10 Best Telescope For Viewing Planets 2022 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide
The best Telescope for viewing planets is not necessarily what you would expect it to be. Some telescopes are ideal for looking at ground-based objects but not at the sky; some telescopes are best for viewing deep-sky objects, like galaxies and nebulae. That means finding the best telescope eyepiece for viewing planets is not straightforward.
Here we’ll review the 10 telescopes with the most extended focal length in the shortest tube, two or three times bounce light, and focal lengths of 1000mm or more. You can start your stargazing journey with anyone among them.
Besides reviewing the telescope, we’ll also disclose some pinpoints as a buying guide. So that you can keep them in your mind to choose the right one for you. Let’s get started.
Top 10 Best Telescope For Viewing Planets
The following 10 Catadioptric telescopes are the ones I would recommend.
1. Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ – Best For Overall
Our first pick is the Amazon best-selling reflector telescope which has more than 6550 reviews. It is designed for mature users who love to explore planets and wildlife to know the unknown and gather sweet memories. When we research it, we have found that most users love it because of its high quality, powerful eyepieces, value, and simple using features.
When you use its 4mm and 20mm eyepieces with its 3x Barlow, you’ll get triple magnification powers. So you can watch the moon, Jupiter’s Galilean soo closely and accurately. There is also an easy-to-use mount and knobs to slowly control its motion. That’s why you can track the objects to view them.
Its travel tripod is lightweight, adjustable, and flexible to carry, stand, and use. However, there is also an accessory tray to manage all the little accessories properly. So there is less chance to lose them. Its downloadable software is usable with PC, Mac, and laptop. As a result, you won’t face any problem using this entire telescope to level up your stargazing skills.
What Do We Like About It?
It is easy to assemble and excellent for collimating. It offers you the best performance, with reliable accessories at a reasonable price. Even, you’ll be impressed with its realistic expectations.
What Don’t We Like About It?
Sometimes you may face a few mirror alignment issues. Except this, it is excellent to choose.
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Celestron Travelscope 70- Best For Budget
Our next choice is Celestron Travelscope 70 from Celestron, one of the most popular brands among stargazers.
There are plenty of reasons to choose it as our second choice. Just scroll to know the reasons.
The Celestron is designed for most American innovation stargazer enthusiasts. It is engineered by professional refractor telescope builders to make it 100% perfect for terrestrial or celestial viewing.
It comes with high quality coated glass optics, 70mm objective lenses, two 20mm and 10mm eyepieces, and many easy-to-use functional features. All the user-friendly interfaces of this telescope ensure a close view of the planets at night or during the daytime.
It is also a perfect match for adults, kids, and travelers. As its preassembled tripod is adjustable, all accessories carrying a backpack helps to carry it when traveling. So no matter where you want to use it in your backyard or anywhere around the world.
Finally, its free downloadable Celestron Starry Night Astronomy Software will guide you to identify the stars of the sky. On top-notch, you can enjoy all those facilities without investing more than $100 bucks. It is as budget-friendly as buying a small toy.
What Do We Like About It?
We love its overall performance, durability, lightweight, pocket-friendly price, easy to set up, carry, use, and excellent eyepieces. So we can say it is a nice option to enjoy excellent and memorable stargazing experiences.
What Don’t We Like About It?
Without its tripod flimsiness, there is no drawback of this telescope.
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3. Meade Infinity 102mm Refractor Telescope – Best For Beginners
Do you like to observe the sky from both terrestrial and astronomical objects? If so, then we’ll suggest the Meade Infinity 102mm Refractor Telescope that comes with quality optics and altazimuth mount. It can add a superb value to discover and explore the cosmos.
It comes for those who are new, have no idea about telescopes, and want to start their journey for astronomy. Its 102mm (4.0″) large aperture offers you bright, exclusive, and sharp images of celestial objects. The precise Altazimuth mount of this gadget is perfect for viewing the solar system and land.
The 26mm slow, 9mm medium and 6.3mm high powered magnification eyepieces will offer you a close view. The 2x Barlow lens will double each eyepiece’s magnifying power for a more comprehensive view. So you can explore the nighttime sky, galaxy, Mars, and Saturn rings. And its one-year warranty offers your investment security for this time being.
What Do We Like About It?
This gadget’s fine-tuning knobs and red dot viewfinder will help point and track the celestial view. It is also easy to use and combines all the features you need to enjoy astronomy.
What Don’t We Like About It?
Its user guide and setup explanation should be more accurate to follow the instructions. Besides, the mount is a little flimsy.
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4. Gskyer AZ90600 Telescope – Best For Adults
Mainly the Gskyer AZ90600 Telescope is designed for both adults and kids. But it is a good fit for adults; that’s why we’ll suggest this Gskyer 90x600mm refractor astronomy tool for adult stargazers. It combines plenty of features, including 90mm(3.5in) aperture, 600mm(23.62in) focal length with F/6.7 focal ratio, different ranges of four eyepieces, and 120X magnification power.
Besides, the AZ Altazimuth Mount, 48° Erecting BAK7 prism, and 3X Barlow lens of this telescope make it the ideal option for both beginner and expert adult skygazing lovers. You can set it at 1°36″ angular field of view to precisely target and observe the objects.
After receiving the product, if you find it is not your cup of tea, the company will offer you a return policy. Just claim your fund, and it will refund your money without any question. But before that, it will suggest you contact its professional technicians by email to solve the issue.
What Do We Like About It?
It doesn’t require any tool to set up; effortless focus, adjustable tripod, fully coated optics glass lens, and simple using features are worth buying this product.
What Don’t We Like?
It is heavyweight, and there is no fruitful user instruction.
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5. Celestron NexStar 127 SLT – Best For Compact Design
If you love to go on a personalized sky tour to view all the objects of the galaxies, then Celestron NexStar 127 SLT can be the right pick for you. Its computerized hand control, Maksutov Cassegrain optical design, and 40k+ database about stars, nebulas, galaxies, and other things will help you easily use it.
It comes with two dimensional 9mm and 25mm eyepieces, 127mm aperture, and a red dot finder. The aperture will gather enough light, the red dot finder will help you pinpoint the viewing objects, and the eyepieces will make the object wider to view. That means you can enjoy the entire skygazing experience with this tool.
However, the full height and steel-built adjustable tripod are sturdy enough to use for many days. It is adjustable, so you don’t face any problem adjusting the telescoping height according to your height. Furthermore, the accessories tray will help you keep all the accessories organized when using the telescope.
What Do We Like About It?
The computerized hand-controlling system, portable design, and free downloadable astronomy software programs make it an excellent choice for dark night sky astronomy.
What Don’t We Like About It?
The eyepieces don’t have a filtering system. But, it is not mandatory for beginner stargazers.
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6. Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope – Best For Advanced Users
Do you already have the experience of using a telescope, and do you want to level up your skill? The Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope is the best choice for you to enjoy the nighttime beauty of the sky. The best part of this telescope is its latest technology, iconic design, and advanced features.
It has a 6″ primary mirror to gather enough lights to view the sky objects on a cloudy night. The Altazimuth Mount of this telescope is very flexible, and you can easily rotate it at a 360° angle. So no matter in which position your targeted objects are aligned, you can easily see the solar system, Jupiter, Saturn’s rings, Mars, etc.
As it is a tabletop telescope, it is very small in size. That’s why you can carry it anywhere as your travel partner. So you are free to use it and meet your expectations to explore the sky. It requires no tool to set up and put together. That means you can invest more time for sky viewing and less time for assembling.
It is designed with advanced features and for advanced users. But its 2 years of the limited warranty and technical support from expert engineers are a great advantage to use it for a longer time. So you can invest a midrange buck for your passionate telescope.
What Do We Like About It?
Its optics, tripod strength, magnification, and light gathering quality are 10 on 10. You can comfortably run this telescope for 5 hours or more based on its movement rate.
What Don’t We Like About It?
Accessory threads should be more accurate to fit the accessories kit easily. The battery performance is not up to the mark.
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7. Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope– Best For Deep Sky View
We pick the Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope for those who love to view brighter deep-sky objects. It is one of the popular scopes that is nice to choose for precise optics and elegant combinations. This Dobsonian reflector telescope can offer you a more transparent, more comprehensive, and brighter view with its 1200mm focal length and 203mm aperture.
It comes with a 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece to offer a quick view and crisp images with the highest contrast of the most beautiful sky objects. The low-quality telescopes won’t have an easily usable red dot finder, so you have to face hassles to segment the stars and other sky objects accurately.
But when you own this telescope, you don’t face these challenges because of its EZ Finder II red-dot sight. This finder can accurately aim at centered aligned stars and other objects. Other useful accessories are a 2″ Crayford focuser, 1.25″ adapter, Dobsonian mount, etc. Overall it is a combo package to be a part of your stargazing memory.
What Do We Like About It?
It is easy to assemble with nice focusing motion, fast and easy finder-scope adjustment. Besides, its outstanding light gathering capability and good mid-range eyepieces make it a perfect choice to explore wildlife and the sky.
What Don’t We Like About It?
It comes with a Collimation cap, but no instruction is included. And it is a little bit heavy to move it alone.
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8. Best For Travel: Orion 10022 StarMax 90mm TableTop Telescope
The most lightweight and compact designed Orion 10022 StarMax 90mm TableTop Telescope is one of the best telescopes for travelers. Besides, it is a small telescope that won’t break the average budget and has an impressive 1250mm focal length.
Two 25mm and 10mm eyepieces, 90° mirror diagonal, and 90mm aperture are a great fit to offer a broader view of the planet. However, if you have a secure enough table, it’s an excellent item for the money. A Barlow lens and a good quality tripod may also be a worth investment.
The Orion Skyquest XT8 is a massive Dobsonian telescope going up in price a bit. Dobsonian telescopes feature rock-solid mounts and will last a lifetime but can be more challenging to move around because of their sheer size. They are easy to upgrade, and again, a Barlow lens would be worth adding to this telescope. Read the Full Review
What Do We Like About It?
Quality built, exclusive tabletop design, 50x and 125x magnifications are all the factors to grab it and explore the galaxy. It is also easy to set up, use, and carry.
What Don’t We Like About It?
The mount is not as good as other accessories. But if you are careful when dealing with it, the mount is good to use.
9. Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Reflector Telescope – Best For Tabletop
The Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Reflector Telescope can be a good choice for those who love to see the unknown stars, Jupiter, and Saturn rings of the galaxy to learn about their nature. Once you use it, you must thank me for suggesting this versatile scope with extraordinary performance.
As it is a tabletop telescope, you don’t have any issue correctly setting it by aiming at the moon, galaxies, nebulas, and other star clusters. Even a teenager can also handle it because of its easy using system. It comes with a 6″ aperture, 1.25″ (25mm and 10mm) eyepieces, and 300x maximum magnifications.
However, the 1500mm object lenses are aluminum and silicon dioxide-coated. So that your eyes will be protected from exterior color. Even the Starry Night software is absolutely a helpful element for beginners to identify the exact position of the stars. So we can assure you that it won’t disappoint you, instead be a reason for your happiness.
What Do We Like About It?
It will offer you eye-catchy and realistic images of the planets with multiple accessories. The fast shipping, excellent packaging, incredible performance, and budget-friendly price are the worthy reasons to invest in this device.
What Don’t We Like About It?
It is slightly heavyweight, and you need physical strength and energy to carry it. Otherwise, it’s good to use.
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10. Meade Dobsonian Telescope – Best For Experts
Our final pick is the Meade Dobsonian Telescope, a prominent item and good for professional astronomers to research the sky. It is built with heavy-duty materials and includes all premium components. However, it’s 1829mm focal length, f/4 5 focal ratios, and 16″ aperture are a great combination to enjoy a clear and broader view of the galaxy.
The open truss tube of this gadget is coated with anti-reflection on trusses and castings. The 4-reticle red dot viewfinder, 2″ Crayford style, and 26mm eyepieces help you to get crisp images of the moon and stars. Its one-year limited warranty secures your investment, and the friendly customer service enhances the sales after satisfaction. Read the Full Review
What Do We Like About It?
It’s 26 mm focal length, and other eyepieces are anti-reflection coated so that these components won’t lose their glossy outlook after heavy use.
What Don’t We Like About It?
It is highly heavyweight, 142 pounds. So you can’t carry it with you when traveling.
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How To Choose the Best Telescope For Viewing Galaxies
No matter how expensive or cheap your telescope will be! If the gadget can meet your expectations and fit your budget, that is the best telescope for you. That’s why which is a perfect match for one; that is a wrong selection for another.
So you have to know your requirements to choose the right one for you. However, some specific features are universal for everyone. Now, we’ll discuss them as a buying guide to help you.
Magnification
The first lesson to learn here is to ignore the advertised maximum magnification, which you will often see on a telescope. Although you could theoretically magnify a planet by 500x with a reasonably cheap telescope, the image would just be a blur, not worth looking at. What you want to know is the maximum practical magnification, which is entirely different.
Aperture size
As well as power not being everything, it is also not as essential to get the maximum aperture size. When viewing deep space objects, the bigger the aperture, the better. If you are gathering as much light as possible.
But it’s not so crucial for viewing planets, and a massive aperture telescope, looking at a relatively close object like a planet, may suffer from too much atmospheric disturbance. That’s why you have to pick an aperture size that suits you best, not the maximum in size.
Focal length
The best telescope for viewing planets will be the one with the combination of the most extended focal length. You have to check the focal length and focal ratio to determine the right device for you.
Tripod
You also want a rock and solid tripod to hold your telescope as stable as possible. Many expensive telescopes are not used to their full potential because images shake around too much due to a flimsy tripod or mount. So you have to consider an adjustable and stable tripod.
The eyepiece
The eyepiece size is another important consideration. Many telescopes come with two or three eyepieces, usually 20mm, 10mm, and 4mm. The 20mm eyepiece will give you a wider field of view at lower magnification; the 4mm eyepiece will give you a very small field of view at high magnification.
Barlow lens
Adding a Barlow lens, which some telescopes include, can double or triple magnification, and if you do not get a Barlow lens with a basic kit, it is well worth investing in one.
FAQs
What can you see with a 100mm telescope?
You can see almost everything with a 100mm telescope, including the moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, and Pluto. However, it is also fit to view wildlife and nature.
What is an excellent focal ratio for a telescope?
F/10 or more is the ideal focal ratio to view the galaxy, planets, and star clusters. But, if you need a more comprehensive view, the lower focal ratio is also great to choose.
What is the best focal ratio for astrophotography?
You can choose the f/4 to f/5 focal ratios for a broader view and deep and crisp astronomy photography. The f/11 to f/15 slow focal ratios are good to view binary stars, power lunar, and planetary photography.
Final Verdict
People have different types of hobbies, but astronomy is excellent. It comes from curiosity to know the sky and galaxy. The more you know about them, the more you can discover the beauty of the sky.
However, investing in the best telescope for viewing planets will take you one step ahead to meet your hobby. And we’d like to be a part of your hobby. That’s why we shared the review on the 10 best telescopes that can fulfill your desire.
If you are confused about choosing, our experts can help you. You can pick the Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ as it is perfect than any other telescope and budget-friendly. Or, if you are an expert, you can try the Meade Dobsonian Telescope.
Hi, Daniel Here! When I’m not busy working at my own startup, you may find me roaming around the Univers and whats beyond our sky, telescope is a must.
