The Best Telescopes for Beginners in Australia
If you're after the best telescopes for beginners in Australia, the one that matters is the one you'll actually take outside and use. Here are five we'd put in a first-timer's hands, and how to choose between them.
What makes a good beginner telescope?
Three things matter more than anything on the box: aperture, a steady mount, and an easy way to find what you're looking at.
Aperture
The width of the main lens or mirror, and the number that matters most. More aperture means more light, so the Moon, planets and faint objects all show more detail. Think of it like the size of a bucket catching rain.
A steady mount
The mount holds the scope up, and a wobbly one is the fastest way to put someone off astronomy. Every little bump sends the view shaking. A simple, sturdy mount beats a flimsy clever one every time.
Finding things
This is where most beginners struggle. The sky is big and dark, and star-hopping takes practice. The good news is you've got options now, from phone apps that point you to targets, to GoTo mounts that drive themselves.
The one you'll use
The best beginner telescope is the one that's easy enough that you actually carry it outside. A scope that sets up in two minutes will show you far more sky than a complicated one that lives in the cupboard.
Refractor, reflector or Dobsonian?
Any of the three main designs makes a fine first telescope. A refractor uses a lens at the front, like a classic spyglass. They're low fuss and need basically no maintenance, which makes them lovely for the Moon and planets.
A reflector uses a mirror instead of a lens, so you get more aperture for your money. That extra light helps on star clusters and brighter nebulae. They need the odd tune-up (we call it collimation), but it's an easy thing to learn.
A Dobsonian is a reflector on a simple rocker base that sits on the ground. You get a swag of aperture for the price, though you point it by hand. For pure bang for buck, a Dob is hard to go past.
Do you need a computerised GoTo telescope?
You don't need one, but they make some nights easier. Plenty of folks love learning the sky the old-fashioned way, so don't feel you have to spend up.
A computerised GoTo telescope, like the NexStar 4SE, has a motorised mount with a database of thousands of objects. You pick a target, it slews across and tracks it for you, which is handy when the family is taking turns at the eyepiece. Phone-guided scopes like the StarSense range sit nicely in the middle: you point by hand, but your phone shows you exactly where to aim.
How the five compare
| Telescope | Type | Aperture | Finding objects | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celestron FirstScope | Tabletop reflector | 76mm | Manual | Kids and small budgets | $99 |
| StarSense Explorer LT70 AZ | Refractor | 70mm | Phone push-to | Easiest first scope | $315 |
| StarSense Explorer LT127 AZ | Newtonian reflector | 127mm | Phone push-to | Best all-rounder | $495 |
| Saxon 6" Dobsonian | Dobsonian reflector | 150mm | Manual | Most aperture per dollar | $549 |
| Celestron NexStar 4SE | Maksutov-Cassegrain | 102mm | GoTo (auto) | Finds objects for you | $1,249 |
Our best telescopes for beginners
Celestron FirstScope
A cracking first telescope for a young space fan. It's a tabletop scope, so it sits on a table or a sturdy box with no fiddly tripod to wrestle. You'll see the Moon's craters and the brighter planets nicely. It's small, so don't expect faint galaxies, but for the fun it delivers it's hard to beat.
Celestron StarSense Explorer LT70 AZ
The one we hand to folks who want it simple. Pop your phone in the dock, open the StarSense app, and it shows you where to nudge the scope to land on your target. The 70mm refractor is light, needs no maintenance, and does a lovely job on the Moon and planets.
Celestron StarSense Explorer LT127 AZ
If you want one scope that does most things well, this is our pick. You get the same phone-guided StarSense system, but the 5-inch (127mm) mirror gathers a fair bit more light than the smaller refractors. Expect sharp views of Saturn's rings, Jupiter's cloud bands and brighter deep-sky objects.
Saxon 6" Dobsonian
For the most light per dollar, a Dobsonian is hard to go past. This 6-inch (150mm) reflector sits on a simple rocker base, so there's no tripod and nothing to power. You point it by hand, which takes a little practice, but that big mirror pulls in plenty for the Moon, planets, clusters and brighter galaxies.
Celestron NexStar 4SE
If you'd rather the telescope find things for you, the NexStar 4SE is a proper computerised GoTo. Pick a target on the hand controller and the motors slew to it, then track it across the sky. The 102mm Maksutov optics are sharp on the Moon and planets, and the database holds tens of thousands of objects. It's a scope you'll grow with for years.
StarSense Explorer LT127 specifications
Beginner telescope questions
Which is the best telescope for a beginner?
For most people the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT127, a 5-inch reflector where your phone guides you to targets. For the most aperture per dollar, the Saxon 6" Dobsonian. For a child or a tight budget, the FirstScope. And if you want the scope to find objects itself, the computerised NexStar 4SE.
How much should I spend on a first telescope?
A capable first scope like a StarSense or a 6-inch Dobsonian sits in the mid hundreds. Kids' scopes start much lower, and computerised GoTo scopes that find objects for you cost more again. If money's tight, put it towards a steady mount and ease of use before chasing the biggest aperture.
Do you need a computerised GoTo telescope to start?
No. Plenty of beginners love learning the sky with a simple manual or phone-guided scope like the StarSense range or a Dobsonian. A GoTo scope like the NexStar 4SE is a nice convenience that finds and tracks objects for you, but it isn't a must-have on night one.
Refractor, reflector or Dobsonian: which is better for a beginner?
Refractors are low-maintenance and great on the Moon and planets. Reflectors and Dobsonians give you more aperture per dollar, which helps on deep-sky objects, and a Dobsonian gives you the most light for the money. All three make great first telescopes.
What's the best telescope for a child?
For younger kids we usually point folks at the Celestron FirstScope or one of our other children's telescopes. They're simple, tough, and cheap enough that nobody's fussed about a few bumps.
Do beginner telescopes need much looking after?
Refractors need next to nothing. Reflectors and Dobsonians may want the odd collimation, which is just lining the mirrors up, and it's a five-minute job once you've done it the first time.
Under Australian skies, backed by Bintel
Still not sure? Tell us what you'd like to see and what you'd like to spend, and we'll match you to the right scope. Browse the full range on our beginner telescopes page, or pop into the shop for a chat.