Users' questions

What is the best reflector telescope for beginners?

What is the best reflector telescope for beginners?

Our pick: Celestron NexStar 5SE Telescope. Photo: Caleigh Waldman. Our pick. Celestron NexStar 5SE Telescope.

  • Budget pick: Astronomers Without Borders OneSky Reflector Telescope. Photo: Caleigh Waldman. Budget pick.
  • Also great: Sky-Watcher Traditional Dobsonian Telescope (8-inch) Photo: Josh Roth. Also great.
  • Which is better for beginners refractor or reflector telescope?

    If you are interested in brighter celestial objects like the Moon or planets or a beginner, a reflector telescope is ideal. Refractors, on the other hand, can be great for visual too but they get very expensive for similar size apertures as reflectors.

    Can you use a telescope to look at stars?

    Telescopes and binoculars can be used year-round to see planets, stars and meteor showers. Here are some top-rated gear for peering into space. Our editors independently selected these items because we think you will enjoy them and might like them at these prices.

    Can you use a telescope through a window?

    Pointing the telescope through a window from inside the house will never yield a decent image – the glass in the window is nowhere close to optical quality and will distort the image terribly. It’s important to let your telescope cool down so it’s the same temperature as the outside air.

    Can I use a telescope through a window?

    Can you use a reflector telescope during the day?

    Any reflector can be used for terrestrial viewing, just they aren’t very well suited to the task even with an erecting lens. By day the eye’s pupil is often smaller than the shadow of the secondary at low power, about all you can use by day due to local seeing issues.

    What’s the best way to view a reflector telescope?

    When selecting a site for observing, you should always get as far away as possible from obstructions and direct lights such as street lights. For a reflector telescope, the perfect site is somewhere dark and open with no obstacles. The darker and more open it is, the better and more comfortable viewing will be.

    What should I do with my first telescope?

    You’ve purchased your first telescope – an optical time machine that will help you explore our amazing Universe. You may have aspirations of discovering comets or becoming a published astro-imager someday; or you might want to simply enjoy views of the moon & planets from time to time.

    Which is the best telescope for a family?

    This combination of the StarBlast II 4.5 EQ Reflector and AstroTrack Motor Drive is a complete telescope setup that’s ideal for any backyard astronomer who wants to enjoy the benefits of motorized tracking with a wide-field optical instrument. The Orion StarBlast II 4.5 EQ Reflector is a perfect family telescope.

    What should be the maximum magnification of a telescope?

    For any telescope the maximum amount of magnification equals 50-power per inch of aperture. So say you have a 6-inch reflector. 300-power is as high as you should go (for a 3-inch reflector it would be about 150-power). Even if you’re using a Barlow lens, magnifying it too far will only result in a blurred image.