Best eyepieces for telescopes 2024: A crucial telescope accessory to invest in

Having the best eyepieces for telescopes as part of your night sky watching gear can really take your experience to the next level. If you're a new telescope user, you might be happy using the default eyepiece(s) that your telescope comes with. But upgrading to something better can make a world of difference, opening up your telescope's capabilities in a whole new way.

Even one of the best telescopes on the market isn't going to be performing at its best if it's paired with a disappointing eyepiece. They don't have to break the bank, either. Sure, some of the best eyepieces for telescopes can be very expensive, but we've made sure we've selected a range that encompasses all different price points to suit all budgets. 

Photographers have a range of lenses for their camera, each one suited to a specific type of photography, and the same is true of astronomers and their telescopes. It pays to have a selection of eyepieces, with different ones being suited to different types of stargazing. Whether you want to get a close look at the moon's craters or gaze far into deep space, you'll need a specific eyepiece that's best equipped for the job. On our list, you'll find a selection of eyepieces, all suited to different types of telescope use.

Before you get started, though, you'll need to make sure what eyepieces are compatible with your telescope — not every eyepiece will work with every scope. If you need some guidance, head to our best eyepieces for telescopes FAQs at the bottom of this page.

The quick list

Best eyepieces for telescopes 2024

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Best overall

Eight Tele Vue Ethos eye pieces lined up next to each other

The Tele Vue Ethos eyepieces are probably the best eyepieces money can buy. (Image credit: Baader)

Tele Vue Ethos Eyepieces

Best overall: The ultimate in eyepieces, but with a huge price tag

Specifications

Optical Design: Custom 6-element
Available Focal Lengths: 3.7, 4.7, 6, 8, 10, 13, 17, 21mm
Apparent FOV: 100-110 degrees
Barrel size: 1.25 to 2-inches
Eye relief: 15mm

Reasons to buy

+
Possibly the best eyepieces available
+
Excellent build quality
+
Vast apparent FOV

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive
-
Nothing else negative to say
Buy it if

✅ You want the best of the best: — and have the budget to match! These are possibly the best eyepieces available, so it'll come as no surprise to hear that they are very expensive. So if you want the best quality and have the money to spend these are the ones to beat.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You don't have a big budget: These eyepieces come with a pretty big price tag, so you'll need a big budget to be able to afford them.

The bottom line

🔎 Tele Vue Ethos Eyepieces Simply the best of the best. Our only criticism is that they're very expensive — but that's what you get for the best, so we can't fault them for that. Excellent build quality, incredible optics and superb performance. ★★★★★

To get the absolute best of the best eyepieces for telescopes, you're going to have to cough up a lot of money. The Tele Vue Ethos don't come cheap by any means, but you get what you pay for: The quality of these eyepieces is unrivalled, and you'll find little else on the market that offers optics anywhere near as this good.

We love the Ethos' 100-degree field of view — one of the most impressive on this list — making viewing the night sky an absolute joy, especially coupled with its fantastic optical quality. But their generous eye relief is also a huge plus too: If you use glasses, you should be able to use these eyepieces without a problem.

These eyepieces are compatible with Dobsonian telescopes and provide an outstanding viewing experience due to their superb optical quality. Whether you're using the Tele Vue Ethos eyepiece to gaze at star clusters or to admire a colorful nebula, you're in for an incredibly immersive journey through the night sky.

While the price of the Tele Vue Ethos eyepieces may deter some, if it fits within your budget, we strongly recommend considering purchasing one. They are indeed expensive, but in return, you get outstanding quality, performance and a truly premium product.

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Tele Vue Ethos
AttributesNotes
DesignExcellent build quality.
PerformanceSupert optical performance and generous eye relief.
FunctionalityVast apparent FOV.

Best for optical quality

Eight Tele Vue Plossl Eyepieces shown in size order

Tele Vue are industry leaders when it comes to eyepieces. They have been so since 1977. (Image credit: TeleVue)

Tele Vue Plossl Eyepieces

Best for optical quality: The benchmark of performance for eyepieces with a 50 degree apparent field of view

Specifications

Optical Design: Plossl
Available Focal Lengths: 8, 11, 15, 20, 25, 32, 40, 55mm
Apparent FOV: 50 degrees
Barrel size: 1.25 to 2-inches
Eye relief: 6-38mm

Reasons to buy

+
Top optics brand for over 40 years
+
Very high quality in every respect

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite expensive in some focal lengths
-
Not ideal for deep sky observing
Buy it if

✅ You focus on lunar and planetary viewing: Their narrow FOV makes them fantastic for viewing details on the moon and the planets.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want to do deep sky viewing: The narrow FOV makes them great for lunar and planetary viewing but less so for deep sky observations.

The bottom line

🔎 Tele Vue Plossl Eyepieces They're among some of the best available, but that's reflected in the price. Brilliant for lunar and planetary viewing, but not suited for deep-sky observations. ★★★★½

Once again, Tele Vue has made our list of the best eyepiece for telescopes, and it's no surprise, given the company's prioritization of high quality products. And unlike the Ethos above, which require a Dobsonian telescope to use, the Plossl eyepiece range can be used with practically every type of telescope out there. 

They're much more affordable too, though despite the huge price different from the Ethos eyepieces, you'll still find excellent quality optics that will enhance your skywatching experience.

On these eyepieces, you'll find internal anti-reflection threads, fully multi-coated lenses and blackened lens edges. Together, it means you've got some of the best eyepieces for telescopes on the market, and lenses that offer incredibly clear and sharp images.

The Tele Vue Plossl eyepieces offer outstanding performance across their entire range of focal lengths, ranging from 8mm to 50mm. They can be used with nearly any telescope you choose. With their narrow apparent field of view, they're perfect for observing planets at high magnification, enabling you to study fine details without too much sky cluttering the background.

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Tele Vue Plossl
AttributesNotes
DesignInternal anti-reflection threads, blackened lens edges and fully multi-coated lenses.
PerformanceExceptional performance throughout their entire range of focal lengths.
FunctionalityNarrow FOV makes them fantastic for lunar and planetary viewing.

Best all rounder

Composite of product photos of the TeleVue Nagler eyepiece range

Tele Vue's goal has been to provide backyard astronomers with 'spacewalk' style views from their own back gardens. (Image credit: TeleVue)

Tele Vue Nagler Eyepieces

Best all rounder: An expensive option, but possibly a price worth paying

Specifications

Optical Design: Custom 6 element
Available Focal Lengths: 3.5, 5, 7, 9, 13, 16. 17, 22, 31mm
Apparent FOV: 82 degrees
Barrel size: 1.25 to 2-inches
Eye relief: 12-19mm

Reasons to buy

+
The very best in optical and mechanical quality
+
Available in multiple focal lengths

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive
-
Nothing negative to add
Buy it if

✅ You want the very best in optical quality: These are widely regarded as the best eyepieces available in terms of optical and mechanical quality, full stop. However, the downside of this is that they're only really accessible if...

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're not an advanced user: If you consider yourself to be a beginner, enthusiast or intermediate user, you'll likely be priced out of buying these.

The bottom line

🔎 Tele Vue Nagler Eyepieces The creme de le creme of telescope eyepieces, but they are mostly reserved for professionals and advanced users due to their very hefty price tag. ★★★★½ 

Yes, the first three picks of the best eyepieces for telescopes are going to Tele Vue. There's a very good reason, however: despite these eyepieces being very expensive, they are unrivaled in their field. The Tele Vue Nagler range offers up some of the best eyepieces you can find, designed to give the user a spacewalk-like experience. The idea? To make you forget you're using a telescope and feel like you're right there floating in the middle of space. Could you really ask for more?

While these eyepieces are not as expensive as the Tele Vue Ethos at the top of this list, they're still hardly budget-priced. And for that reason, we can only really recommend the Tele Vue Nagler to advanced or professional astronomers — well, unless you're a beginner with a big budget. Regardless, you won't be disappointed, and we think the Nagler eyepieces are well worth their steep asking price. 

They're wonderful no matter what you want to view: an 82-degree field of view means you've got an immersive view across the night sky, and blackened lens edges and anti-reflection threads mean you're always getting a fantastic contrast.

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Tele Vue Nagler
AttributesNotes
DesignBlackened lens edges and anti-reflection threads to ensure maximum contrast.
PerformanceDesigned to give the user a spacewalk-like experience.
FunctionalityCaters to any type of viewing.

Best bundle

Baader Hyperion Eyepiece stock image set inside a protective flight case style box

This bundle is arguably the best value for money, although the longest focal length is only 24mm. (Image credit: Baader)

Baader Hyperion Eyepiece set with hard case

Best bundle: Why settle for one eyepiece when you can get seven?

Specifications

Optical Design: Custom 6-8 element
Available Focal Lengths: 5, 8, 10, 13, 17, 21, 24mm
Apparent FOV: 68 degrees
Barrel size: 1.25 to 2-inches
Eye relief: 20mm

Reasons to buy

+
Dual 1.25-inch / 2-inch fit
+
Top quality eyepiece set

Reasons to avoid

-
No focal lengths beyond 24mm
-
Quite hard to find in stock
Buy it if

✅ You want to do all types of observations: They offer a wide FOV, making them suitable for all types of observations, from lunary and planetary to deep sky viewing.

✅ You want the best bang for your buck: While buying the set is substantially more expensive than just buying one or two individually, you'll save money if you want all the focal lengths in the set.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're on a budget: While you do save money buying the set than purchasing each one individually, it's a pretty hefty initial investment, so not particularly accessible if you're on a budget.

The bottom line

🔎 Baader Hyperion Eyepiece set with hard case: Highly regarded by astronomers for its surprisingly excellent build quality and incredibly high-quality optics, including multi-coated lenses. ★★★★½ 

Buying seven eyepieces in one go doesn't come cheap, but if you want a ready-made collection in one easy purchase, we can't help but recommend this Baader Hyperion eyepiece set. Not only does it come in a sturdy travel case, but the eyepieces within are excellent quality, with an eyepiece to suit just about every occasion.

Baader is a trusted brand in the astronomy field, and has a reputation of creating high-quality products, so you know you're making a worthwhile purchase here. Whether you're an amateur or a professional, you'll find this set of eyepieces to be impressive. And if purchasing all seven at once isn't feasible, you have the option to buy the eyepieces individually.

Astronomers praise this set for its superb build quality and high-quality optics, with all eyepieces featuring multi-coated lenses. You'll find a variety of focal lengths in the full set, ranging from 5mm to 24mm. Happily, their barrel design will fit focusers between 1.25 and 2 inches, making them suitable for a wide range of users. Their wide field of view (68 degrees) is great, too, allowing users to see more of the sky in one go.

We must also praise the eye relief on the Baader Hyperion eyepieces: they're 20mm deep, making them great for people who wear glasses.

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Baader Hyperion
AttributesNotes
DesignExcellent build quality.
PerformanceProduce incredibly sharp and clear images.
FunctionalityWide FOV makes them good for all type of observations.

Best for range of choice

Five Celestron Omni Plossl Eyepieces lined up next to each other

All of the eye cups in the Celeston Omni Plossl range have fold down rubber eye cups — great news for spectacles wearers. (Image credit: Celestron)

Celestron Omni Plossl Eyepieces

Best for range of choice: Choose from a wide range of focal lengths from this entry level range

Specifications

Optical Design: Plossl
Available Focal Lengths: 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 32, 40, 56mm
Apparent FOV: 50 degrees (for 32mm, others vary)
Barrel size: 1.25 to 2-inches
Eye relief: 13mm (for 32mm, others vary)

Reasons to buy

+
Low price for a four element 1.25-inch eyepiece
+
Delivers good quality images

Reasons to avoid

-
Fairly narrow apparent FOV
-
Not ideal for deep sky observing 
Buy it if

✅ You're on a budget: For a four-element 1.25-inch eyepiece, they're incredibly affordable and good value. 

Don't buy it if:

❌ Your want to view deep sky objects: They are usable for deep sky viewing, but their narrow field of view doesn't make them the ideal choice for that. They're better for lunar and planetary observations.

The bottom line

🔎 Celestron Omni Plossl Eyepieces These are a fantastic entry-level range into the high-quality Plossl design. They're excellent quality, especially given the price, and provide excellent planetary and lunar views. ★★★★

Not only do we love our affordable the Celestron Omni Plossl eyepieces are — costing somewhere between $20 and $50 per eyepiece — we love that they're surprisingly great quality, too. If you're buying from a trusted brand like Celestron you don't need to break the bank to get a quality product.

Despite their budget-friendly price, you're getting a premium eyepiece here. They look stylish, and more expensive than they actually are, but most of all their build quality stands out as being exceptionally high quality. In use, they're great too, with minimal distortion and chromatic aberration. Their internal black barrels have also been designed to reduce reflections, meaning every view of the night sky is crystal clear.

In the Celestron Omni Plossl range, you'll find different focal lengths ranging from 4mm to 56mm. They all produce wonderfully sharp images, although we found they're better suited to planetary and lunar observations rather than deep sky viewing. Thanks to their narrow apparent field you can use them for deep sky observations, but there are better choices on the market. For planets and moons, though, you can't go wrong: You'll get to enjoy beautifully clear images.

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Celestron Omni Plossl
AttributesNotes
DesignStylish and good quality design.
PerformanceProduce sharp and clear images.
FunctionalityNarow FOV makes them less suited for deep sky viewing.

Best for eyeglasses

Six Celestron Luminos Eyepieces set against a white background

The Celestron Luminos Eyepieces are attractive and rugged. (Image credit: Celestron)

Celestron Luminos eyepieces

Best for spectacle wearers: Top of the range ultra-wide eyepieces with a premium finish

Specifications

Optical Design: Custom 7 element
Available Focal Lengths: 7, 10, 15, 19, 23, 31mm
Apparent FOV: 82 degrees
Barrel size: 1.25 to 2-inches
Eye relief: 12-27mm

Reasons to buy

+
High quality
+
Excellent design
+
Great eye relief and apparent FOV

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive, especially in 2-inch sizes
-
Reports of the edge of the field being brighter than the center
Buy it if

✅ You wear glasses: They have 12-27mm eye relief, making them comfortable and convenient for anyone who wears glasses.

✅ You want to view a range of subjects: They're great for viewing the moon and planets, but will also serve you well when you're exploring galaxies and nebulas, too.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're on a budget: They're on the more expensive side, especially the 2-inch sizes, so if you're on a budget we'd suggest a different design.

The bottom line

🔎 Celestron Luminos Eyepieces They're high quality, are designed well and provide excellent views of the moon, planets, and deep-sky objects like nebulas and galaxies. They have generous eye relief and multi-coated lenses. ★★★★

The excellent Luminos range of eyepieces from Celestron has replaced the previous Axiom range of eyepieces. They're familiar, but in many ways, they're very much upgraded.

The Celestron Luminos eyepieces have a high-end design, yet they're lighter than the Axiom range they've replaced. With twist-up eyecups and parfocal eyepieces, they're a joy to use, allowing for easy transitioning between high and low-power views without needing much refocusing.

Thanks to their blackened edged and multi-coated lenses, the Celestron Luminos eyepieces are capable of giving excellent contrast and amongst the best light transmission you could hope for. We're also impressed by the wide field of view of the Luminos: 82 degrees, allowing you a rich and immersive view of the night sky. 

However, it's worth noting that while most of the Celestron Luminos eyepiece range is available in  1.25 to 2-inch barrel sizes, the 19mm, 23mm and 31mm are only available for 2-inch barrels.  

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Celestron Luminos
AttributesNotes
DesignUpgraded, more high-end design than it's predecessor.
PerformanceGreat for viewing the moon, planets and deep sky objects.
FunctionalityComfortable eye relief.

Best for high power observing

The Celestron X-Cel LX eyepieces set against a white background

The Celestron X-Cel LX eyepieces feature Celestron's signature bold orange accents. (Image credit: Celestron)

Celestron X-Cel LX Eyepieces

Best for high power observing: Not to be confused with the X-Cel range, the X-Cel LX are high quality eyepieces that won't break the bank

Specifications

Optical Design: Custom 6 element
Available Focal Lengths: 2.3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 18, 25mm
Apparent FOV: 60 degrees
Barrel size: 1.25-inches
Eye relief: 16mm

Reasons to buy

+
Ideal range of eyepieces for planetary observing
+
Excellent sharpness
+
Fully multi-coated lenses

Reasons to avoid

-
Best suited to high-power planetary observations
-
Fold up eyepieces
Buy it if

✅ You want to observe the planets: These large magnification eyepieces are ideal for observing the moon and planets.

✅ You wear glasses: They feature a generous 16mm of eye relief, making them comfortable for users with glasses.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want twist-up eyecups: These have fold-up eyecups, whereas the pricier X-Cel versions have twist-up eyecups.

The bottom line

🔎 Celestron X-Cel LX Eyepieces We think this is a good quality, reasonably-priced choice that's definitely worth considering. They are well suited to high-power observing and the image quality is great. ★★★½ 

The Celestron X-Cel LX eyepieces come in seven different focal lengths, all ideal for high-power observations of planets and moons. Despite this, their wide apparent field of view of 60 degrees allows you to navigate the sky easily, no matter what you're observing.

We love the image quality of the Celestron X-Cel LX eyepieces. They offer sharp and high-contrast views, and their generous 16mm eye relief makes them a good choice for glasses-wearers (or simply anyone wanting to settle in for an extended stargazing session). It's worth noting that these particular eyepieces are fold-up eyecups: the pricier X-Cel versions come with twist-up eyecups. Look for the 'LX' at the end to distinguish the difference.

The X-Cel eyepieces are fully multi-coated, minimizing reflections and offering the best possible light transmission. It means that your views through these eyepieces are crystal clear, bright and beautiful. Additionally, the interior of the eyepieces are blackened, reducing reflections even further

A rubber grip around the middle of the barrel provides a secure grip, so you're less likely to drop them when swapping between eyepieces, which is especially useful if you're wearing gloves. Overall we think this is a good quality, reasonably-priced choice that's definitely worth considering.

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Celestron X-Cel LX
AttributesNotes
DesignFully multi coated optics.
PerformanceGreat image quality with sharp and well-corrected views.
FunctionalityGenerous 16mm eye relief.

Best eyepieces for telescopes FAQs

What is a telescope eyepiece?

Telescope eyepieces are small, hand-held lenses that we place at the telescope's focus to bring the image into sharp focus for our eyes to observe. They are available in a variety of different types and designs. They also come in various focal lengths, determining the effective magnification. Focal lengths of anywhere between 3mm to 50mm are widely available.

What types of telescope eyepieces are there?

Various lens designs are widely used for telescope eyepieces — Plossl, Kellner, Orthoscopic and Radian are the most popular. A number of companies today also offer multi-element designs on a custom basis.

What size eyepiece do I need for my telescope?

There are three popular sizes of eyepiece barrel diameters: 0.96-inches, 1.25-inches and 2-inches. Almost every telescope can accept eyepieces of one of these sizes. The 1.25-inch size is the most widely used among manufacturers. Check your manual to see which size your telescope is compatible with.

Do I need anything else besides a telescope eyepiece to view the stars?

What do telescope eyepiece numbers and terms mean?

Here is a basic telescope glossary that explains the most common terms and numbers:

Focal length — The eyepiece's focal length (usually measured in mm) The larger the number, the lower the magnification it will provide (the subject will not appear as close up).

Barrel diameter — Eyepieces come in 0.96-inch, 1.25-inch or 2-inch barrel sizes.

Magnification — The power the eyepiece provides with your telescope (this will vary depending upon the telescope.)

Apparent FOV — The apparent field of view is measured in degrees. In general, eyepieces with a large apparent field will cost significantly more but provide an almost '3D-like' viewing experience, especially for deep sky observing of extended objects. A wider field of view allows you to see more of the sky at once.

Eye Relief — Usually described in mm, this tells you how far your pupil must be from the rear element of the eyepiece to see the entire field of view. A longer eye relief gives a more enjoyable viewing experience, especially if you wear glasses where you physically won't be able to get your pupil as close as non-spectacle wearers.

Exit Pupil — The figure (also usually in mm) describes the size of the light cone at the eye relief position. Our dark-adapted pupil is never larger than 7mm, so any exit pupil size above this level is wasted light. 

Coatings — Eyepieces with multi-coatings offer better contrast and brightness than eyepieces with no coatings.

How we test

To guarantee you're getting honest, up-to-date recommendations on the best eyepieces to buy here at Space.com, we make sure to put every eyepiece through a rigorous review to test each instrument thoroughly. Each eyepiece is reviewed based on many aspects, from its construction and design, to how well it functions as an optical instrument and performs in the field.

Each eyepiece is carefully tested by our expert staff or knowledgeable freelance contributors who thoroughly know their subject areas. This ensures fair reviewing is backed by personal, hands-on experience with each eyepiece and is judged based on its price point, class and destined use.

With complete editorial independence, Space.com are here to ensure you get the best buying advice on eyepieces, making our buying guides and reviews reliable and transparent.

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Damian Peach

Damian A. Peach FRAS  is a British amateur astronomer, astrophotographer, lecturer and author. Best known for his photographs of a wide variety of astronomical objects. His career in the field spans over thirty years. Peach's passion for Astronomy first began in 1988 inspired by books in his school library. Later he joined the British Astronomical Association (BAA) in 1996 and since then has contributed large amounts of observations to the various observing sections and also written and co-authored many papers in the organization's journal. He was awarded the organization's prestigious Merlin Medal in 2006. The same year he was also awarded the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) Walter H. Haas award for his contributions. Peach has provided astronomical images for magazines and books throughout his career. His images have been featured in Astronomy Magazine, Sky & Telescope, Astronomy Now & The Sky at Night. He has also authored articles on astrophotography for these magazines. Peach has also been a co-author on several professional scientific papers on planetary astronomy, especially regarding work on Mars and Jupiter. He was one of only a few amateur astronomers to have work featured as part of the national Explorers of the Universe exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall in 2007. His work has also appeared at the Edinburgh Science Festival, and The Royal Greenwich Observatory. Peach's work has also been used by NASA and ESA to illustrate what ground-based telescopes can achieve in photographing the planets, and the support they can provide to professional space probe missions.

With contributions from