The Best Telescopes for Deep-Space Budding Astronomers

If you’re looking for one of the best telescopes for deep-space viewing. You may have questions about which one to choose. You can explore the night sky and uncover a new world with the right telescope.

How do you explore the birthplaces of stars, giant clusters with millions of members Even other galaxies from your backyard? Using one of the best telescopes for deep space is essential for any budding deep-sky astronomers. Ones offering a much more excellent light grasp than the unaided eye. And more flexibility than a pair of binoculars or a non-specialized beginner telescope.

 

What to look for

Telescopes come in various designs and sizes, so what should you consider for the best deep-sky views?

The number one factor in determining the relative deep-sky performance of any two telescopes is the aperture of the objective. Larger apertures collect more light, making fainter objects visible in the field. Mirrors are generally less expensive than lenses. So reflecting-type telescopes offer more bang for your buck regarding deep-space views.

Highly corrected fast optics and sturdy and accurate mounts that can track the sky are more critical for astrophotography. Computerized mounts are a must for imagers and have advantages for visual observers. 

If you’re new to the deep sky, consider a telescope that helps you find these faint objects that don’t pop out as readily as the planets or bright stars. It could be a push-to system, which tells you how hot or cold you are. Or a fully-fledged go-to system that steers itself to your preferred target.

 

Here are four of the best telescopes for deep space viewing, exploration and photography.

 

When it comes to telescopes that test the limits of the sky, the sky is the limit. You can experience deep space on a budget or invest in a no-compromise giant home observatory. 

Be sure to consider models which prioritize aperture and light grasp. This will be essential for picking out the faintest targets. If you intend to enter the world of astrophotography, choose something that’s going to be suitable from the beginning. Even if you don’t have the equipment you need yet. 

A sturdy equatorial mount with built-in go-to and tracking will unlock the most prolonged exposures. Allowing you to maximize the potential of your optical tube assembly. 

These larger, mirror-type telescopes usually require more maintenance than their smaller, more robust lens-type counterparts. But there’s nothing you can’t do yourself without some practice and understanding. 

Sometimes it can seem unforgiving compared to the simplicity of looking at the Moon, but the deep sky is worth the investment. 

 

Have fun exploring the wonders of the Universe!

 

Here are four telescopes for deep-space to consider.

 

 

Celestron NexStar 8SE

Celestron NexStar 8SE, one of the most striking things about it is its compact and practical size, despite offering a long focal length. The body is free of clutter, so it is easily transportable. You can easily pick it up and transport it without worrying about breaking components or accidentally snapping things off. It’s pretty heavy, but that gives it a robust and sturdy feel, which we want when we invest this sort of money.

The telescope is controlled using an in-built hand controller with tactile, easy-to-use buttons rather than relying on a smartphone app.

 

Astrophotographers taking long exposures will love the smooth and accurate tracking, thanks to the high-quality motorized functionality.

Although it is quite a sizeable financial investment, the Celestron NexStar 8SE is built to last.  It will easily see you through decades of star and space gazing enjoyment, thus one of the telescopes for deep-space being of excellent value for money. 

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Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ-GTe Refractor Telescope

Explore the cosmos on the go with this complete Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 refractor telescope setup. Lightweight and compact, included is the Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 Refractor, the AZ-GTe travel mount, pier extension, tripod, 1.25-inch diagonal, 10 and 25 mm eyepieces, and a red dot finder.

The Sky-Watcher AZ-GTe is an excellent all-purpose travel mount made for astronomers who want a mount that is both compact and powerful. Weighing in at only 8.6 pounds, the AZ-GTe Alt-Az mount is capable of accepting up to 11 pound payloads.

In addition to being available here with the 102 mm StarTravel Refractor, the Sky-Watcher AZ-GTe can also be purchased as a standalone unit, or with an 80 mm StarTravel refractor OTA. For astronomers who are frequently on the move, the Sky-Watcher AZ-GTe is the perfect grab-and-go system.

WiFi Controls

Control the AZ-GTe via your smartphone by downloading the free SynScan Pro app available for both iOS and Android.

Ultra Compact

The Sky-Watcher AZ-GTe, while easily portable at just 8.6 pounds, is able to take on payloads weighing up to 11 pounds, making it an excellent grab-and-go mount.

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Sky-Watcher 8″ Classic Dobsonian Telescope

8” Skywatcher Dobsonian telescope gathers as much light as more complicated (and pricy!) telescopes. That means you can delve just as deeply into the Universe as electronically controlled 8” telescopes, but at a surprisingly low price.

With a Skywatcher 8” Dobsonian telescope, you’ll become more than an observer of the cosmos; you will actively participate in finding objects and feel the excitement of discovery.

Classic Skywatcher Dobsonian telescopes come with a Tension Control Handle; a real improvement that allows you to lock the tube in its current position, adjust the tension between the tube and mount to accommodate a heavier eyepiece or Telrad finder, etc. You can read more about this patented Dobsonian improvement below.

Many smaller Dobs come with a 1.25” focuser, but the Sky-Watcher includes a 2” focuser with an 1.25” eyepiece adapter, allowing you to use both 1.25” and 2” eyepieces and barreled accessories, like Barlow lenses and collimators.

Also included with the 8” SW Dob are two (2) 1.25” eyepieces (10 mm & 25 mm), and a full-sized 8 x 50 finder.

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What is Dobsonian Telescope?

John Dobson, an avid amateur astronomer connected to the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers, designed a simple yet elegant telescope mount in the 1970’s that was easy to build and could handle a basic Newtonian telescope tube. Dobson wanted people to have the ability to build their own telescope out of inexpensive materials.

In fact, hundreds of people, under Dobson’s tutelage, learned to grind their own mirrors, and these mirrors were put to use in what has come to be known as a “Dobsonian” telescope.

What makes a telescope a Dobsonian is the base that the telescope tube sits on. The tube itself is a simple Newtonian, designed by someone you may have heard of…Isaac Newton. Before John Dobson invented his simple telescope base, Newtonian telescopes were usually mounted on a large, heavy equatorial mount. They were neither simple, portable, nor inexpensive telescopes for deep-space.

Instead, Dobson made a heavy-duty box, modified to hold the optical tube, and mounted it on a lazy-suzan type base. The telescope tube only took a few simple modifications to allow it to ride on the base. When he had finished the final tweaking, a new alt-azimuth mount was born. The telescope could be pointed to anywhere in the sky by either rotating the box on the lazy-suzan base, or by pushing the telescope up or down. The Dobsonian was born.

 

 

Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD

The Evolution 8-inch EdgeHD from Celestron employs a widely acclaimed optical tube assembly as the basis for an impressive overall system. The StarSense camera aligns the telescope for you and connects to Celestron’s SkyPortal App on your phone or tablet via the telescope’s inbuilt WiFi. 

You can locate and lock on to over 120,000 targets from here with just a few taps. It is all powered by a substantial rechargeable battery built into the mount — no cables or external power supply are required. 

 

 

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Technology Comes at a High Price.

Of course, all this technology comes at quite a high price, but if you want telescopes for deep-space from a home observatory that is smart enough to set itself up and navigate the sky for you, it’s good value for money.

Compared with the Newtonian design, the Schmidt Cassegrain is expensive for its aperture. Still, it is exceptionally compact, employing two mirrors and a corrector plate to fold its long focal length into a shorter tube. The EdgeHD optics are among the best-in-class at this price point, and this tube assembly is well suited to astrophotography with the right accessories. 

Using a focal reducer, it can operate at f/7 and is also compatible with Hyperstar, which brings its operational focal ratio down to f/2! Celestron also sells a wedge, which converts the Altazimuth mount into an Equatorial mount, making long exposures possible.