.

Costlier than the other type, this one requires little cleaning, collimation, and maintenance and is good for observing stars, planets, and the moon.

The same reflector is a mirror that serves the same purpose. Two types of mirrors are in use.

  • The concave mirror gathers light.
  • Convex mirror scatters light.

The more affordable the two, this type requires frequent collimation and cleaning and doesn’t suffer chromatic aberration.

Aperture

The diameter of the objective (mirror or lens) is the aperture. Here, diameter refers to the size of the light collecting area. This particular feature tells how much light a telescope collects.

The ability to collect light is proportional to the objective (mirror/lens) area and, eventually, the aperture square. A large aperture size makes for a bright and clear image.

Well adapted to the dark, a healthy human eye has an aperture of 7 mm. Even the smallest of the aperture size on our list, as in Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope, comes with the ability to collect 100 as many times the light collected by the human eye. Here’s the calculation: (70/7)2 = 100.

Optical Tube and Focal Length

The optical tube is the housing that includes all optical accessories. The majority of telescopes on sale use a short tube that has a short focal length and small focal ratio.

Let’s dig a little deeper.

The distance between the eyepiece and the objective is the focal length, usually measured in millimeters. The focal length of a reflector telescope is typically longer than the original optical tube.

As a result, the optical tube assembly of a reflector becomes more compact and lightweight than that of a refractor model of the same size.

Focal Ratio

The calculated result from the aperture divided by the focal length is the focal ratio. Expressed in an f-number, the focal ratio is f/15 for a 100mm telescope with a 1500mm focal length.

So, the shorter the focal length and the optical tube are, the smaller the focal ratio will be.

Eyepiece and Magnification

When we see an object through a magnifying tool, it appears several times bigger than what we can see with naked eyes. That number indicates the magnification.

For example, an optical tool with 32x magnification lets you see an object thirty-two times larger.

For a telescope, we see a number that expresses its magnification power. The focal length of a telescope is divided by that of an eyepiece.

A telescope with a 300mm focal length and a 20mm and 6mm eyepiece, as in Orion 10033 FunScope, produces 15x and 50x in magnification, respectively.

The intended magnification level should start from 20x and go up to 165X.

Resolution/Resolving Power

Sky objects may get close enough to each other into a blurry blob making it impossible for observers to separate them. The resolution of a telescope lets us distinguish them and see them as separate objects.

Mounts

There’re two types available for astronomy enthusiasts, such as Alt-azimuth (AZ) and Equatorial mounts.

AZ Mounts

The type lets you position a telescope by maintaining an altitude (up and down) position and a side-to-side (azimuth) way. If you buy a basic/entry-level telescope, it’s your pick.

  • Dobsonian Mount: A special variation of Alt-Azimuth, a Dobsonian mount comes affordable and handy for those who choose large Newtonian reflectors.

Equatorial Mounts

Offering greater flexibility to astrophotography enthusiasts, this type comprises two basic styles, such as German and Fork Equatorials.

  • German Equatorial: A German type often goes well with refractor and Newtonian reflectors.
  • Fork Equatorial: Designed to yield greater flexibility than their German counterparts, fork mounts are suitable for short optical tubes and most Catadioptric models.

Coatings

In any form, this feature helps reduce the loss of internal glare and light while facilitating even light transmission, which leads to sharp and contrasted images. Coated optics looks dark or less shiny.

The bluish, brownish, or greenish tint that you may see is the result of calcium/magnesium fluoride. Coatings come in the following levels.

  • Coated
  • Fully Coated
  • No Coatings
  • Multi-Coated
  • Fully Multi-Coated

Finder Scope

The pointing device that rides on the side or top of your telescope and brings an object right into the FoV of your telescope is known as the finder scope. With 6x to 9x magnification, these tools help you locate objects as you look at your instrument.

Reflex sight and optical tube finder scopes are the two most common types, with a few others being made for particular reasons.

Tripod

Tripods are made with various materials that affect their sizes, weights, and thus stability. Without paying much attention, you may choose a bulky and large tripod which isn’t a problem if you aren’t traveling.

Focuser

Now that you’re already aware of how a telescope gathers the light and directs it to one point for proper observation. Both refractors and reflectors have their eyepieces in that point, known as the drawtube, which is also a part of the focuser that lets you move your eyepiece back or forward so that you can bring the images in the eyepiece directly into focus.

How Much Does a Decent Telescope Cost?

First, you need to clarify the word ‘decent.’ What satisfies a beginner may not give a knowledgeable user a desirable experience.

Following is a chart showing the available specs at different pricing points.

Price Aperture Focal Length Focal Ratio Magnification Motorized Control
At or Below $100 50mm to 80mm 360mm to 700mm f/4.5 to f/12 14x to 175x No
At or Below $200 ($100+) 70mm to 130mm 400mm to 1000mm f/5.0 to f/10 20x to 175x No
From $200+ to $400 90mm to 130mm 650mm to 1500mm f/6.7 to f/13 24x to 120x Yes
From $400+ to $1000 125mm to 205mm 1200mm to 2000mm f/10 to f/15 50x to 175x Yes
From $1000+ 125mm to 220mm 1000mm to 2000mm f/9 to f/17 50x to 200x Yes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Though you already have gone through most of what a telescope incorporates, a few more practical insights will be helpful.

What is Collimation?

Answer: To get the desired performance, all components, especially the objective, should be aligned from time to time. This process is called collimation which is done in two ways such as mechanical and optical.

How to Calculate Field of View (FoV)?

Answer: Use the formula below.

AFoV / Magnification = FoV

A 25mm eyepiece typically has an AFOV of 50°. When the eyepiece is used in a telescope with a 1000mm focal length and 40x in magnification, the true FoV is 1.25° (50/40= 1.25).

How to Calculate the Focal Ratio?

Answer: The formula is given below.

Focal Ratio= Focal Length / Aperture

If the focal length of a telescope is 650mm and the aperture is 100mm, the focal ratio will be f/6.5 (650/100=6.5).

How to Calculate Magnification?

Answer: The formula is:

Magnification= Telescope Focal Length / Eyepiece Focal length

If the focal length of a telescope is 900mm and that of an eyepiece is 15mm, the magnification that can be expected is 60x (900/15).

How to Calculate Resolution?

Answer: Resolving power is expressed in arc seconds. Here goes the calculation.

Resolution (Resolving Power) in Arc Seconds = 252,000 X (Observation Wavelength / Diameter of the Objective)

Note: the wavelength and objective diameter are variables, but 252,000 is a constant.

Maybe, your search for the best telescope under $200 has neared an ultimate point where you want no more theories but a name or two.

Conclusion

A good reflector besides the Meade and Celestron telescopes available under 200 bucks is Orion 10015 StarBlast. Meade Instruments 209006 should satisfy beginners who want a refractor telescope.

Both Orion 10033 FunScope and Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope are super affordable. But the former is more compact while the latter is lighter.

Again, we can’t help talking about Orion 10012 SkyScanner as it makes a worthwhile pick for those who want a balanced proportion of affordability and optical brilliance.

Finally, your skill, experience, and individual goals surrounding astronomy and astrophotography are the key factors that should lead to a specific choice. So, happy buying!