Are you looking for the best telescope in India? In this buyer’s guide, I am going to show you the top 7 picks from less than 5000 Rs to way up to 20k. So hold tight.
But let’s enlighten first with the basics. There are three popular types of telescope, including refractor, reflector, and hybrid, all serve a different purpose. This variety is great for experienced astronomers but can be confusing for beginners.
That’s why I have made this handpicked list. So all you have to do is choose according to your interests and budget.
All right then, let’s get started!
COMPARISON: 7 best telescopes in India
Model | Design | Aperture (mm) | Max Mag. | Best for | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Refractor | 50 | 90x | Terrestrial The Moon | 3.5/5 |
|
Refractor | 40 | 63x | Terrestrial The Moon | 4/5 |
|
Refractor | 50 | 118x | Terrestrial The Moon Mars | 4.5/5 |
|
REFLECTOR | 76 | 180x | Terrestrial The Moon Planets | 4.7/5 |
|
Refractor | 70 | 165x | Terrestrial The Moon Planets | 4.6/5 |
|
Refractor | 70 | 165x | Terrestrial The Moon Planets | 3.9/5 |
|
REFLECTOR | 130 | 307x | All up + Stars Nearby Galaxies | 4.6/5 |
So I have for you below top telescopes under 5K, 10K, 15K, and also 20K rs.
REVIEWS: 7 best telescopes in India to buy in 2021
[ Disclaimer: Alienpanda.net is reader-supported. We may earn an affiliate commission on some of the purchases you make.]
Under 5000 Rs
7. L&S 90x Zoom telescope
L&S is the cheapest telescope on this list. Available for less than 2,000 bucks (at the time of writing). It’s the best choice for occasional astronomers.
The Land & Sky model highlight includes a 50mm refractive lens, 360mm of focal length, and 90x of magnification power. It comes with erect eyepieces as well to help stabilize land-viewing.
Specifications
Type: Refractor
Aperture: 50 mm (1.97 in)
Mount Type: Altazimuth
Max Magnification: 90x
Focal Length: 360 mm (24 in)
Tripod: Aluminium
Value for Money: 95%
- Cheap Price
- Durable metal body
- Suitable for beginners & kids
- Lightweight makes carrying it easy
- Useful for both sky & land
- Refractor type - not for deep sky
- Standard quality mount
- Not best for intermediates or experienced observers
Final verdict
L&S is an Amazon choice telescope for the fact that it worths the price. This model is best suited for casual and moody peoples. The cheapest in our list scope useful for the moon and terrestrial spottings like birds and other earthly things. It also makes the perfect science gift for your kids or friends on a budget.
6. Celestron 40mm refractor telescope
Let's start with this starts telescopes first. Celestron 40mm is one of the most economical telescopes to find in India. This model features a 40mm primary lens aperture with up to 64x of useful magnification.
You get two eyepieces, each of 20mm (with 25x Mag.) and 8mm (with 64x Mag.) for that. It gives you enough room for proper viewing of distant as well as nearby objects.
Specifications
Type: Refractor
Aperture: 40 mm (1.75 in)
Mount Type: Altazimuth
Max Magnification: 64x
Focal Length:500 mm (24 in)
Tripod: Aluminium
Value for Money: 95%
Here’s what a verified user said, “It’s good for land and moon. Very clear image. Also, see bright stars. Nice but not see planets clearly. But good”
- Suitable for beginners, kids, teens
- Useful for both; Sky & land
- Easy to use - no tool setup
- Very low price
- Not for deep sky
- Tripod is not very strong
- Small aperture
- Not good for an intermediate observer
Final verdicts
There’s no such thing like perfect on the face of the earth. This 40mm model by Celestron is meant for new guys, for kids & teens to have some fun time. It's not for those experienced people.
5. PowerSeeker 50AZ telescope - *Best Seller*
My first telescope was a local 60mm one. And recently, I was lucky enough to take it 1-on-1 with my friend's power seeker 50AZ. Yes, this exact model!
To my surprise, he's 50mm little did beat mine. I could see the craters of the moon better through his scope than mine. His instrument was also looking more robust and better built than mine.
Specifications
Type: Refractor
Aperture: 50 mm (1.97 in)
Mount Type: Altazimuth
Max Magnification: 118x
Focal Length: 600 mm
Tripod: Aluminium
Value for Money: 93%
- High-quality telescope
- Suitable for beginners
- Reasonable price
- Easy, no tool-setup required
- Can see craters of the moon, some planets & nature
- Altazimuth mount shakes thus not so good
- Observing is hard when you see the distant objects
- Not for deep sky
- Not for intermediates
Final verdict
Powerseeker 50az is a legitimate deal. Buy it if you are a beginner and want a dual-purpose scope to see the moon’s craters, some blur planets, nebulas and nature/bird watching, etc. But if you are interested in galaxies and nebulas then you need a budget of more than 15000. It’s near to impossible to find a deep space telescope under 5000.
Love Books? Find out these 9 popular astronomy books for beginners.
Under 10000 Rs
4. Celestron firstscope 76mm telescope
Please do stop me if I am biased, but Celestron's Firstscope is one of my favorite telescopes on this list. The simple underlying reason for that is because it has the highest value for money ratio. So, technically speaking, it's a reflector type telescope with 76mm of aperture (which is fantastic at this price point). And it has a smooth tabletop Dobsonian mount, found in premium ones.
Specifications
Type: Reflector
Aperture: 76 mm (3 inches)
Mount Type: Dobsonian
Max Magnification: 180x
Focal Length: 300 mm (24 in)
Value for Money: 99%
- Large reflector aperture
- Portable and no tool setup required version
- Highly reasonable price
- Suitable for beginners and kids
- Dobsonian mount
- Minor (fixable) issue with the mount
- Barlow lens needed for deep space observation
Final verdict
Firstscope is undoubtedly one of my favorite telescopes as it offers a great return on investment. I will say one next sentence to help you decide. The telescope is for beginners/intermediates with interest in the solar system, nebulas and with a budget of less than ten thousand.
Under 15000 Rs
3. Astromaster 70mm EQ refractor telescope
Here's another beloved model from Celestron for beginners. The 70EQ is the best all-rounders out there. It comes with a 70mm refractive aperture and 700mm focal length, which you a magnification boost of up to 165x. You also get a 3x Barlow lens for free.
Type: Refractor
Aperture: 70mm (Approx. 2.75 inches)
Mount Type: Equatorial
Max Magnification: 165x
Finderscope: Yes, 5x24
Focal Length: 700 mm (28 in)
Tripod: Aluminium
Value for Money: 80%
It has received over 21+ reviews on Amazon with average ratings of 3.8/5. Read more review here.
- High-quality lens
- Suitable for beginner stargazers
- Can be used for land viewing as well
- Lightweight, easy to carry
- Equatorial mount
- Expensive & overpriced
- EQ is tricky for beginners
- The solar system is not so great
Final verdict
Except for the price, this telescope is pretty good. It’s useful for a beginner looking for some planets like Jupiter, Mars. Can be also used for the land purpose. It is lightweight & easy to carry. German equatorial mount has an awesome slow-motion tracking. It's reasonable at this price. Or you should just invest a few thousand more and get a better, reflector one, with 2x larger aperture than this.
Or buy 70AZ version from Amazon
2. Series travel scope 70 telescope
The Celestron's traveler telescope is one of the best out there for backpackers. Here's the reason why.
It has a very compact, lightweight, and durable body. So you can quickly and safely carry it in your (provided) backpack.
Specifications
Type: Refractor
Aperture: 70 mm (2.76 inches)
Mount Type: Altazimuth
Max Magnification: 165x
Finderscope: 5x24
Focal Length: 400 mm (16 inches)
Tripod: Aluminium
Value for Money: 89%
- Portable and easy to use
- Ideal for travelers
- Suitable for land and sky
- Useful for beginners
- Little overpriced
- Mount needs improvement
- Barlow lens needed for larger, useful magnification
Final verdict
Celestron’s Travelscope is a starter, versatile model. There's no better telescope in India at this price. Planets are not so impressive without a Barlow.
So buy it if you're looking for a scope for casual observation. The moon, birds, and land viewing on a limited budget. But do NOT buy it, if you are passionate about deep space with little more money to spare - because there's a better one then! More on that below.
Under 20000 Rs
1. Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ
[Deep sky, highly recommended]
I have a crush on it, yup, you heard me right! For stargazers, there's simply nothing better than being able to open up to the wonders of the universe. And with the Astromaster 130mm telescope, that thing is quite feasible.
The all-new high-performance telescope series from Celestron provides first-timers a fantastic combination of quality, features, price value, and unmatching performance.
Specifications
Type: Newtonian Reflector
Mount Type: Equatorial
Aperture: 130 mm (Approx 5.11'')
Max Magnification: 307x
Finderscope: Built-on StarPointer
Tripod: 1.25-inch steel tube legs
Optical Tube Length: 610 mm
Value for Money: 100%
Go deeper: Astromaster 130 EQ V/s 130 AZ, find which is better here?
- The most affordable mid-end model
- 130mm of large reflector aperture
- Best for deep-sky observers
- Smooth Equatorial mount
- Easy to use, no tool-setup needed
- You need Barlow lens for more useful magnification
Final verdict
Go bring it up! If space is your obsession and everything you want to do is to go deep sky. It is the right thing & time for you. This 130mm telescope is all you need to spot the moon, planets, star systems, and more. Get yourself a Barlow lens to enjoy your scope’s ability to it's fullest.
The buying guide!
What to look for in a telescope? The 150x or 300x magnification? Don't ever fall for that. A telescope is more than just a magnifier. It collects light. Here's what goes into the making of the telescope.
The aperture
The aperture aka objective lens is at the heart of the instrument. You can easily spot it at the face-side of the scope. The larger it is, the more significant amount of light it captures.
The minimum 3" aperture is best for stargazing and anything lower than that is for occasional viewers.
Refractor or reflector type?
The refractor type telescope features glass aperture which is heavy and popular for casual stargazing and terrestrial observation. The Reflector, on the other hand, is a mirror, best suited for deep sky observation and NOT for terrestrial. More on this here.
The mount
And finally, last but not least, is the mount. Trust me, a strong, stable, and smooth to move mount is a must. If you are a beginner & want simplicity then choose Altazimuth. The Equatorial mount is sophisticated and designed for deep sky observations.
And remember- practice is the key! No matter how expensive the instrument you buy, there's no replacement for the efforts and time you put in. For the best experience try to have 2-3 sessions every week and keep learning new things.
This is what you should look for
Priority 1. Aperture- Larger, better. More than 3" is best for deeper space.
Priority 2. Mount- Equatorial & Altazimuth are both excellent.
Priority 3. Magnification- Not so important. It's affected via a universal eyepiece.
Tip: Larger aperture = larger supported magnification.
What's the telescope price in India?
So the telescope market is not as huge as of the US. But it's still a big one. There a lot of top manufacturers, including Celestron, Meade, and Orion, that offer their top pieces. So, on the rough scale, the telescope price ranges from as little as Rs 2,000 for L&S 50mm to 25,000 for 150mm. That means there's plenty of variety of telescopes available in India.
The top 3 telescopes in India within each price bracket
Telescope | Aperture | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
PowerSeeker 50Az | 50mm | Terrestrial Birdwatching Mars | |
Speciality Firstscope | 76mm | All above+ Moon Jupiter Mars | |
Astromaster 130EQ | 130mm | All above+ Solar System Nebulas |
Over to you!
So that's a wrap here. You just went through the 7 of the best telescopes in India for every budget. Remember, the bigger aperture, the better. Just keep in mind your needs. If you are just a casual observer or want a telescope a gift then choose either Powerseeker 50 or Specialty scope. And if you are serious and looking for long term then go for Astromaster 130. Here's the comparison between 130EQ & 130AZ.
And keep in mind, finding planets and nebulas takes more time & effort than most of the amateur thinks. The practice is the key! And write below if you have any questions or need help.
Hello Mr. Ingle,
I am interested in buying anyone of the above mentioned telescopes. But this being my first, I had few questions to be answered, and yes, I expect you to answer them. Please…
My daughter, 12 yrs, and me, both are interested in watching the skies. So what I am looking for is :
1. Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn
2. Some other stars…
Some part of my questions would remind you that I am a novice 😉
Waiting for your reply..
Regards
Anand
I would love to help you Anand. It’s awesome to buy a telescope.
But if you’ve never used scopes before, then I would recommend you to grab an nice pair of astronomy binocular instead.
It will help you avoid any hazel!
This is powerful & easy to use. It can show you planets (including your mentions) & Galaxies etc.
[You are welcome to checkout list of binoculars which includes my personal favorites.]
Once you gain experience in skywatching, grab a telescope!
Finally, if you want the best one for the beginner, go for 130EQ as it won’t disappoint you. I promise! If you’re on budget 70Az 21036 Telescope is also nice!
Please dont hesitate to ask further! 😉
Hi,
Hope you are doing well.
I am in urge of purchasing a telescope. I have upcoming trip to himachal. I have no bit idea of telescope would you please suggest a good budget telescope for seeing milky-way n planets.
Thanks in advance
VJ
Hey Vj, would love to help you man.
From what you saying, it seems like u never used any telescope before. Then I would suggest you to try a binoculars instead.
Yeah, there are some good binocular for space. And you’ll surely enjoy great space time in Himalaya with those.
The reason i am suggesting u binos is because they are much easier and convenient than telescope. And its best for every space enthusiasts to start with bino.
Checkout this Nikon binoculars to get a headstart!
If you still want to stick with telescope option, then go for 70mm or higher telescope from above.
Hope I could be of help!
hi
i want to buy a telescope for my kid of 10 years. he never used telescope early. let me know best one for affordable price.
Try Celestron 50mm or tabletop scope. both should be affordable and are good for kids. Let him play with it for a few years and as he gain interest and experience in observation-upgrade. Just make sure he doesn’t look at sun through it.
Hello, Hope all is well, your suggestions are not available out of stock now, Can you recommend something available . Planning to buy a beginner telescope for my 12 year old. Budget can be around 10K .
Thanks for your time.
sorry to hear that but these covid times are hard.
Hi Ingle I would like to buy Eq130 price in amazon is approx 19 k is it ok for that money
I already have Meade Infiniti 60, is it good go or anything good in Meade
Thanks for asking Anbarasan. The 19k is a reasonable price for EQ 130. But yeah, the pricing changes quite frequently on Amazon. If you add and leave the telescope in the cart for a day or two, chances are you may get a discount (though no guarantee). Also, you will later also require addons like the Barlow lens for the best results with distant objects.
On the Meade side, I didn’t found any good option at a competitive price right now.
Hiii..i want to gift telescope to a friend..my budget is not that high.plz can you recommend me a better one to gift for a beginner
Okay. I think you should go for Celestron 50mm which is the cheapest yet a decent option.
Hey Nice review here….but wondering which one would be better for me with 9k?
For your information, Im all nerd!
Try 60mm one by celestron!
Thanks bro for more informations provided. But now I want astromaster 130AZ. Is this a good telescope. Can I see stars nebulae and naked planets well. Because I also have 50AZ and 70EQ Telescopes, but I want more big. Tell me more about Celestron 130AZ Sir.
Tell me more about Celestron 130AZ Sir. I am going to buy this telescope. I already have celestron 50AZ and 70eq. So tell me more information of 130AZ thanks
Celestron 130 is quite good. Its mid-end scope as you know.
Its twise as powerful as you already own.
Since you are more interest in deep sky, I think it would be best buy for you.
There are two variety az and eq. Az is much cheaper than eq.
I would recommend az cause its best for your money.
Hope it helped!
Ask if you are still confused
Thanks bro. But is this better for star watching and clusters
I am pretty darn sure its good for stars and cluster! But at the end…no matter how expensive telescope you buy, you will always need to practice to see those distant things…
Astromaster 130AZ and 130EQ both are same. Without Mounts?
Yupp, except mount… Everything is exactly same like aperture, magnification etc
Hey bro, i can’t see well with astromaster 130az. I have 20mm and 10mm eyepiece. I think they need lens kit for perfect views.
You can use a barlow lens to double the magnification of your current eyepiece if you are not satisfied with current power.
Or consider acelestrons accessories kit. It has two 1.25 inch eyepieces and pair of barlows as well. You could go for single eyepiece but kit goes cheaper. And its just everything you should need for your 130az.
And you know size of the sky. So give it some time before you start to see result. Go to darker locations if possible. Also use sky charts for ease.
Hope it helped!
Hi,I am already using a Celestron Astromaster 70 EQ telescope since last 5yrs… Now want to upgrade to atleast 5inch or plus aperture telescope with goto mount,please suggest some and where to buy in India with all accessories… (I am wary of Newtonian or Dobsonian scopes,as they need frequent collimation…which most reviews states is painful..) I am intereste in mostly Visual for DSO but also for some astrophotography too.
I have reviewed a lots of online sites from UK,US, Germany and even Indian..Tejraj… My take is that any decent Telescope/accessory is atleast double the cost in India when compared to western world,even after including courier charges,and that too,most top end scopes are not available in India…
If one orders from abroad,inspite of paying courier,taxes…the goods are held at local post office and they demand exorbitant money as customs charges,at their will..
So please guide.
Thanks.
Hi Mohit,
I understand your problem. Upgrading telescope sometimes can be little tedious. But anyways. I think Astromaster 130EQ is the right choice for you. I know you might have heard of it before but I still suggest. It meets all your needs. 5+ inch aperture, newton design, suitable for astrophotography and the best thing is that it is available in India. So no huge import fees.
And there’s a dedicated Accessories Kit for ultimate astronomy experience as well.
Click here to check it Amazon.
My kid is 7 year old and l am planning to buy a telescope for him as he is very fascinated with space related stuff. So, please suggest which telescope to buy as he wants to see moon, stars and different planets
It’s okay bro thanks.i used only refractor before this. Now i first time used newtonian reflector. Today i saw everything with smooth focusing. I saw jupiter and moons, saturn rings, star clusters and bright stars, so today i feel this is very good telescope. But after lenses kit & barlow, i see more useful magnification. Everything is good. Thanks alot bro.
Now i note that the problem is in AZ tripod. It’s too difficult, not a smooth tracking. But fine with lots of practice. Otherwise EQ is best. Very Smoothly rotating in every angle. So finally Thanks bro.
Yes Vikas, eq is better but as you know, its overly priced.
Do check the div improvements and see if it can be of your help.
And if possible, do share your findings on our FB page so others enthusiasts can enjoy it.
And glad to help you!
Thanks for the explanation, I just wanted to tell you that this is going to be the first time that I am using an telescope but you already have mentioned that for the beginners it is better to watch the sky from the binoculars. So I just wanted to know that which binocular will be best suited for watching moon as well as other planets from my home. My next question is that why I can’t see the stars and planets from the telescope instead of binoculars.
Hi Ashutosh and thanks for your comment!
The best binocular for your need will be celestron 20×70 and find more like it here.
And yes you can see planets and stars with telescope. For beginners, its only little hard to find those objects due to narrow field of view. So it only take little practice!
Nice review. I just wanted to understand that which telescope is better to watch the moon and other planets from my home as I have heard people saying that you can not watch other planets from city because of “light pollution”, you have to go to a remote place which is away from the city where light is not present, so that’s what I am asking that whether I can watch the sky from my home when the sky is clear and if so which telescope will be best suited for the beginners.
Is it heavily pollution at your place? Do you see only those 10-20 brightest stars? Are there street lights? If so then it won’t give you best view.
The best scope for planets include: astromaster 130. Choose max aperture telescope at your budget.
Here are 4 planet exclusive telescopes.
Hey Bro @INgle i want to sale my New Astromaster 130AZ Telescope Its 2 Months Old Newly Condition without scratches and full packing please contact me on +918196849610 or Vikassnsr@gmail.com thanks Any Friend who Want This @t 13000
Why are you selling it?
Thanks for a very useful article.
Regarding difficulty of finding particular stars for a first-time telescope user, is there a particular trick to it? So far I have been using (field) binoculars, now I want to buy a telescope which is user-friendly, so am considering the Celestron 130. Will the EQ assist me better than the AZ in this issue?
Also, after cataract surgery, I need glasses for near vision (reading books, my cellphone, computer) but I have excellent distance vision. Would I need to wear my glasses to look into the eyepiece? Are these adjustable for focusing better, like in binoculars and cameras?
Hi Indrani!
I feel your concern regarding finding objects in the sky – that’s normal with beginners!
The best option to find things easily is by using a computerised telescope . You only have to input the object of your choice and it will locate it for you automatically. Only thing. It can be little expensive.
And here’s my personal trick to help you find objects easily. Install a StarTracker app on your phone so you get a rough idea of the location of your desired object and then point your telescope in that direction. BAAM, You found it!
Now heres the big one. You asked for which is better 130 EQ or AZ? I would say 130 EQ is definitely better than 130 AZ as the former is smoother to navigate. There’s also an M.D. version to consider. The only cause I didn’t mention it in this list is coz it’s a little overpriced. But you can buy it if money is not a problem for you. Its premium experience.
Coming to the last question you asked. As you mentioned – you seem to have near vision problem. So although the objects you see through the telescope are far away but the image is created in the eyepiece which is much closer to your eye. Conclusion: You will need eyeglasses.
Hope I could be of help!
Thanks Ingle, yes, you answered all my questions.
Now a few more if you dont mind:
– what is the approx. cost of the Barlow lens?
– What does the accessory kit contain, do I need those accessories in the beginning, and how much does that cost?
– I do have an app installed on my phone called StarWalk 2 which I find very useful and interesting. Do you know it? Is Star Tracker better?
The price for a Barlow lens will depend on the power you choose and also the maker. For eg., the one by Celestron is very expensive as its brand thing. But you can save money by going for other good makers.
A good 5x barlow lense will 5x the magnifing power of your eyepiece which is suggest for 130mm reflector and will cost around 2.5k.
Coming to your second query, accessory kit by Celestron includes two 1.25 inch Plossl eyepieces, a 2x Barlow lens and three filters for better view.
The kit is not required as you just starting out. You can spend some time with your new telescope & get better at it first – you will always have room for upgrade. BTW, an accessory kit will be required when you are ready to take on deep space bodies like planets. The Best kit for astromaster is the one we talked about earlier.
And as you may have checked up with Amazon it costs around 6k.
I haven’t used StarWalk2 so can’t tell you about that but what I can tell you about is the one I have personally used, Startracker – a good app.
Choose the one you are comfortable with! 🙂
Hope I helped and yes I don’t mind to be useful to you! :p
Note – I will earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of the links here at no extra cost for you! 🙂
Hey!
Are there better options if I choose to buy from the US?
Are you buying from usa in India? If thats so, then you better not. The cost will be more than double for the same product you buy here.
But its upto you what you prefer. BTW can you be specific about product? What are u looking for
Hi Ingle,
I want to know which Celestron scope you will recommend–AstroMaster 130 EQ Motor Drive Telescope; OR
Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ Telescope..
Looking for your valuable suggestion.
hey. both are exactly identical except for the motor feature. That one is thus more advanced but also will have higher maintenance. I will personally prefer non-motor one.
Thanks bro
Hi Ingle
Thanks for such a nice and detailed blog. I want to but my 6 year old son a great telescope and want to explore the sky with him. I am going to use telescope for the first time but ready to invest time and money in it. With the details given above I am inclined towards Astromaster 130 EQ, however unable to understand the use of Barlow lens and which one to buy or I can buy a telescope kit of Celestron. I am ready to go for even higher budget but want a very good telescope.
Please suggest
Thanks
Sameer
Hi Sameer, Wellcome to AlienPanda !
So I understand that you are a beginner just starting out with astronomy with your kid which sounds awesome.
And yes, astromaster 130EQ is a good telescope. You can go for addons like Barlow lens(BL) or preferably the kit to make the most of your scope. It’s up to you!
BTW, the BL is very useful to double the magnification power(of the eyepiece). You can learn more about eyepiece and Barlow lens here
Beware though. No matter how expensive your telescope is, the result will never be instantaneous and probably won’t see results like shown in NASA photos. You may not see much in the first few days or weeks. As you said, be ready to invest some time, learn best telescope use practice, how to observe the sky, where to find objects, and much more. Spend more time useing the instrument. I promise the journey is gonna be so much fun and exciting for both of you.
So yes, Go for Astromaster 130EQ, its dependable scope for starters. And we are here to help you in your stargazing journey.
Glad to help! 🙂
Hi Ingle
Thanks for your help, now I own a Astromaster 130, however I am unable to buy a 5x Barlow Lens online, please help me find 1. If u could provide a link.
Thanks
Sameer
Hello Mr Ingle,
I want to buy a good scope for my 8 yr kid.. So I just want to know about 114mm celestron eq…. As how much is different from 130mm eq
Pls guide
Hi Reena,
The difference in both of them is of the aperture, which FYI is the core of telescope. It makes the difference in your ability to see distant objects. 114EQ has 114mm aperture and the other has 130mm. So if I had to choose one, it would be 130EQ. Checkout my telescope guide if needed.
Hey, I am 13 years old and I love the sky and the stars and almost every thing I can see in the sky. Me and my mother are both interested in bird watching and sky watching but still I am a beginner I wanted a telescope that could help me see mars, venus, Saturn and some other stars really clearly and also the MOON!! The craters..andd which would also be great for bird watching, but the telescope should not also be too expensive and it would be great if I can get one under 15 thousand.
Please guide!
First, don’t expect the “NASA perfect” images. Sure you can still get a decent and exciting glimpse. Now coming to your question, for your desired results you need telescope + eyepiece accessories which should cost prox 21k. But since you are a beginner and the budget is low, I suggest to get yourself a 20×80 binoculars and a tripod. You will have a much better experience and enjoy most of the things you mentioned as you gain experience. Best of luck! (y)
Hi ingle
I need to buy a telescope which will show the moon and other plants very close , so for that what telescope is best to buy … pls suggest me to buy bro..
Bro, buy yourself Astromaster 130EQ + eyepiece kit for the best experience. As a beginner, it will be difficult for you to use at first, but you will soon start to enjoy as you get familiar with the scope & sky. If you have low budget, I suggest a good astronomy binoculars – cheaper and easy to use.
Thanks bro i will buy eyepiece kit. Bro i have one doubt, by using this , can we see satellites..??
And do u have any photos which took by that telescope.???
U mean our artificial satellites.? No chance, none of personal telescope can. They are super tiny for distance and most are always in motion. U need to be very experienced and luck to catch ISS.
Hi Ingle
What is your view on StarTracker 130/650 EQ by tejraj? Comparing to celestron 130eq. They are giving a free kit with it at 16500+18%gst. Your opinion is highly anticipated.
Thanks for writing Birinchi! As I can see from here, theoretically, both the models have pretty much the same characteristics. However, the Astromaster 130EQ has shown proven results, but I have not tried any Star tracker instrument yet and so can’t say much about its quality/performance. The Free kit is the PLUS POINT for Tracker. So yeah ST looks decent, see if it gets you ahead, just make sure return policy is smooth with Tejraj in case you hit a bump. Happy to help!
Thank you Ingle for your input. I think i will go with AstroMaster now.
Hi….great to read your reviews…I barely have any knowledge about it…wanted to gift a telescope to my fiance…..if my budget is around 50k which one would be the best telescope available in india to observe planets and some constellations may be …your suggestions and guidance would be much appreciated
Hi Prerna, thanks for asking. I have researched a bit on this but unfortunately, there is no decent telescope right now in India for upto 50k. Those at 50k doesn’t worth the money and priced stupidly. I would rather suggest Astromaster 130EQ with an accessories kit. It is a lot better and will cost half the money. If you have any questions plz don’t hesitate to ask. 🙂
One of the best and most informative blog! Thank you for the info.
So glad to help! 🙂
Can i see Jupiter, Saturn’s ring, mars,nabula clearly with it or do i have to purchase the Barlow lens ?
You will need a Barlow lens for that.
I want to. Purchase a telescope for myself. Haven’t used it in past. I also have 2 kids 16 yrs and 8 yrs respectively whom I would want to give then an experience.
I want to go for the best one, pricing is not a bar coz I want best. Can go upto 1.5 lacs.
Well if you suggest if it is not worth investing for a beginner than pls suggest accordingly.
Hi there, Thanks for asking! Look, a stargazer doesn’t own a single instrument. The thing goes like this – You start with basic, go through the learning curve, and upgrades accordingly with better instruments. It is the best approach to follow IMO even if you have a big budget. So my recommendation to you would be Astromaster 130EQ and a complimentary kit. You will be able to enjoy planets and nebulas with it. Upgrade ones you gain expertise in finding planets. The rest is up to you.
Superb post and tx for your effort Small querry what would be the barlow lens specs for celestron firstscope telescope Tx for ur time Rgds
It depends on your eyepiece. Go for a 1.25mm Barlow lens if your telescope supports 1.25mm eyepiece. Here’s one of these with 2x mag that will double up mag of your eyepiece.
Hi Ingle
With the help of your advice , I purchased Astromaster 130 eq in the month of May, and after initial efforts, I was able to clearly see Jupiter, saturn (with its rings) and their moons. I also purchased 5 x Barlo lense, however its dosen’t improve any magnification over my 10 mm eyepiece. Since these planets are visible like more of big dots, can 4 mm eyepiece will help me see their finer details? Or only a bigger telescope is the option? Further, please suggest more accessories and their importance which will help in utilizing me my current telescope as presently I have seen only 3 things i.e. Moon, jupiter and saturn.
Thanks
Sameer
Hi Sameer!
It’s great to see you following up on your hobby.
With a 5x Barlow lens and 10mm eyepiece, you are getting approx 305x magnification on your 130mm telescope. So you pretty much have reached the 307x limit of the telescope. Using 4mm (762x) will further worsen picture quality. So what you do now?
There are a lot of factors. The planet looks clearer when it is nearer to earth. Ideal location to see planets is where you can’t see streetlights and thousands of stars are visible. Let the telescope settle in your observation location for half an hour so it comes in the same temp. level as the surrounding. And ensure the quality of your Barlow lens.
Hi Ingle, I have an antique brass telescope for sale that is made by E.G.Wood, 74, Cheapside, London (inscribed on the eyepiece tube) and probably dates back to the late 18th century. However, the second eyepiece lens is broken. Could you tell me what price it would sell at and are there any such antique buyers online.
Your link takes me to AstroMaster 70EQ instead of 130EQ. Is that the same?
Sorry about that. And NO. they are different.
I just checked and it seems like all high-end telescopes are out of stock in India. Not found on Amazon/Flipkart/Paytm/Tataclq etc. 🙁
So I advise you to wait for few days or buy one of the excellent astronomy binoculars from here.
Hi Ingle,
Who are you?
Just another guy who enjoys looking up! 😉
Hi,
I am using Nikon Binoculars with 10x zoom since more than a decade for bird watching, eclipse watching and casual star gazing. Although its very difficult, but I can still make out 4 of the largest moons of jupiter with it.
To understand the viewing capabilities of this telescope, can you tell me how many moons of Jupiter can be seen using Astromaster 130EQ?
Hi Nijay! That’s an interesting question.
You are currently using a decent binocular but its a casual one. You probably are able to see those moons as bright dots only.
The 130EQ telescope is more of a deep space focused that should deliver at least 2-3X better results than your binocular. As for the moons, you will get better contrast and color shades than just bright dots. Just geta 5x Barlow lens along with it.
Hi,
Thanks for answering. You said it should give 2-3X better results. Shouldn’t a 130mm telescope with 307X mag be much more better than a 50mm Binoculars with just 10x magnification?
I understand that aperture is important but is the magnification factor simply irrelevant here? So is it just 130/50 instead of 307/10, which comes to around 30 times better?
Good observation NJay! Yeah, magnification is an important factor. But as you know, mag just zooms-in on the picture. Over-mag breaks image and details are ruined. What I am talking about here is of better details & contrast which depends on your aperture. Your aperture produces an image which you then can magnify.
So yeah, you will have 30x better zoom than your binoculars but details will be 2-3x better which is decent. (BTW: The telescope is unavailable right now in India. Stick around so I can notify you when available.)
Hi,
I wanted to by astromaster 130eq. But it is not available anywhere in India. Which other telescope would you suggest instead of this?
Thanks in advance
Yeah, I know. 🙁 The only next best telescope right now appears to be Celestron 76mm which is a value for money telescope. All the rest are either cheap quality or stupidely expensive. So go for it if you want one!
Hey Ingle, hope you are doing well. I needed your help in finding a good telescope. This is my first telescope that I will be buying, and my budget is around 50k. I would prefer computerized ones too, if not I’m fine with any of the reflector telescope. In case I get any of these will I be able to see nebulas, planets like Jupiter, Saturn and few other planets precisely. Should I invest only on the telescopes or should I get other lens in order to see all those mentioned. Could you mention any of the links other than Amazon. I’m fine either with celestron,orion or Meade.
Thank you
Hi Ruthvik, thanks for asking!
Celestron, Orion, and Meade all are good but sometimes I find Orion more expensive for what they offer. My personal favorite is Celestron. A 130EQ model is ideal for beginners buts it appears to be stupidly expensive on Amazon right now. Buy it when it comes under 20k. Till then you can also try a good astronomy binocular like Celestron 15×70. It’s a good alternative to a 100mm scope. If you are in hurry to buy one then I think you should go for Nextstar but yeah it’s little more expensive.
i do have a Orion Apex 127mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope for sale if you need
Friends,
I have a Orion Apex 127mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope for sale. Very sparingly used, may be once or twice.
Have a 10mm Orion Sirius Plossl Telescope Eyepiece.
Orion Paragon-Plus XHD Extra Heavy-Duty Tripod.
The telescope has a sturdy bag.
I bought it in US and had to move back to US in a very short time. So left it in India.
I would like to sell it in india. I can give you the contact if you are interested.
Hi Ingle,
I wanted to buy a computerized go-to mount Telescope we are in City to lot of background lighting. Can you suggest an ideal model in 20 – 25 K Please? Also if I have to add any thing to it ?
Not just budget but most telescope renders better results when used in dark/low city light areas. Anyways, for your budget, I think the 130EQ will be the best option. You can also use filters for better results. There’s no computerized option at this price.
Hi,
From all what I have read here, 130 Az seems to be a good choice for beginners, my question how & where can I learn to operate it smoothly ?
Practice & practice & here’s a guide to help you out.
The 130 is not available but the 114 is. Should we wait for the 130 or is the 114 close in comparison?
worth to wait for a few days for such beast
Hi Ingle,
Celestron ExploraScope 22100 60AZ Refractor? Is this a good buy for beginner?
Thanks for the time
Yeah, 22100 is good for kids.
Hi, I want to see nebulas, planets, near space objects clearly. Kindly suggest me best telescope for this under 10k rs. Please suggest me. I want deep sky viewing.
Thanks
Sorry but there isn’t a good telescope at that budget for your said needs. I advice to buy a bincualrs instead. Try Celestron 71009. More options here. And do go through my guide section for better results.
Sir, I am Vinay Patil from Goa.
I want to buy a reflector type telescope.
Is it easy to handle. I have not used telescopes that much.
Which one you will recommend ?
Look, if you want a good result ie. a good view and have plans to invest time and energy in stargazing then I would advise a reflector telescope. The EQ130 model. But if you don’t have any such intention and want to do some time pass for a while then go with one of the refractors above. happy to help! 🙂
Thanks for your kind reply.
I was also looking for a telescope binocular my son. He is 8 yrs old.
Nikon seems comparatively expensive, should I go for Celesrton ?
If yes, for him which model is recommended ?
If want to buy online, which provider is trustable ?
Yeah, Celestron is a good alternative. Its affordable and most important its a astronomy brand. If the binoculars is for your 8YO kid then go for Celestron Upclose G2. Its a good starting point. And make sure you won’t let him look at Sun with it.
Thanks. Noted.
With Celestron Upclose G2 will he able to identify moon and any other planet ?
With ordinary binoculars my son constantly looks at the moon and gets disappointed as he expects to have closer view of the moon. He wishes to at least identify planets like mars.
With the mentioned binocular, whether his wish will come to reality ?
Also please intimate, through which online buyer it is to be bought .
Amazon or any other (there is one Galileo telescope makers from Mumbai, are they authentic?)
If you want to see mars then you can go with 12×60 or 15×70. But both are little heavy so note that.
Also locating/finding mars is not easy it will take practice and patience.
You can buy from Amazon and I have mentioned the links there already. I have no experience with Galileo so can’t say about that.
Hey! Thanks for the detailed blog. I am very much interested in buying the Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ Telescope. But I do not understand 2 key characteristic features here. It says that the telescope has A) a star pointer and B) TheSkyX – First Light Edition astronomy software with a 10,000 object database, printable sky maps and 75 enhanced images. What do these mean? Does it mean that the telescope is connected to the software and it will automatically focus once we select the planetary object? Or do they simply exist as our reference to the night sky so that we could look at them and point the telescope ourselves in the direction it says?
The second one. The maps simply exist as references to the night sky.
Thank You!
That was quite a detail. Still need some help pls. My daughter 8 yrs old is always interested in knowing about space. She is keen to have a telescope. Pls advise telescope / binoculars advisable for her age and on minimal budget so that she can gaze up in the sky.
Start with a basic telescope. The Celestron 50mm is available now and is a good option for her age.