If you or your child has a budding interest in astronomy, you may be looking for the best beginner telescope.  Much of your buying decision will be based on your budget and viewing interests.  We will take a look at the best options available in a variety of price ranges.

Many people will recommend that a beginner spend at least $300 on a telescope to get quality optics that will not disappoint.  If you cannot afford to spend that much initially, it is generally recommended you get a good pair of binoculars and a good astronomy book.  This way, you will be able to orient yourself with constellations and other features in the sky, and see some interesting details of the moon and possibly the planets.

Many cheap telescopes will try to impress you with their magnification ratings.  Do not be fooled – high magnification with cheap optics often comes at the expense of brightness.  You may be able to zoom way in and find a galaxy or planet, but it will appear very blurry and dim.  It is often better to put a lower-magnification eyepiece on the telescope to get a better viewing experience.

Instead of magnification, the buyer of a beginner telescope should instead focus on the quality of optics.  Look for glass lenses – they will deliver a brighter, sharper image.  Also, make sure the eyepiece you are using is well-made, and that the telescope is known for having good alignment of its optics.

There are many advantages to getting a telescope with higher-quality optics.  For one, your images will be sharper and in better focus.  Also, better optics will allow for more light gathering, making your images appear brighter.  Good optics will also make the advertised magnification of a telescope more meaningful, as the chances are better than you will have a better image at high magnification levels.

If you have less than $300 to spend, we would again urge you to consider a quality pair of binoculars and a good book on stargazing.  If you really want to buy a telescope for under $300, there are a few decent buys available, but it pays to do your homework.  You will be able to see some details of planets and galaxies with telescopes in this price range, but don’t expect the dramatic images you see in astronomy magazines.

If you have $300 to $500 to spend, you can get a very good beginner telescope.  The best beginner telescope in this price range would be a 6″ to 10″ Dobsonian reflector coupled with a good eyepiece.  Make sure you find a quality eyepiece, and don’t forget to take into account the mount – a cheap mount can make for a frustrating viewing experience.

If you are looking for the best beginner telescope in the $500-$1000 price range, your options are varied.  Optics are generally very good in this price range.  You may consider a 12″ Dobsonian reflector, with or without truss tubes, or if portability is more important, there are some good Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes in this price range.