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7.80/10
1.
Premium pick:
Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 WiFi Computerized Telescope
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9.80/10
2.
Editors choice:
Orion StarSeeker IV 130mm WiFi-Enabled GoTo Reflector Telescope Kit
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8.40/10
3.
Best value:
Meade StarNavigator NG 102mm Computerized Refracting Telescope
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8.80/10
4.
Celestron NexStar 127SLT Computerized Telescope
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8.80/10
5.
Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope
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7.40/10
6.
Celestron Astro Fi 102 Wi-Fi Reflecting Telescope
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8.40/10
7.
Celestron SkyPortal WiFi Module
Astronomy is an exciting subject. Both kids and adults can enjoy gazing into the night sky and learning about our universe. Today, stargazing is more accessible than ever. The advent of smart telescopes means you don’t need advanced knowledge to look into the night sky.
This is the perfect gift for a curious child. It’s also great if you’re interested in astronomy yourself! So here’s a list of the best smart telescope for kids and beginners to help you gaze into the universe.
The Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 WiFi Computerized Telescope is one of the best telescopes for beginners on the market. Its built-in Wi-Fi feature will let you use your Android or iOS smartphone to find heavenly bodies easily. All you need is to download Celestron’s SkyAlign app, and you’re good to go! Since you’re going to be working outdoors, you need to have an extended power supply.
This telescope gives you that through its Lithium Iron Phosphate battery. This power source has enough juice to let you track the night sky for up to 10 hours. And if your smartphone runs low, you could also charge it through the USB port on the mount. This telescope is light, compact, and portable. You safely and efficiently carry this around with its built-in handles.
It also features manual clutches so you could move it around manually. If you’re interested in astrophotography, its brass worm gears and upgraded motors will support heavy cameras. If you want a kid and beginner-friendly telescope, look no further than the Celestron NexStar Evolution 8. It will not only get you started in astronomy, but it will also let you grow in it.
- Accurate object tracking through the high-performance GoTo mount
- Uses Celestron’s top-end compact eight-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube
- Long-lasting 10-hour battery for all-night use
- Brand: Celestron
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB, Aux
- Material: Aluminum Optical Tube
- Battery: Rechargeable Lithium Iron Phosphate battery
- Weight: 13.01lbs
- Mount: Altazimuth
- Optical System: Schmidt-Cassegrain
- Aperture: 203mm
- Focal Length: 2032mm
- Relatively light and portable
- Propriety SkyAlign alignment procedure lets you get started in minutes
- User-friendly and easy to use
- Expensive
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The Orion StarSeeker IV 130mm WiFi-Enabled GoTo Reflector Telescope Kit lets you see nearby celestial bodies like the moon, planets, and deep-space objects. Its GoTo database contains over 42,000 targets, so you’ll never run out of points of interest in the night sky.
It also comes with two wide-field eyepieces and a Shorty Barlow lens for greater viewing flexibility. It also comes with a Moon Filter to give you excellent views of the lunar surface. Eight AA-size batteries power the telescope itself. And if you find that lacking, you could also plug it in an outlet via the included AC-to-DC adapter.
You can view the stars all night with the unlimited power provided by a wall outlet or a portable generator. For more comfort, you could control this telescope via its built-in Wi-Fi. You don’t have to fumble in the dark to point your telescope in the right direction.
And if you want to find things the old-fashioned way, the kit includes DeepMap 600 and MoonMap 260. These can help you find heavenly bodies using basic techniques.
The Orion StarSeeker IV is an excellent way to introduce young ones to astronomy. And if they want to learn more, they could use the included maps for in-depth knowledge.
- Wi-Fi enabled for smartphone control
- Massive database of over 42,000 stars, planets, satellites, and more
- Includes two Barlow Lenses and a Moon Filter
- Brand: Orion
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi
- Material: Steel Optical Tube
- Battery: 8x AA batteries
- Weight: 21.5lbs
- Mount: Altazimuth
- Optical System: Reflector
- Aperture: 130mm
- Focal Length: 650mm
- Only requires two-star alignment
- Comes with an expanded accessory kit
- Controller “Tour” function lets you explore the night sky leisurely
- A bit heavy compared to similar models
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The Meade StarNavigator NG 102mm Computerized Refracting Telescope is an affordable basic telescope with automatic features. You can find your way around the night sky through the AudioStar Controller, with its database of over 30,000 celestial bodies. It also comes with several accessories so you could view both nearby and deep-space objects.
Although this telescope is not Wi-Fi enabled, the included AudioStar Hand Controller is more than enough to get you acquainted with stars, planets, and more. Eight AA-size batteries also power it to ensure that you can use your telescope even when you’re in the field. For a bright view, the Meade StarNavigator has a wide 102mm aperture.
This ensures you can see the sky clearly. There are also two included eyepieces, so you have the choice of either a wide field of view or a magnified look. Best of all, this telescope is light and portable. Its refracting design makes it slim and easy to store.
- Red-dot viewfinder great for rough targeting of heavenly bodies
- 102mm aperture ensures a clear and bright view
- AudioStar Hand Controller provides up to four hours of guided audio tours
- Brand: Meade Instruments
- Connectivity: AudioStar Hand Controller
- Battery: 8x AA batteries
- Weight: 14.7lbs
- Mount: Azimuth
- Optical System: Refractor
- Aperture: 102mm
- Focal Length: 660mm
- Lightweight and easy to transport
- Over 30,000 objects for viewing
- Comes with several accessories for any situation
- No Wi-Fi support
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If you want a compact and portable telescope that provides excellent image quality, you can’t go wrong with the Celestron NexStar 127SLT. It features a Maksutov-Cassegrain design, allowing it to have a small form factor while still giving you the sharpest and clearest views.
This makes the NexStar 127SLT an ideal telescope to bring around in trips outside the city. This telescope sports a large 127mm primary mirror, ensuring that you see the correct color of what you’re viewing, so it is ideal for astronomy and astrophotography. Additionally, it has a NexStar+ hand control remote.
The remote allows the telescope to find any object in the sky automatically. You can even use it to track targets as they move across our atmosphere. The powerful magnification and detail you get from this telescope will let you appreciate the universe.
It’s enough to show you details of the lunar surface, Saturn’s rings, Mar’s polar ice caps, and even nebulae way beyond our solar system.
- Sharper and brighter image with the Maksutov-Cassegrain design
- Simple setup with the Celestron SkyAlign system
- Automatic pinpoint and tracking of over 40,000 stars, planets, nebulae, and more
- Brand: Celestron
- Connectivity: Hand Control Port, Aux
- Material: Aluminum Optical Tube
- Battery: 8x AA batteries
- Weight: 20lbs
- Mount: Altazimuth
- Optical System: Maksutov-Cassegrain
- Aperture: 127mm
- Focal Length: 1500mm
- Compact and portable design
- Comes with Starry Night Software
- Has a large 127mm primary mirror for great color-corrected views
- Not Wi-Fi capable
Celestron NexStar 127SLT Computerized Telescope
amazon
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The Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope is a high-quality Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope with a large six-inch primary mirror. This makes it powerful while keeping a compact and portable form factor. As a result, the unit is also easy to set up and disassemble.
Its arm mount and tripod break down into individual components to easily transport and store them. The small size also makes it easy to bring with you, with the telescope itself only occupying a smaller space than refracting telescopes. You could even delve into astrophotography with optional camera adapters.
These are sold separately but are affordable, letting you capture images of your universe without breaking the bank. And if you want to add additional capabilities to your telescope, you could install the optional SkyPortal Wi-Fi Module. With this, you can connect it to your smartphone for wireless control and extra features.
- Easy to set up and disassemble
- Mount has a built-in database of over 40,000 objects ready to locate and track
- Large six-inch primary monitor gathers light efficiently while maintaining a compact form factor
- Brand: Celestron
- Connectivity: Aux
- Material: Aluminum Optical Tube
- Battery: 8x AA batteries
- Weight: 30lbs
- Mount: Altazimuth
- Optical System: Schmidt-Cassegrain
- Aperture: 150mm
- Focal Length: 1500mm
- Easy three-star calibration
- Comes with lifetime support
- Compatible with the SkyPortal Wi-Fi Module
- Heavy, weighing in at 30lbs
Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope
amazon
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The Celestron Astro Fi 102 is a small and portable Maksutov wireless reflecting telescope. Despite its size, it comes with a large 102mm objective lens to help you get a clear view of the sky. One outstanding feature of this telescope is the integrated Wi-Fi.
This allows you to control it using the SkyPortal App on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. As a result, finding objects is simple—all you need is to point your phone or tablet to the target. The telescope will automatically find it while displaying information on your device.
This telescope comes in at less than 15lbs. Its small form factor and lightweight design allow you to carry this around easily. If you’re interested in astronomy, this telescope will let you appreciate it more without having to learn intermediate and advanced concepts.
- Integrated Wi-Fi allows control over iPhone, iPad, and Android
- Complete accessory set, including two eyepieces and a smartphone adapter
- Rechargeable Lithium Metal batteries included
- Brand: Celestron
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 2x Aux
- Material: Aluminum Optical Tube
- Battery: Rechargeable Lithium Metal
- Weight: 14.2lbs
- Mount: Altazimuth
- Optical System: Maksutov-Cassegrain
- Aperture: 102mm
- Focal Length: 1325mm
- Quick and setup only takes minutes
- Easy to carry lightweight telescope kit
- Celestron SkyPortal App will automatically find targets using your smartphone
- Smartphone can’t access the internet when connected to telescope Wi-Fi
Celestron Astro Fi 102 Wi-Fi Reflecting Telescope
amazon
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The Celestron SkyPortal WiFi Module is a device that transforms your robotic and automatic telescopes into smart devices by adding Wi-Fi capabilities. The device connects via your mount’s Aux port. By adding this module to your existing telescope, you can now use your smartphone to locate heavenly bodies.
The SkyPortal module uses your device’s GPS to find your exact location. All you need is to point it at a point of interest, and your telescope will automatically lock on to it. At the same time, the app will show you relevant information on the area you’re viewing.
The system can even point you towards the best objects to view based on your location. Save money and enjoy the convenience of an intelligent telescope with the Celestron SkyPortal WiFi Module. With this module, you no longer have to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on upgrading your device.
- Aligns and controls compatible telescopes with the SkyPortal App
- Explore more than 100,000 objects in the database
- Instant identification of any celestial object in the sky
- Brand: Celestron
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi
- Weight: 0.07lbs
- Doesn’t require batteries
- Includes recordings about key objects
- Upgrades your existing telescope at a fraction of the price
- Not compatible with all telescope models
Celestron SkyPortal WiFi Module
amazon
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FAQ
Q: What Is the Difference Between a Refracting and Reflecting Telescope?
Refracting telescopes use a series of lenses to focus light on the eyepiece. It’s similar to binoculars and the telescopes you see pirates in movies use. These telescopes tend to be long and unwieldy, especially with larger openings. However, they’re also simpler to build and are usually cheaper than reflector telescopes.
Reflector telescopes, on the other hand, use mirrors inside the telescope to bounce the light around. Because of this, it tends to be more compact, even if it has a larger opening. They also tend to suffer less from chromatic aberration versus refracting scopes. Most observatories use this type of telescope because of the size of their apertures. However, these telescope types are usually more expensive than refracting telescopes.
Q: How Big of a Telescope Do I Need to See the Flag on the Moon?
At around four feet long, the flag on the moon is tiny compared to its surface. According to computations, you would need a telescope with an opening of at least 200 meters to see it clearly. As of now, the largest telescope on earth is the Keck Telescope in Hawaii. It has a diameter of only 10 meters. That means, with our current technology, it’s impossible to see the flag on the moon.
Q: Do I Need an Expensive Telescope to Enjoy Astronomy?
No—all you need is a dark sky, your eyes, and patience to enjoy astronomy. Before investing in your own telescope, you should learn first about the basics of the stars and the skies.
Once you figure that you’re really interested in it, you could then look for a smart telescope that will let you learn more about the universe while giving your knowledge and information about it.