Best 5 Telescopes For The Money Under 100-500$ In 2022 Reviews
Do you want to buy a telescope but you have a limited budget?
Read on and find out what are the best five telescopes you can find that fit into your budget. Find out about their beneficial features and read my advice on which two I believe are the best choice in terms of money and value.
How To Choose The Best Telescope?
What Do You Want To Use The Telescope For?
To choose the best telescope you need to know what do you want to use it for. For example, if you want to find a telescope that will allow you to observe both celestial and terrestrial objects you should look for a telescope with an erect image diagonal that will provide you with the right side up view.
What Are The Beneficial Features You Should Be Looking For?
Before you purchase a telescope you need to know what are the beneficial features you want your telescope to have. It is always a great thing when you find a telescope with the Moon and different color filters, high-quality optical coating, a powerful Barlow lens, multiple eyepieces, etc.
How Much Money Are You Willing To Spend?
Another thing you need to consider before you purchase a telescope is how much money are you willing to spend on it. You should know that a lower price does not automatically mean lower quality. It usually just means that the telescope has fewer features to offer.
How To Find The Best Telescope For The Money?
To ensure that you find the best telescope for the money you need to learn how to compare the value of the telescope with its price. All of the telescopes that are listed below provide you with many amazing features and they come in a wide price range so you easily find the perfect one.
Best 5 Telescopes For The Money
Best Telescope Under 100 Dollars
Vanstarry Travel Kids Telescope
70mm Aperture
This telescope under 100 dollars features a large 70mm aperture that provides you with high-quality light transmittance. Thanks to that feature you will be able to enjoy a much improved, brighter image of the object you are observing with high contrast.
Different Eyepieces
Another great thing about this telescope under 100 dollars is that it comes with two different eyepieces that include a 25mm and a 10mm one. The 25mm one will provide you with the magnifying power of up to sixteen times while the 10mm one will provide you with a magnifying power of up to forty times.
3x Barlow Lens
The best thing about this telescope under 100 dollars is that it offers a powerful Barlow lens that can triple the magnifying power of each eyepiece. That means that you can achieve the magnifying power of forty-eight or one hundred and twenty times.
Full Height Tripod
This telescope under 100 dollars includes a full-height tripod that allows you to enjoy a much more comfortable observing experience. You can easily adjust the tripod according to your needs. Simply set it up and enjoy the beautiful view that this telescope provides.
Carrying Bag
You can take this telescope under 100 dollars anywhere you go. The package even includes a carrying bag that is specially designed to fit the telescope, tripod, and any other additional accessories you want to use. It is a great choice for everyone who loves to travel.
- superior optics
- powerful magnification
- large aperture
- multifunction platform
Best Telescope Under 200 Dollars
Meade Instruments – Infinity Portable Refracting Astronomy Telescope
80mm Aperture
This telescope under 200 dollars offers an 80mm aperture. It is specially designed to provide you with the most beautiful and sharp view of the objects you are observing. That means that you will be able to explore all the beautiful objects that surround us.
For Celestial And Terrestrial Observation
The best thing about this refractor telescope under 200 dollars is that you can use it to observe both celestial and terrestrial objects. Thanks to that feature you will be able to explore different bird species during the day and enjoy the amazing view of the Moon and other celestial objects during the night.
Multiple Eyepieces
This telescope under 200 dollars offers multiple eyepieces that provide you with different magnifying power. The package includes a low 6mm eyepiece, medium 9mm eyepiece, and a 6.3mm eyepiece. All eyepieces are interchangeable so you can easily switch them to achieve the perfect view of the object you are observing.
Red Dot Viewfinder
You won’t have any trouble locating the object you want to observe with this beginner telescope under 200 dollars. It features a red dot viewfinder. To use it properly just look through the viewfinder and adjust the telescope until the red dot merges with the object you want to observe.
Altazimuth Mount
Another great thing about this telescope under 200 dollars is that it comes on an altazimuth mount that offers slow-motion controls. Thanks to that feature you will be able to keep a precise track on the object you are observing as it appears to move across the sky.
- 2x Barlow lens
- slow-motion controls
- Astronomical Software
Best Telescope Under 300 Dollars
Gskyer AZ Astronomical Refractor Telescope
High-Quality Optical Coating
The best thing about this telescope under 300 dollars is that it comes with a high-quality fully coated optical glass that will provide you with superior light transmission. Thanks to that feature you will be able to enjoy the most stunning images of the objects you are observing.
Powerful Magnifying Features
Another great thing about this telescope under 300 dollars is that it offers powerful magnifying features. The package includes three different interchangeable eyepieces and a powerful Barlow lens that is specially designed to triple the magnifying power of each eyepiece you combine it with.
Aluminum Tripod
This telescope under 300 dollars comes with an aluminum tripod that allows you to find the perfect viewing position to ensure you can enjoy the most comfortable observing experience. You can adjust the height of the tripod between 31.5-inch and 49-inches depending on your needs.
No-Tool Setup
You won’t have any trouble with setting up this telescope that comes with a price of under 300 dollars. The best thing about it is that the whole setup process will take just a few minutes of your time and you won’t need any tools to do it.
Completely Portable
This telescope under 300 dollars is very lightweight, easy to break apart, and completely portable. It is a great choice for those who are often on the road. Just make sure you protect the glass optics of the telescope to ensure they don’t accidentally get damaged during the transportation process.
- three eyepieces
- 3x Barlow lens
- portable design
Best Telescope Under 500 Dollars
Celestron – NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope
130mm Aperture
This telescope under 500 dollars features a large 130mm aperture. It is specially designed to provide you with high magnification and the most amazing view of craters on the Moon, rings of Saturn, and moons of Jupiter. You will even be able to see some brighter nebulae.
Computerized Hand Controler
Another great thing about this telescope under 500 dollars is that it comes with a computerized hand controller that features a two-line LCD display. It also has a backlit keypad to ensure that you can use it during the night when you don’t have another light source.
Large Celestial Object Database
The hand controller that comes with this telescope under 500 dollars also offers a large database of more than forty thousand different celestial objects. This can be very beneficial both for professional astronomers and for those who are just starting to learn more about the night sky.
GoTo Tracking System
The best thing about this telescope under 500 dollars is that it comes with a GoTo tracking system. Everything you need t do is choose an object you want to observe using the hand controller and the telescope will automatically locate it and keep a precise track on it.
Educational Software
This telescope under 500 dollars comes with a Starry Night educational software that will provide you with amazing information about the sky and different celestial objects that surround us. It is a great way to learn about the astronomy on the bad weather days while you can’t use the telescope.
- 130mm aperture
- computerized design
- large celestial object database
- red dot StarPointer finderscope
- Starry Night educational software
Best Telescope Under 1000 Dollars
Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
Dobsonian Base
This telescope under 1000 dollars comes on a Dobsonian base. That means that you can easily move it up and down and left to right motions. It is specially designed to allow you to move it in the direction of the object you want to observe.
Parabolic Primary Mirror
Another great thing about this telescope under 1000 dollars is that it features a parabolic primary mirror that can capture a large amount of light. It will provide you with a much brighter, crisp view of the object you are observing. You can forget all about different visual defects with this telescope.
Optical Accessories
This telescope under 1000 dollars includes high-quality optical accessories. It comes with a wide-angle 30mm eyepiece and a 9mm eyepiece. Both eyepieces are interchangeable so you can easily switch between the two to achieve the desired magnifying power and to get that perfect view.
Moon Filter
The best thing about this telescope under 1000 dollars is that it comes with a high-quality Moon filter that is specially designed to block out some of the light that the Moon transmits and provide you with much higher contrast. Thanks to that feature you will be able to observe different craters and mountains on the Moon.
Sturdy Construction
You can take this telescope under 1000 dollars anywhere you go. It features a sturdy construction and you can break it down into two separate pieces so you won’t have any trouble with the transportation. Once you reach your destination simply set it up and enjoy observing the night sky.
- precise focusing
- right angle finderscope
- cooling fan
- completely portable
Conclusion: The Best Two Telescopes I Think You Should Consider Buying Are…
In my opinion, the best two telescopes for your money are Vanstarry Travel Kids Telescope and Celestron – NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope. The first one offers superior optics and it comes with a powerful 3x Barlow lens. The second one offers a completely computerized design and it will automatically locate and keep a precise track on the object you want to observe.
To find out more about automatic telescopes and telescopes with a camera attachment read this article about the best telescopes you can currently find on the market. Find out what beneficial features they offer and choose the best one that fits your needs the most.