Best telescopes for deep space 2024
The best telescopes for deep space allow you to gaze far into the night sky, and we've selected a range of models suited for newcomers and advanced users alike.
The best telescopes for deep space are more specialised than other telescopes on the market. They feature large apertures which allow them to gather more light, letting you gaze further into the night sky than more generalist telescopes. They tend to appeal to more expert astronomers, and because of this, deep space telescopes often have high price tags — but there are some on the market that will appeal to beginner stargazers, too.
With their larger apertures, deep space telescopes tend to be slightly bigger and bulkier, and may not be suitable for traveling around with — at least not without being weighed down. It's something to bear in mind when shopping, and you'll find we've noted the weight of each telescope in our guide below.
Our reviewers have tested a range of different scopes that are suitable for deep-space observation, including telescopes with smart technology that are easy to use for beginners as well as pro models for more experienced users. Check out our top picks below.
If you're after a more generalist scope, take a look at our guide to the best telescopes, and if you're more focused on viewing our own solar system we also have a list of all the best telescopes for seeing planets. Beginners may wish to check out our guide to the best beginner telescopes, and if you're working to a tight budget, we also have a list of all the best telescopes under $500.
The quick list
Below we've summarized our top picks of the best telescopes for deep space, including their main characteristics, who they might be suited for, and where to purchase them. If you're after more information, click the links to read more in the boxes below, and you'll be taken to more in-depth reviews.
Best overall
Best overall
The Celestron NexStar 8SE is no small investment, but this feels like a telescope that is really built to last, with edge-to-edge sharpness across the field of view and a superb design.
Best smart telescope
Best smart telescope
The eVscope 2 is an unusual type of smart telescope that makes it easy and convenient to navigate the night sky even without any prior astronomy experience.
Best value
Best value
For those looking for quality deep-space viewing on a budget, this offers fantastic value for money with brilliant optics and one of the best aperture-to-price ratios on the market.
Best premium telescope
Best premium telescope
If you're a serious amateur astronomer who wants to stargaze and test out your astrophotography skills, then the Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD is a great premium option.
Best for serious observers
Best for serious observers
If you're a seasoned sky-watcher looking to upgrade your kit, the Sky-Watcher Flextube comes equipped with a 16-inch aperture to give users an astonishing view of deep space.
Best compact smart telescope
Best compact smart telescope
For tech-savvy sky-watchers looking for a modern way to view the night sky, this telescope is a very nifty bit of kit that can capture stunning images of deep sky objects.
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Best for versatility
Best for versatility
While probably best for planetary and lunar observations, this scope acts as a great all-rounder. At less than $1000, it's a reasonable price for some top-quality stargazing equipment.
Best for traditional astrophotography
Best for traditional astrophotography
If you want to jump into deep sky photography, capturing star clusters, nebulas and galaxies and you're shopping on a budget, this telescope might be a great choice for you.
Best for simple setup
Best for simple setup
A powerful smart telescope, the Unistellar eQuinox is a great choice for beginners and pros alike thanks to its very easy setup. You won't need any prior knowledge to hit the ground running here.
Tom Kerss F.R.A.S. is a London-based astronomer, astrophotographer, author and consultant. Having previously worked at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, he is the founder of Stargazing✦London, which delivers world-class online astronomy and space courses with subject experts. Tom is also the host of the Star Signs podcast, providing updates from the world of space news, as well as what to look out for in the night sky.
The best telescopes for deep space we recommend in 2024
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Best overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want excellent optics: this telescope provides sharpness across the entire field of view.
✅ You want to get the best bang for your buck: considering the quality you get with this telescope, it offers great value.
✅ You want a portable telescope: at just 32 lbs, this is one of the more lightweight models.
❌ You're on a budget: while it's good value, it's not cheap, and the outlay is expensive too.
❌ You want the fastest speeds: there's a little lag while
slewing which could get in the way for some.
❌ You're going to use it on the go: this telescope is so power-hungry we recommend you use it with mains power.
🔎 The Celestron NexStar 8SE is a fantastic telescope and one that would suit a beginner, intermediate or advanced skywatcher. Something simple enough for a beginner to get to grips with, but also please an advanced sky watcher is quite hard to come by. ★★★★½
Design: We love the design of the Celestron NexStar 8SE. It's very well made, and feels incredible solid and sturdy. It's one that will last for many years if you take care of it — and Celestron's signature orange color makes it stand out for the crowd. It sports high-quality Schmidt-Cassegrain optics which allow for beautifully clear views, and it has a motorized single fork arm mount and a handheld remote control.
Thanks to having a catadioptric construction, Celestron has been able to squeeze a huge amount of power into a short tube — this is one of the most compact deep sky telescopes on this list, making it possible to carry around with relative ease.
Performance: The large 8-inch aperture makes this telescope ideal for deep space since it can soak up a phenomenal amount of light. In our Celestron NexStar 8SE review we were seriously impressed by its optical prowess, which gave us consistently bright and sharp views across a range of different targets. Despite a short lag between pushing a button on the remote and the motor beginning to turn, we found the slewing and object tracking to be incredibly accurate, and its smoothness would make this scope fantastic for long exposure astrophotography as well.
Functionality: The scope is quick and easy to set up and align, even for beginners, and once aligned, the viewing experience is entirely automated. Simply select the celestial object you wish to view, punch the number in on the remote and the mount will automatically slew to your desired target. The only real downside is that it requires a whopping 8 x AA batteries, so we'd recommend kitting yourself out with a set of rechargeable batteries and a battery charger to keep the ongoing costs down.
- Read our full Celestron NexStar 8SE review
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Compact and user friendly, although not the most lightweight. |
Performance | Motor is impressively smooth when slewing and tracking. |
Functionality | We liked the in-built hand controller. |
Best smart telescope
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You're a beginner: the setup is really simple and effortless.
✅ You care about the looks: the design of this telescope is super sleek.
✅ You want a good app: this one is well-designed and intuitive.
❌ You are used to the highest quality: the 7.7MP resolution isn't as good as what you can get with traditional telescopes.
❌ You're a purist: the smart functions and tech may not appeal to traditional sky-watchers.
❌ You're on a budget: this telescope is one of the more expensive ones on this list.
🔎 Photographers will absolutely love the eVscope 2 because it looks and feels much more like a premium photography kit. Purist astronomers who are used to using finder scopes, alignment processes and slightly dated handheld control remotes may find it a little jarring to start with, but the speed and beauty of the eVscope 2 is definitely worth trying out. ★★★★½
Design: We loved the sleek and minimalist design of the Unistellar eVscope 2. There is just a single power button on the main body of the telescope, with the rest of the controls being accessed via the Unistellar app. It's an appealing option for those looking for an innovative way to view and photograph the night sky.
This scope is an incredibly sophisticated device that merges a telescope with a camera, so you don't need extra camera gear. It has a 4.5-inch reflector and a built-in camera with a 7.7MP image sensor, making it simple to take and share pictures.
Performance: If you prefer traditional telescope gear, you'll like the Nikon eyepiece that comes with the set. But if you're into modern tech, there's also an electronic eyepiece available. This one features an OLED screen similar to what you find on mirrorless cameras. It's different from the optical view and can't be swapped with Barlow lenses or other magnifiers. Still, we like using it because the screen is excellent quality, with fantastic contrast and deep blacks.
If you're primarily using the Unistellar eVscope 2 as an astrocamera, you might find its 7.7MP sensor a little restrictive compared to a true DSLR or mirrorless camera. You won't be able to blow up photos very large for display. That said, we've found that the eVscope 2 performs valiantly compared to many dedicated astrocameras, and using it is very straightforward, taking out a lot of the hassle. If you're a beginner astrophotographer, then, this is a great place to start.
Functionality: There are few telescopes that are as easy to set up as the eVscope 2, which essentially aligns itself. All you need to do is power the telescope on and ensure it's connected to the app: Everything else happens automatically. You don't need any previous knowledge of the telescope itself or astronomy as a whole to be able to get the most out of using the Unistellar eVscope 2, either, as the app is very intuitive and easy to use. We'd be tempted to recommend this for beginners, if it wasn't for the huge price tag.
- Read our full: Unistellar eVscope 2 review
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Very sturdy tripod and simple telescope mount. |
Performance | Object go-to is intuitive and fast. |
Functionality | App allows you to easily go-to celestial objects. |
Best value
Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P Classic
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want immersive deep-sky views: this telescope accepts 2-inch eyepieces.
✅ You want great aperture on a budget: this telescope offers an unrivaled aperture-to-price ratio.
✅ You want a sturdy scope: the mount on this model feels particularly strong.
❌ You want the most ergonomic telescope: it can be uncomfortable at some angles.
❌ You want electronic go-to functions: this telescope is not equipped with them.
🔎 For those looking for high-quality deep-space on a budget, the Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P Classic is a fantastic choice. ★★★★½
Design: A telescope with a slightly bigger aperture can gather a lot more light, making images appear brighter. For instance, an 8-inch mirror gathers 77% more light than a 6-inch mirror, even though it's only 33% wider. The Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P is the best affordable choice for deep-sky stargazing in this category. It focuses on giving you great performance without unnecessary fancy features.
The Skyliner-200P is a weighty telescope at 24kg, but its compact footprint of 54cm makes it easy to fit in tight storage spaces when stored upright. It is also quick to set up and pack away compared to other telescopes of this size.
Performance: There's no automatic tracking with the Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P Classic: It has a basic Dobsonian mount which means you'll need to manually locate and track celestial objects for yourself. But we've been pleased with how smooth its movements are, making tracking pleasant and easy — if you're more of a traditional astronomer, you'll undoubtedly appreciate this.
The Skyliner 200P can accept 2-inch eyepieces on its dual-size focuser, which offer wonderfully immersive views of the deep sky. 2-inch eyepieces are great for achieving wider fields of view at lower magnifications, offering up wonderful vistas.
Functionality: If you want to explore deep space without breaking the bank, this telescope is a great deal. It's a sturdy, classic model that traditionalists will appreciate. But if you're interested in electronic features, you might want to check out the Flextube Synscan Go-To version of the same telescope. It has the same excellent optics but comes with user-friendly electronic functions.
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Quite heavy at 24kg. |
Performance | Dobsonian mount feels strong and sturdy. |
Functionality | No electronic Go-To function. |
Best premium telescope
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want some smart features: you get automatic alignment with StarSense.
✅ You want to take it on the go: this telescope has a built-in rechargeable battery.
✅ You want a portable telescope: this one is compact and easy to store.
❌ You're on a budget: this telescope is not the cheapest on this list.
❌ You want more aperture: this telescope is pricey considering its limited aperture.
❌ You want to use it for professional long-exposure photography: it needs a more robust mount.
🔎 If you're a serious amateur astronomer developing a deep understanding of both the sky and the telescope, then the Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD is a good option. The telescope is as good as you could wish for in its size range. ★★★★★
Design: The Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD features an improved Schmidt-Cassegrain optical design with additional lens elements intended to aid with astrophotography. Its computerized mount combines Celestron's NexStar firmware with a German-style equatorial mount that not only slews to your desired celestial object but is also compatible with a range of other cameras and telescopes using Vixen or Losmandy dovetails. This makes it an excellent choice for those who want to gain good views of the night sky with the option of dabbling in astrophotography at the same time.
Performance: The 8-inch aperture on this telescope offers extremely sharp views, even away from the center of the field. You'll be able to achieve majestic views of Saturn and Jupiter, see globular clusters resolved into stars and easily view Messier Objects. In extremely dark skies it can even bring out galaxies down to 12th magnitude. The supplied 40mm eyepiece offers 50x magnification but we'd recommend investing in an additional 20mm eyepiece with 100x magnification for general purpose and a 10mm eyepiece with 200x magnification for viewing the moon and planets.
Functionality: In our Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD review, we particularly enjoyed stacking images of Jupiter to produce a view that was even better than you could hope to achieve by eye. However, we think you'd need a heftier mount for any serious long-exposure photographs of nebulas and galaxies.
The equatorial mount finds and tracks objects extremely well, though it requires a bit of knowledge to be able to align it correctly, so it's aimed more at intermediate to advanced astronomers than beginners. It's fantastic for attaching all manner of cameras to take pictures of the moon, planets and deep sky objects.
- Read our full Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD review
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Lightweight, rugged computerized mount. |
Performance | Finds and tracks celestial objects reliably. |
Functionality | Great views of all types of celestial objects. |
Best for serious observers
Sky-Watcher Flextube 16-inch 400P Synscan
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want great optical quality: the performance of this telescope is unbeatable, especially with deep-sky views.
✅ You want a portable telescope: this one is fairly light and easy to disassemble.
✅ You want smart features: this telescope has built-in go-to and tracking.
❌ You're a beginner: this telescope is quite complex and not the most intuitive.
❌ You don't have much space: this telescope is very large when fully assembled.
❌ You're after super precise kit: the tracking performance isn't the most accurate.
🔎 The Sky-Watcher Flextube 16-inch 400P Synscan will best suit seasoned astronomers who are well-used to handling complex pieces of kit and don't need very accurate tracking. ★★★★½
Design: The Sky-Watcher Flextube 16-inch 400P Synscan is huge thanks to its Dobsonian telescope — but it offers unrivaled views of the night sky. There's a 16-inch aperture here, which gives astonishing views of celestial objects in deep space.
You'll need to connect this telescope to the mains to use it (or use an external power tank), so along with its size, it makes traveling with it almost out of the question. That said, you can dismantle the telescope thanks to it having a truss tube design, which makes it slightly more portable/
Performance: You likely won't find anything to rival this telescope in terms of optics. It's one of the best we've seen in terms of performance and offers spectacular views of the deep sky.
With built-in Go-To and tracking technology, you'd think the Sky-Watcher Flextube should be easy enough to use. But in fact, it's rather complex. It's not the most intuitive telescope on the market, so we wouldn't recommend it for beginners. Its tracking performance also isn't the best, and if precision is important to you, it's probably one that's best to avoid.
Functionality: With dual-encoder technology, you can slew the telescope manually without having to reposition it. Each axis remembers its position, so you can switch between celestial objects smoothly while keeping tracking intact. This telescope provides an impressive experience for viewing deep-sky objects, thanks to its large mirror, especially when you're observing galaxies and nebulas under dark skies.
Still, it's not as intuitive for beginners as some of the other options, so we'd say that it's probably best to start with something less complex and work up to this one if you catch the deep sky bug.
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Very large when fully assembled. |
Performance | Unbeatable deep-sky views. |
Functionality | In-built Go-To and tracking. |
Best compact smart telescope
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want an automatic telescope: you can operate this one all in the app.
✅ You live near a city: this telescope can cut through light pollution.
✅ You want social features: this telescope allows you to connect with other users.
❌ You're a purist: if you're a traditionalist sky-watcher, this isn't the one for you.
❌ You're on a budget: this is one of the most expensive telescopes on this list.
❌ You want the sharpest optics: what it has in smart features, this scope lacks in sharpness.
🔎 The Vaonis Vespera is a new and impressive, albeit very expensive, way of glimpsing deep-sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae even from a light-polluted city. It's easy to use and exceptionally travel-friendly. ★★★★½
Design: The Vaonis Vespera Observation Station offers a sleek and modern twist on traditional telescopes, focusing on exploring deep space. It's essentially a camera that uses live image stacking to send images to up to five smartphones or tablets via the Singularity app, instead of using an eyepiece. This allows it to have a compact white body, weighing only 10 lbs / 5 kg and measuring 15 x 8 x 3.5 inches / 40 x 20 x 9 cm, making it easy to store at home.
The Vaonis Vespera is a fantastic option for those who live in light-polluted cities to get a better look at the night sky, especially if you buy the optional light pollution filter for an extra $199/£158. It's fully automated and easy to use, making it a great option for beginners and those with less experience too.
Performance: The Vespera claims that it's "Ultra HD", but we've found its images to be relatively low in resolution. The maximum is can output is 1920x1080, which may be HD but certainly not Ultra HD. They're also a little soft, lacking some of the extra detail we'd have liked to see. It's adequate enough, though, especially for beginners, but if you're a more experienced smart telescope user, you might expect a little extra pizazz.
The Vespera has a Sony IMX462 image sensor which takes multiple images at once then stacks them on top of each other. What's particularly neat is that you can watch this process happening in realtime in the accompanying app. The app will also let you know how long you need to photograph a target in order to achieve the best results. Naturally, it varies from object to object, and so having that extra information from the app is very useful indeed.
Functionality: Setting up the Vaonis Vespera couldn't be simpler. Its star recognition software is incredibly advanced, automating the entire process. You'll just need your smartphone nearby, as it uses its GPS to calibrate itself. Plus, it automatically tracks targets and adjusts itself for the Earth's rotation while also determining the best focus settings for different situations.
Its price point means it's out of the budget of most beginners, unfortunately, but if you are a newcomer to astronomy who can stretch to its $1400+ price tag, you'll absolutely love how easy this telescope is to use.
- Read our full Vaonis Vespera Observation Station review
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Sleek & futuristic design. |
Performance | Can't observe planets, but copes well with light pollution. |
Functionality | Easy to set up and has an excellent smartphone app. |
Best for versatility
Sky-Watcher Skymax 150
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want want an all-rounder telescope: it can do planetary and lunar observations as well as deep-sky observing.
✅ You want a lightweight telescope: at 12.5 lbs, this is one of the lighter models on this list.
✅ You want high-quality optics: this telescope renders no chromatic aberration or fringing.
❌ You are a beginner: complete novices may struggle with this complex telescope.
❌ You want a wide field of view: this telescope has a smaller one than some others on this list.
🔎 The Sky-Watcher Skymax 150 is a versatile telescope offering excellent optics. For the price, it's a great mid-field telescope, suitable for seasoned sky-watchers. ★★★★
Design: The Sky-Watcher Skymax 150 is a versatile telescope perfect for observing planets, the moon, and deep space objects. Priced at under $1000, it provides fantastic value for good quality stargazing equipment. However, it's important to note that sometimes it comes with a tripod, and sometimes it doesn't, depending on where you buy it. So, it's a good idea to do some research before making your purchase.
Performance: The Skymax 150 excels in optics, delivering exceptional performance with no chromatic aberration or color fringing. The sharpness remains consistent across the entire field of view, and you can even achieve high-contrast images if that's what you're aiming for.
The main downside of the Skymax 150 is its somewhat narrow field of view. Although nebulas and clusters look amazing, getting them fully in view can be a bit tricky. Still, you can see galaxies and some planetary nebulas with it.
Functionality: This is a very complex telescope to use, and so we wouldn't necessarily recommend it for complete beginners. It's not completely unintuitive, but without any detailed instructions, it takes some time to get used to. There are certainly better, more user-friendly telescopes on the market for beginners.
That aside, we think the Skymax 150 is fantastic in use once you've become accustomed to its quirks. It offers up fantastic views thanks to its high quality optics and, for a deep space telescope, it's surprisingly lightweight, meaning that traveling around with it is an option.
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Not always supplied with a tripod. |
Performance | Excellent optics are the standout feature. |
Functionality | Narrow field of view compared to others. |
Best for traditional astrophotography
Orion 6-inch f/4 Newtonian Astrograph
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You're after precision optics: the mechanics on this telescope are impressive.
✅ You're a sky-watching purist: this traditional astrograph will suit you.
✅ You're on a budget: this delivers great optics at an affordable price.
❌ You want a bundle of accessories: Orion doesn't sell this with a mount.
❌ You don't already own eyepieces: none are included with this telescope.
❌ You want smart features: this astrograph is a traditional piece of kit.
🔎 The Orion 6-inch f/4 Newtonian Astrograph is a great telescope for purists who know their way around traditional telescopes. It delivers precision optics at an affordable price. ★★★★
Design: Designed for astrophotography, the Orion 6-inch F/4 Newtonian Astrograph can be used as a traditional telescope thanks to the included extension tube, but you'll need to supply your own eyepieces. You'll also need to supply your own mount as Orion doesn't sell this telescope as a bundle, but there are plenty of excellent computerized equatorial mounts to choose from.
The Orion 6-inch F/4 Newtonian Astrograph also comes with a straight-through optical finder that has a standard mounting bracket. This finder can be used to attach a guide scope later on, which will help you achieve more precise tracking for those longer exposure shots.
Performance: The Orion 6-inch f/4 Newtonian Astrograph is a no-nonsense astrograph: It packs in excellent mechanics and offers up fast, bright optics. Designed specifically with astrophotography in mind, we think it's a great choice for astrophotographers — particularly if you're on a budget. It does a valiant job of capturing deep sky objects such as star clusters, nebulas and galaxies.
Functionality: Orion has strengthened the focuser to support the weight of a camera and filter assembly mounted on the side of the tube, allowing it to work with any camera, including DSLRs and Mirrorless bodies. Its compact and lightweight build means you don't need a huge mount, making it a great option for beginners and serious deep-sky photographers alike.
- See the best Orion telescope and binocular deals on the market
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | No eyepieces or mount included. |
Performance | A more traditional piece of kit. |
Functionality | Compatible with any camera. |