As you know, prime lenses come in a wide range of sizes and focal lengths, and every once in a while, one comes along and seems to grab you by the scruff of your neck. One such lens is the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE, which is an impressive and useful lens for astrophotography thanks to its wide-angle field of view and fast maximum aperture.

This lens is one of the wider prime lenses that are available and could be one of the best third-party lenses for astrophotography. With a price of just $464 (£533), this is one of the most cost-effective wide-angle primes, but rather than being a second-rate lens, its build quality and image quality are fantastic. It’s not the best, but it’s undoubtedly a lens you would enjoy.

Image quality is excellent overall, with no need for lens corrections, except for vignette removal when shooting wide open. With near-perfect sharpness and minimal distortion and aberrations straight out of the camera, perhaps the weight of the lens is a small price to pay.

The lens is made up of 15 elements in 12 groups and is built like a tank, with an all-metal body. It is pretty heavy, though, weighing in at 19.4 oz (550 g) despite its relatively compact size. Attach this lens to one of the best Sony cameras and you will have a formidable combination. The 16mm f/1.8 is also available in the Nikon Z-mount.

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE lens review

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE: Performance

• Great image quality
• Impressively sharp at f/1.8
• Excellent corner sharpness

With a focal length of 16mm and a maximum aperture of f/1.8, this is clearly a great lens for astrophotography from a technical point of view. The light-gathering capabilities are excellent, to say the least, and during testing it was possible to shoot at a range of ISO levels with a moonless sky. Even ISO 800 was often high enough for a correct exposure.

The image quality produced by the 16mm f/1.8 is great, with excellent levels of sharpness across the frame. What’s most important here is that even corner sharpness is fantastic when wide open at f/1.8. This is the aperture setting where vignetting is at its strongest, but it reduces drastically when you stop down to f/2.8 and is completely gone by the time you stop down to f/4.

Luckily, though, there is a lens profile in Adobe Camera Raw and Adobe Lightroom that completely removes vignetting. There’s also only minimal chromatic aberration and a tiny amount of barrel distortion, which is impressive given the wide field of view produced by the lens.

As mentioned before, sharpness is great wide open and improves incrementally as you stop down up to the sweet spot of the lens, which is f/8. Sharpness drops slightly at f/11, and it’s at f/16 where diffraction begins to soften the image overall. This increases further when you stop down to f/22.

These latter apertures aren’t relevant to astrophotography; the medium ones aren’t either but the sharpness produced at f/1.8 and f/2.8 is exactly what you want.

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE: Design

• Weather-sealed build
• Compact yet heavy
• Great handling

The 16mm f/1.8 lens is something of an oddity in one respect: it’s both compact and heavy considering its size, although this comes down to its optical construction. The lens weighs 19.4 oz (550 g) with a size of just 3.35 x 4.06 in (85.2 x 103 mm). It does, however, balance well with Sony A-series cameras.

The 16mm f/1.8 is made up of 15 elements in 12 groups, including four ED glass and three aspherical lenses. The optical construction is designed to deliver sharpness, detail and high contrast with minimal distortion. It’s fair to say it achieves these. Of course, you will experience some perspective distortion when tilting the lens up to capture more of the night sky when there are ground elements in the foreground.

Unlike some wide-angle lenses, the front element isn’t bulbous, and it features an HD nano multilayer coating with a water-resistant and antifouling coating. The filter thread is also just 77mm, so you can easily attach screw-in and square filters if you use them for your astrophotography.

The minimum focusing distance of the lens is 10.6 inches (27 cm), which is great for landscape photographers but less important for astrophotographers.

Build quality is impressive thanks to an all-metal body and weather-sealing. This gives the lens a premium look, and it feels robust in the hand. There’s also a useful digital color screen that displays lens information.

When it comes to controls, there are possibly a few more on this lens than you might find on the average prime. There’s a manual focusing ring that’s wide enough for use when wearing gloves, a manual aperture ring that can be set to stepped and stepless operation using a switch on one side of the lens, two customizable Fn buttons and an AF/MF switch.

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE: Functionality

• Small color digital screen
• Customizable Fn buttons
• 105.6-degree field of view

The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE is a full-frame lens offering a generous 105.6-degree field of view, allowing you to capture more of the night sky. This lens naturally works with all Sony FE bodies, and if you shoot APS-C, it will give you an equivalent focal length of 24mm. This means if you currently own an APS-C camera but plan to upgrade to full-frame, this lens could comfortably join you on that journey.

As prime lenses go, this one has a few more bells and whistles than most, so there are a few more things to talk about than usual. Focusing is internal, so the front element doesn’t rotate or extend outwards, which is great when using filters.

For astrophotography, manual focus is the only way to go, but this lens also has autofocus for when you’re shooting other subjects. The autofocus isn't the fastest we’ve seen, taking about 0.25 seconds to lock onto subjects when the lens is wide open, or 0.5 seconds when stopped down. This is driven by an SMT stepping motor, which is quiet but audible.

One feature that you don’t see on many lenses is a small color digital screen on the top of the lens. This shows the focus distance, aperture setting and the active Fn control. Is it a gimmick? A bit. Is it useful? Yes. For astrophotography, the screen is definitely useful because it’s illuminated.

As with most Viltrox lenses, there’s also a USB-C port on the lens mount so it can be powered. This allows you to connect the lens to the Viltrox Lens app via Bluetooth to update firmware and customize the Fn buttons and the digital screen’s welcome screen. This makes firmware updates incredibly easy, which is a great feature to have.

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE: User reviews

In online reviews, users consistently highlight the lens's value and image quality. Build quality comes up time and time again, thanks to the all-metal build.

Many users report that overall, the lens offers much more than you’d expect for the price and even more than some more expensive lenses.

How we tested the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE

The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE was tested in combination with the Sony A7R V, which offers an unforgivingly high resolution. The lens was tested at night with a focus on astrophotography, and in daylight to assess sharpness, distortion and general functionality for an all-round approach to testing.

Should you buy the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE?

Since there are only a few alternatives to the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE, and given that it offers excellent value for money, this is absolutely a lens worth considering if you need a wide-angle prime.

Furthermore, you’ll struggle to find a similar alternative with the same balance of overall build quality and price. Image quality is excellent, even in the corners and edges of the frame when shooting wide open with minimal distortion.

The two customizable Fn buttons and the illuminated color screen that provides useful lens information are extremely helpful when shooting in the dark.

With a price of $464 (£533) and given its build quality, image quality and overall handling, this lens represents excellent value for money. And while it may be a full-frame lens, APS-C users can still enjoy a 24mm equivalent focal length, so it’s a useful lens for astrophotography whichever format you shoot with.

This is a professional-quality lens with a mid-range price tag, and like other Viltrox lenses, you get the lens, a lens hood, front and rear lens caps and a soft lens case in the box.

If this lens isn't for you

The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB FE is a slightly less wide Viltrox lens with a much faster aperture and is part of the company’s flagship LAB series.

The Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is a fantastic wide-angle prime offering excellent image quality in a compact and lightweight form factor.

The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is something of a beast, both in terms of specs and its size. With a 14mm focal length and f/1.4 maximum aperture, it’s perfect for astrophotography.

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The best stargazing apps can take your observation of the night sky to the next level, whether that's using augmented reality (AR mode) to identify stars or looking up the next lunar eclipse.

However, the bright light emitted by smartphone screens can prevent your eyes from adjusting to the dark. If you're using one of the best telescopes, you'll want to preserve your night vision even more. Fortunately, there are ways to all but eliminate this problem.

Why are bright screens bad for stargazing?

When you step out into the dark, it can take up to 20-30 minutes for your vision to adjust. The rod cells in your eyes build up a chemical known as rhodopsin, which gives you night vision.

However, bright light bleaches that chemical, negatively impacting your night vision. So when you look through a telescope, binoculars or just turn your eyes to the night sky after peering at a bright phone screen, it'll be harder for you to pick out fainter objects such as galaxies and nebulas.

One way of fixing this problem is simply to put your phone away and wait another 20-30 minutes. But if you're using a stargazing app to help you navigate the night skies, that's not really an option.

The good news is that, between individual stargazing apps and your phone's own built-in features, you can minimize the impact of your smartphone's screen light.

How to block white light in stargazing apps

Many of the best stargazing apps will let you enable a red light filter or similar, though this option may not always be present in the free version. Here's how to do that in three of our favorite stargazing apps:

SkyView: Tap the screen, tap the horizontal lines, tap on Settings, then Display, then Night Mode and Red.

Star Walk 2: Tap the horizontal lines, tap on Settings, then tap the button next to Night Mode.

Sky Tonight: Tap the horizontal lines, tap on Settings, then Tools, then Night Mode.

All these modes will minimize the amount of white light coming from the app. However, be aware that this is only within the app. Once you go back to your phone's main menu, it will be at full color. With the red screen naturally looking darker, you may have turned up the brightness on your phone, so making the switch away from the app will be quite the shock.

If you want to dim your whole phone or put it into red light mode, here's how to do that on Android or iPhone.

How to block white light on Android phones

On Android, there are several ways to minimize the impact of bright light, depending on the model and make of phone you have.

One near-universal option is to dim your smartphone. Swipe down the notification panel from the top of the screen and you'll see a brightness slider. Slide this to the left to dim your phone.

We'd also recommend disabling adaptive brightness in the Display section of your phone's settings. You may also have an Extra Dim option in the Accessibility menu — just don't dim the screen to the point of not being able to see it at all!

Some Android phones, such as recent Samsung and Google Pixel models, also offer a Red Filter. On some, you'll find this in Accessibility, then Vision Enhancements, then Color Filter. You can then choose the color you want and also tweak the opacity.

All the above options will let you continue to use your smartphone for stargazing, while minimizing its negative impact on your night vision.

How to block white light on Apple iPhones

As with Android phones, iPhones have a built-in option to dim the screen brightness. In this case, you swipe down from the top of the screen and look for the vertical brightness slider, represented by a sun icon. Reduce the slider as much as you're comfortable with, dimming the screen while still keeping it visible.

Beyond that, recent iPhones also offer the ability to apply a color filter, again via their Accessibility options. Here's how to do that.

First, tap on the Settings icon, then pick Accessibility. Select Display & Text Size and go to Color Filters. Tap the Color Filter button. Then, pick Color Tint and move the Hue and Intensity sliders all the way to the right.

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Want to educate young children about the wonders of the cosmos? Depending on the time of year, your location and the weather, your hopes to see the night sky in real life might not be as easy as heading into the backyard and peering up. That's why one of the best star projectors might be the solution.

That's why we've picked out six star projectors that actually deliver scientifically accurate images, from projections of the northern hemisphere to breathtaking pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope.

Any one of these will turn your home into a private planetarium. Each comes with several swappable images, and you can purchase additional slides/discs for the Homestar and Pococo models. If you're seeking to stimulate a child's interest in space and STEM or just take your friends on a journey through space, these are the scientifically accurate projectors to purchase.

Whether you are a seasoned astronomer or a newcomer to the hobby, the best stargazing apps have the potential to seriously enhance your skywatching experience. But it's easy to overlook just how useful these portable programs can be.

That's why we've put together this guide to getting the best use out of stargazing apps, from identifying stars and constellations through to seeking out dark sky sites and beyond. You will wonder how you ever managed without them.

So read on and get ready to take your stargazing to the next level. And if you're wondering how else technology can take the work out of skywatching, we've also rounded up the best smart telescopes.

Using stargazing apps

Before we explore specific uses, there are a few things you need to know about using the best stargazing apps on your Apple or Android device.

Firstly, while some apps support offline use, you'll typically need a mobile or Wi-Fi signal with data to make the most of these apps.

Also, some apps lock certain features behind a paywall. Pay for Stellarium Plus, for example, and you get an additional 2 million deep sky objects, the ability to connect to certain telescopes and more.

Finally, while many stargazing apps are relatively intuitive, we'd recommend you familiarize yourself with them at home before taking them out into the field.

Identifying stars in the field

One of the most common and convenient uses for stargazing apps is identifying stars, constellations and more, just by pointing your phone's camera at them.

It really is that simple. Take Sky Tonight, which we think is the best stargazing app for AR (augmented reality). Launch the app, grant it camera access and turn it towards the object you want to identify. The name will appear on screen and you can also tap to learn more about it, whether it's a star, constellation, planet or nebula.

Conversely, you can also use the app to find specific objects in the sky. Want to view Uranus at opposition this Nov. 25 but aren't sure where to look? Search for it in Sky Tonight and the app will point you to it.

Identifiying stars from photographs

Being able to identify night sky objects in the field is a real boon, but what if you've already taken a photograph and want to identify which stars were visible?

That's where apps like Sky Walk 2 come in. If possible, you should return to the location where the photograph was taken, but if that's not possible, you can input GPS co-ordinates and Sky Walk 2 will show you the view from that location.

Next, using the clock icon and slider, alter the date to the exact time you took the photograph (or as near as possible). You will then be shown the night sky as it was at the time. You can now tap on the star or stars you want to identify and Sky Walk 2 will tell you the name.

Sky Walk 2 isn't the only app to offer such a facility, but in Sky Walk 2's case this feature is present in the free version of the app.

Finding dark sky sites

It's a sad fact that light pollution has made it harder for astronomers to study the night sky. While the planets in our solar system are still visible, sky glow obscures more distant objects, such as fainter stars.

You could travel to a dark sky reserve but, with the aid of one of several stargazing apps, it is also possible to find dark sky sites closer to home.

Apps like Sky Safari and the simply named Light Pollution Map will show you the light pollution levels locally and globally, estimated on the Bortle scale. The latter app colors the map, with pink the most light pollution and black the least.

In just a few seconds you can find out how light polluted your local area is, and use the map to find a location nearby where the sky is dark, or at least darker.

Planning a stargazing trip

Are you planning a stargazing trip? Then you'll be happy to hear there's an app for that. There are several, in fact, but Sky Safari has all you need to plan your next outing. You can create observation lists, find out when and where objects are visible, and while it won't book your tickets for you, it comes close.

Our reviewer Jamie Carter used the app to plan his observations of conjunctions, specific moon views and astrophotography opportunities. Coupled with its light pollution map, it will be a huge help in putting together an itinerary for your skywatching trip.

Troubleshooting stargazing apps

Hopefully you'll have a smooth experience, but if you're having issues, here are a few things to try.

• Take your phone out of its case. Magnetic clasps can interfere with internal sensors.
• Make sure location services are enabled. Many apps use GPS to show you the correct view.
• Check your phone's clock. If your clock is not set accurately, apps may display an incorrect sky
• Swoop your phone in a figure eight motion. This can help calibrate your phone's "compass".
• Make sure you have a signal, and that data is enabled. Unless the app has an offline mode you will still need a connection. Signal may be poor at dark sky sites.
• Check each app's permissions. Location aside, Augmented Reality (AR) stargazing apps will need camera access.

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Vaonis has just announced its new generation of smart telescope technology, known as Atlas. Less of a single smart telescope and more of a new optical system, Atlas was designed with interchangeability and adaptability in mind. Its new SkyDock system allows two optical tubes to be connected and the telescope has live night sky monitoring to predict available observations.

You can preorder the Vaonis Atlas with a single Atlas 80 module for $3,990, or $5,490 for the twin at Adorama. But it'll also soon be available at B&H and other retailers.

Currently, there is only one optical tube, the Atlas 80, but Vaonis is planning to release add-on modules designed for looking at different night sky objects, including for planetary observation. We think this is an exciting step for smart telescope technology and is, essentially, the start of modular astronomy for amateur stargazers, allowing them to choose optics that suit their observation interests. The Vaonis Atlas with two Atlas 80 modules will be available for preorder for $5,490.

• We've got you covered with reviews and rankings of the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, drones, Lego, streaming and more.

The world of smart technology in stargazing optics is constantly pushing forward but it tends to move in waves in terms of actual "new" technology. Obviously, smart telescopes improve as new releases come out, usually with higher resolution and an upgraded optical design, but they are still just improvements on a base model. For years, Vaonis has improved and developed their Vespera models, but the announcement of the Atlas reveals a potential new direction for the company.

The Atlas system is the first-ever modular smart telescope system for Vaonis, with a base dock system fitted with two ports for connecting two imaging modules (an optical tube with a sensor). The Atlas 80 imaging module is an optical tube with a 3.15-in (80 mm) aperture and a Sony IMX585 8.3MP sensor, designed for imaging deep-space objects such as galaxies, nebulas and star clusters. Attaching identical imaging modules allows you to image targets quicker and with more detail, but the most intriguing part of this whole release is not actually available yet.

Vaonis has promised to expand the Atlas ecosystem after launch, including a backpack, filters, an equatorial wedge and most importantly, new imaging modules. The next planned imaging module is for planetary observation, which could be a game changer. If you have used a smart telescope for planetary observation, you will know that they produce grainy blobs when compared to their stunning deep space imagery. Vaonis might not just be introducing modularity for smart telescopes; they might also be introducing the ability to get a good photo of a planet with one.

Atlas pre-orders open today and are available from BH Photo and Video and Adorama. The special preorder pricing is available until Nov. 15, with the First shipments expected in March 2027. This release includes the SkyDock along with either one Atlas 80 or two Atlas 80 imaging modules.

Key features: Modular design, Atlas 80 imaging module with 3.15-in (80 mm) apochromatic quadruplet lens, 360 mm focal length, f/4.5 focal ratio and a Sony IMX585 8.3-megapixel sensor, app-controlled, automatic pointing and imaging (Go-To function), 16.1-in (41 cm) height when closed (excluding tripod), 14.3 lb (6.5 kg) weight, up to 6 hours of battery life.

Product launched: Oct 2026

Price comparison for Vaonis Atlas with single optical tube: B&H PhotoVideo: Likely starting at $3,990 | Adorama: Starting at $3,990

✅ Buy it if: You want to invest in a smart telescope but are interested in getting the best photographs of a wide range of night sky targets, including deep-space objects and planets.

❌ Don't buy it if: You don't care about interchangeability or adaptability from your smart telescope and are mainly interested in using it to photograph deep-sky objects.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

Light pollution is the astronomer's biggest enemy, especially if you're gazing into deep space. And while some of the best telescopes can make a difference, there's no way to eliminate it. That's why, if you want to observe the cosmos without obstruction, you need to seek out darker skies, get a smart telescope or combine the two.

You don't have to book a flight to a dark sky reserve; just traveling away from suburbia can be enough. That's where portable telescopes come in. Set one up in a field, for example, and you'll get a vastly improved view of the cosmos. Galaxies, nebulas and other deep space objects become more detailed when they're not washed out by skyglow.

We've picked out six telescopes you can take on the road: Some, such as the DwarfLab Dwarf Mini, are small enough you could even put them in a backpack and hop on your bicycle.

All but one are smart telescopes, meaning that when you do get to your desired location, you can pick from a list of stellar sights to home in on. And while they may be portable, they're powerful with it.

So, beat light pollution and say hello to stunning views of the night sky.

I review optics gear for a living and have tested a range of telescopes, cameras and binoculars but I'm also aware of how expensive stargazing can be once you've dipped your toe in. We see some of the best prices of the year during holiday sales, which include October Prime Day, which ends tonight!

The best prices are reserved for Prime members but don't worry; if you are a new member, you can grab a 30-day free trial period so that you can get a deal if you want it.

Astronomy and stargazing have come a long way in recent years, with the popularisation of smart telescopes and beginners being able to capture deep-sky wonders easily. Image-stabilized binoculars have been around a bit longer but new models are impressive for handheld stargazing, delivering a shake-free view of the night sky. What's next: Smart binoculars? (Yes).

The latest advancements in skywatching are often within the premium price range and can outprice a lot of beginners. This is why waiting until the holiday savings season is a great idea if you are on a budget or a beginner. The new Dwarflab Dwarf Mini is now at its lowest-ever price and our best binoculars, the Canon 10x42L IS WP, are now 11% off. Amongst these premium picks are some cheaper models that are great for skywatching, whatever your budget or experience level.

A telescope can be complicated, simple or somewhere in-between. The Celestron 114AZ Dobsonian telescope is a great telescope for beginners, thanks to its easy-to-use Dobsonian design and assistive StarSense smartphone app inegration. We gave the lightweight tripod version, the Celestron LT 114AZ, three stars for its affordability and helpful navigation. Right now, it is at its cheapest price since June's Prime Day.

You can buy the Celestron 114AZ Dobsonian telescope, on sale right now for $315 from Amazon.

We are on the final day of Amazon's Prime Big Deal days event with the best prices reserved for Amazon Prime members. If you are new to Prime, you can get a 30-day free membership so that you can grab this 17% saving. All the best telescope and camera deals from all retailers will be on our Prime Day hub, with money off a range of products.

• Check out our Prime Day hub, where we bring you the best deals of Prime Day 2026, including early Prime Day deals.
• We've also got you covered with reviews and rankings of the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, drones, Lego, streaming and more.

When we reviewed the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ, which is the lightweight tripod-mounted version of this telescope, we thought that the tripod was flimsy and affected our ability to observe and navigate to night sky objects. This version of the telescope doesn't have a tripod and has a Dobsonian design, which is very sturdy when used on a stable surface like a table or bench.

It really shines during planetary observation such as the moon and Jupiter, but it did struggle with deep-sky objects. The supplied eyepieces are ideal for planetary viewing, but if you wanted to upgrade your setup, you can always buy a separate set of the best eyepieces.

This deal from Amazon is the cheapest the Celestron 114AZ Dobsonian telescope has been since last Prime Day and it has to end tonight, when Prime Big Deal Days finishes. New members can sign up for a 30-day free trial so that you can access the best deals without having to pay a subscription fee. Our October Prime Day deals hub has all the best savings across telescopes, cameras and skywatching gear.

Key features: 4.5-inch (114 mm) aperture, 450mm focal length (f/4), alt-azimuth tabletop Dobsonian base, StarSense Explorer smartphone app integration, 1.25-inch rack-and-pinion focuser, StarPointer red-dot finderscope.

Product launched: July 2023

Price history: This telescope usually retails for $380, but it is generally on sale for $340. This price is the cheapest it has been since last Prime Day in June, when it dropped to $280.

Price comparison: Amazon: $315 | Best Buy: $345 | Walmart: $380

Reviews consensus: We gave the lightweight, alt-azimuth version of this model three stars in our Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ telescope review for its great StarSense app navigation and easy set-up.

Space: ★★★

Featured in guides: The StarSense Explorer LT114AZ features in best telescopes for seeing planets, best budget telescopes

✅ Buy it if: You are interested in planetary observation, as the optics and included Barlow lens are highly suitable for observing the moon, Jupiter and Saturn.

❌ Don't buy it if: You want to observe deep space objects like star clusters and galaxies; a telescope with a larger aperture would be better, such as one of the best telescopes for deep space.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

There are plenty of star projectors out there; I should know, I've got four sitting on my shelves, including two Astronaut Starry Sky projectors (don't ask). But what if you want a projector that shows you the real cosmos? That's where the Pococo Galaxy Projector comes in and, thanks to Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event, it's cheaper than ever.

You can get the Pococo Galaxy Projector on sale at Amazon for just $76 — the cheapest we have ever seen it!

Instead of projecting random stars, the Pococo Galaxy Projector uses projection discs to fill the room with gorgeous, sharp images of planets, galaxies and much more. It's relaxing and educational with it, ideal for kindling an interest in space and space travel.

We awarded it four stars in our review of the Pococo Galaxy Star Projector, and rank it as the best value rechargeable star projector. It holds its own against pricier models, including the Sega Homestar Classic, and you can expand its image with a range of reasonably priced disc packs. If you want more than random nebulas and green stars, it's well worth investing in.

• Want to save even more money? Visit our Amazon Prime Deal hub, where we bring you the best Prime Big Deal Days offers.
• We've also got you covered with reviews and rankings of the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, drones, Lego, streaming and more.

We rank this Pococo Galaxy Projector as the best value rechargeable star projector and for good reason. Using a projection disc system, it puts out gorgeous, clear images of the cosmos, rather than the randomized stars some cheaper projectors offer.

And yet, despite its sub-$100 price point (just $76 with this Prime Big Deal Days offer), it matches the performance of other, pricier projectors such as the Sega Homestar Classic and better yet, it's the lowest price we have ever seen it.

In our review of the Pococo Galaxy Star Projector, we awarded it four stars, seriously impressed with the quality of its images and its overall functionality (though it lacks remote or app support). It comes with two discs, but you can buy packs of additional discs for a reasonable price.

With its 12-square-meter projection area, it'll turn any small to mid-sized room into a home planetarium. Whether it's relaxation, education or both you're after, the Pococo Galaxy Projector is a galactically good buy, especially at this price.

Key features: 12 sq m projection surface, sleep timer, 157x120x120 mm, rechargeable, includes 2 image discs, expansion packs available.

Product launched: December 2022.

Price history: We've seen this model discounted on Black Friday and Prime Day, but $76 is the cheapest it's ever been.

Reviews consensus: We awarded this projector four stars in our Pococo Galaxy Projector review, praising its image quality and remarking that it "Gives the best star projectors we've tested a run for their money." Its Amazon reviews are also positive, with just a handful saying it could be a little brighter.

Space: ★★★★ | LiveScience: ★★★★

Featured in guides: Best star projectors, Best star projectors for kids

✅ Buy it if: You want a star projector that projects actual, realistic images of the universe, making it suitable for relaxation of education.

❌ Don't buy it if: You want long-distance control over your projector; the Pococo has no remote control or app support.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

How to join Amazon Prime

There's only one catch to this deal, as well as the others detailed in our Amazon Prime Big Deal Days guide. You'll have to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of it, but it's well worth signing up for this subscription service. You'll be able to take advantage of these Prime Big Deal Days prices, as well as free delivery, and access to Amazon Prime Video (one of the best value streaming services).

It'll cost you $14.99 monthly (you can cancel any time) or $139 annually. If you've not had Prime before, however, you should be able to take advantage of Prime's free 30-day trial. That's more than enough time to make the most of these offers.

To sign up you need to have or create an Amazon account, then:

1. Go to Amazon Prime.

2. Select "Start your free trial."

3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

If you've already had Prime in the past, you'll need to re-subscribe from your account settings, but chances are you'll save more than you spend on the subscription.

Want to take the effort out of watching and capturing the night sky? This Dwarflab Dwarf Mini smart telescope is just what you need, with the bonus that it's portable enough that you can pack it away to escape the curse of light pollution. Now it's $60 off in Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event, the cheapest it's ever been. However, with limited stock, you'll have to be fast.

Get the Dwarflab Dwarf Mini on sale right now at Amazon for $339

Expert Jamie Carter sang this scope's praises in his Dwarflab Dwarf Mini review, saying that it offers "A tempting combination of portability, automation and surprisingly capable astrophotography performance."

Since it lacks a screen, you will need a smartphone or tablet to control it but with a solar filter included, it offers excellent nighttime and daytime results, especially if you're sharing your images with fellow smartphone or tablet users. However, if you want 4K images, consider the ZWO Seestar S50 Pro.

• Want to save more on skywatching gear and technology? Visit our Amazon Prime Deal hub, where we bring you the best Prime Big Deal Days offers.
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Despite being about the size of a small milk carton, the Dwarflab Dwarf Mini packs a lot in, including a four-hour battery and an EQ tracking mode which, coupled with its magnetic solar filter, could prove invaluable for capturing the solar eclipse on Aug. 2, 2027. Naturally, it'll also track deep sky objects and even if travel isn't an option, it handles local light pollution surprisingly well.

Expert Jamie awarded it four stars in our Dwarflab Dwarf Mini review, praising how it made capturing the night sky essentially effortless. You can couple it with one of the best tripods but you can put it more or less anywhere with a view of the night sky, as long as the controlling device (your tablet or smartphone) is in range.

Its field of view is enough to capture objects in our own solar system. And for objects bigger than its FOV, Dwarflab Dwarf's mosaic feature stitches individual images together to give you a full picture. The only real negative, aside from the lack of a tripod, is that its 2MP sensor means the images it takes are best shared on a smartphone; show on a large screen or attempt to zoom in for editing and you'll likely notice artifacts.

Key features: 1.180-inch (30 mm) aperture, 150 mm focal length, field of view 50.59 x 45.06 degrees (wide)/2.5 x 2.14 degrees (telephoto), 7.24-in × 3.94-in × 2.4-in in size, Alt-Az/EQ mount, 64GB storage, 7,000 mAh / 4 hrs battery, smartphone or tablet required.

Product launched: January 2026

Price history: The Dwarflab Dwarf Mini has never been cheaper; this is a major reduction, even though it only launched in January.

Price comparison: Amazon: $339 | Dwarflab: $419

Reviews consensus: In our Dwarflab Dwarf Mini review, expert Jamie said it "Makes capturing the deep sky and the solar system almost effortless," awarding it four stars. He did note that its 2MP sensor means the images it produces are best suited to sharing on smartphones.

Space: ★★★★ | T3: ★★★★ | LiveScience: ★★★★

✅ Buy it if: You want a portable, easy-to-use smart telescope that you can transport to dark sky sites.

❌ Don't buy it if: You want to show your images off on bigger screens. Consider the ZWO Seestar S50 Pro instead.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, Lego and much more.

How to join Amazon Prime

Like the other deals featured in our Amazon Prime Big Deal Days hub, you have to be an Amazon Prime member to get this deal. However, if you've never had Prime before, or never had an Amazon account before, you may be able to take sign up for a free 30-day trial.

Here's how to do that:

1. Go to Amazon Prime.

2. Select "Start your free trial."

3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Beyond that offer, Prime will cost you $14.99 monthly (you can cancel any time) or $139 annually. But you're not just paying for access to these deals; you get free delivery, access to Amazon Prime Video (one of the best value streaming services for sci-fi fans), Amazon's Luna game streaming service and more.

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You don't need the latest mirrorless camera to start your photography journey, there is too much functionality for a beginner on them and tend to be very expensive. The Canon EOS R8 is a great camera for someone new to photography, with a 24MP sensor, great high ISO handling for astro and dual-pixel autofocusing. Best Buy is currently selling the model for $28 cheaper than Amazon during their Prime Big Deal Days event with a total saving up to $428.

You can buy the Canon EOS R8, on sale right for $1,220 on Best Buy.

Walmart kicked off the holiday savings period on Oct. 5, meanwhile, Amazon has kicked off its second Prime Day event, with the best prices reserved for Amazon Prime members. If you are a new Prime member, you can get a 30-day free membership so that you can access these savings. All the best deals from all retailers will be on our Prime Day hub, with money off cameras, telescopes and binoculars.

• Check out our Prime Day hub, where we bring you the best deals of Prime Day 2026, including early Prime Day deals.
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The Canon EOS R8 is a great beginner full-frame camera that packs a lot of functionality into such a cheap model. We thought the autofocus was great at tracking a range of subjects, using it to capture Venus in the night sky. On top of sharp dual-pixel autofocus, the R8 also has great high ISO handling and is one of the lightest Canon full-frame mirrorless cameras.

This is a great buy for someone looking to get into photography and even astrophotography because it offers strong overall performance within a relatively lightweight and cheap build. The button placement is great for beginners and allows new users to start straight away before moving up to more advanced shooting.

This deal from Best Buy is the lowest price we have seen on this model since January 2025, offering $428 off the retail price on Amazon and offering an extra $28 off the current Amazon price. This huge discount also gives you more spare cash to spend on some nice glass and get one of the best lenses for astrophotography.

Both of these discounts come during October Prime Day, which is running from Oct. 6-7 and offering some great prices for Prime members. New members can sign up for a 30-day free trial so that you can access the best deals without having to pay a subscription fee.

Key features: 24.2MP full-frame sensor, DIGIC X image processor, 4K UHD 60p video recording, Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus, ISO range 100-102,400 (expandable to 204,800), 40FPS burst shooting, vari-angle touchscreen LCD.

Product launched: April 2023

Price history: This camera usually retails between $1,499 and $1,349. This price from Best Buy is the cheapest the camera has been since January 2025.

Price comparison: Best Buy: $1,220 | Walmart: $1499 | Amazon: $1,248

Reviews consensus: We gave the Canon EOS R8 four and a half stars for its slim body, great high ISO noise handling and Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocusing. We think it is a great budget option for beginners who want to start shooting astrophotography as well as general photography.

Space: ★★★★½ | Digital Camera World: ★★★★½ | LiveScience: ★★★★½

Featured in guides: best cameras for astrophotography, best Canon cameras

✅ Buy it if: You want a cheap but great mirrorless camera to learn photography with, whilst having enough functionality to keep you learning for years.

❌ Don't buy it if: You need professional-level features like in-body image stabilization (IBIS), a CFexpress slot or a super-high resolution sensor. Our guide to the best cameras features a range of pro-level models.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

The moon was already deep in Earth’s umbra when I pointed the Seestar S50 Pro at it during the spectacular deep partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 28, 2026. At maximum eclipse, 96% of the moon was inside Earth’s dark central shadow, leaving only a bright sliver illuminated by direct sunlight. The rest had turned a wonderfully strange pinkish-red.

It was exactly the kind of event I increasingly use a smart telescope for. I’m slightly obsessed with photographing the moon at a moment’s notice and have built up quite a collection of images of it in different phases, but a lunar eclipse is different. It changes quickly, so there’s no time to spend ages setting up equipment. With the S50 Pro, I could get outside, switch it on and start taking images. That was crucial because to capture this eclipse I had to be up at 03:30 a.m. and out to a location in time for a view of the rare near-totality. Setting up for hours wasn’t an option.

That grab-and-go simplicity is why I like the S50 Pro. I can chuck it out on the decking whenever the sky clears and find whatever I’m in the mood for. Sometimes that’s the moon. Sometimes it’s a comet or a galaxy. Earlier in September, it was a newly discovered supernova in NGC 7331.

What’s new on the Seestar S50 Pro?

I’ve used the original Seestar S50 for years and more recently traveled with the smaller Seestar S30 Pro, but the $999/€999 S50 Pro is the most capable Seestar I’ve ever used. Like the original, it has a 50mm aperture, but it adds a much larger 8.3-megapixel sensor, a wide-angle camera and, with an optional equatorial mount, the ability to take exposures lasting up to 60 seconds (instead of the usual 10 seconds) and export FITS files for post-processing. That’s some serious astrophotography chops.

However, specifications aren’t really why I think it’s ZWO’s best smart telescope yet. It’s because the S50 Pro lets me do some simple or complex astrophotography without it taking over my night — and the next day.

The longer you leave it alone, the better the images get

The lunar eclipse showed how quickly the S50 Pro can capture something happening in the sky, but my favorite thing about it is almost the opposite — I can leave it alone.

Last week I photographed the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), the nearest large galaxy to the Milky Way, and a popular favorite object in the night sky. It’s huge, bright and has incredible dust lanes, but producing a detailed image of it is another matter.

The S50 Pro did all of the hard work. Its app finds the target, the telescope plate-solves the stars to establish exactly where it is, slews across the sky, centers the object, focuses and starts taking short exposures. Within minutes, an image begins appearing on a smartphone or tablet. The temptation is to stop there, download an image and share it on social media with a terribly cliché title like “Staring At The Shore of the Cosmic Ocean.” Resist!

One of the most important things I’ve learned from using smart telescopes is that patience makes a massive difference. The app even recommends how long to spend imaging particular objects, and for targets such as the Pleiades (M45), galaxies and particularly faint nebulas, that can mean leaving it working for at least a couple of hours.

Wonderful images slowly develop in front of you. As dozens and hundreds of 10-second exposures get stacked together, faint structure and color gradually emerge, while noise is reduced. The longer I spent imaging on the Andromeda galaxy (M31), the more impressive the result became.

Best of all, you don’t have to stand next to it. I can leave the S50 Pro gathering photons while I do something else — stargaze, use a 'proper' optical telescope or use my DSLR on a tripod to take some other kind of astrophotography.

That matters to me because I’m a stargazer first. I embarked on my astronomy journey long ago to spend more time outside in the dark looking up and less sitting in front of a computer — or looking down at equipment.

I photographed a supernova from the deck in my backyard

One reason I like having a Seestar ready to go is that astronomy doesn’t always happen on a convenient schedule. In September, I used the S50 Pro to photograph SN 2026aaiv, a supernova in the galaxy NGC 7331 in Pegasus. This is precisely the kind of target I love hunting down with a smart telescope. Even through a telescope, there’s little chance of seeing anything, but the S50 Pro located the galaxy automatically and gradually built an image that revealed the stellar explosion. I had to zoom in and go right to the limit of its resolution to see it, but it was there.

There’s something enormously satisfying about walking outside to collect photons from an explosion that happened 45 million light-years away. Best of all, it took me about 15 minutes.

Traditional astrophotography can involve assembling a mount, polar aligning, connecting a camera, focusing, guiding and dealing with cables and software before the first useful exposure begins. What if the supernova — or anything else you’re targeting — drifts behind a tree or moves behind your neighbor’s house? The S50 Pro removes almost all friction.

The built-in processing saves hours of editing work

I know astrophotographers who love processing RAW and FITS files of deep-sky objects, carefully stacking and stretching data to extract every possible detail, and the results they produce can be spectacular. The S50 Pro caters to them, too. I connected it to my Mac, dragged off the individual FITS files and had a go at processing the underlying data myself.

It worked really well but I just don’t have the time or interest. That’s why I like the processing tools built into the Seestar app. It's got a new AI Enhancement mode that can produce a lovely image with an inky black background without requiring specialist software. You can adjust brightness, contrast, detail, color and even reduce the number of visible stars to emphasize a nebula, galaxy or star cluster. You can download JPEGs and enhanced images to your phone, which is particularly handy when traveling — and the FITS files remain available if you want to take processing further.

EQ mode changes what the Seestar S50 Pro can do

Even if you don’t want to indulge in post-processing — and definitely if you do — the S50 Pro’s optional equatorial mode is worth experimenting with. I got hold of ZWO’s TH10 Fluid Tripod Head specifically to try it and I was impressed by how straightforward it was. Setting up an equatorial mount normally involves accurately aligning its axis with the celestial pole. With the S50 Pro, the app guides you through the process and you don’t even need to identify Polaris, the North Star. I can find Polaris easily but that automation should become particularly useful when I use the S50 Pro south of the equator, where there is no similarly bright south pole star.

Once aligned, Expert Mode allows exposures of up to 60 seconds. I went straight for the maximum. That’s still relatively modest compared with some conventional star trackers, so there is clearly a trade-off between the S50 Pro’s forgiving setup and ultimate tracking accuracy, but longer exposures without field rotation give it considerably more astrophotography potential.

It isn’t perfect. Once, after switching to EQ mode, my S50 Pro began searching for targets without successfully plate-solving, so it repeatedly missed them and effectively stalled my session. The app needs a 'sky align refresh' button for situations like that. There are other quirks. The app’s "best tonight" list regularly suggests planets, even though the 260mm focal length is far too short for satisfying planetary imaging. And observation scheduling — where you just give the app a list of things to image and it does it all itself — is excellent in principle, but the lack of weatherproofing makes me very reluctant to leave it outside unattended all night.

ZWO’s best Seestar isn’t its best travel telescope

There is one area where I think ZWO has gone backward — portability. I travel a lot for work, often to remote places, and for the last few years I’ve regularly traveled with the original S50 and, more recently, the S30 Pro. I had hoped the S50 Pro would simply replace them. I’m yet convinced that it will.

At 6.17 lbs (2.8 kg), the S50 Pro is still impressively compact considering what it contains, but its chassis is thicker. It doesn’t fit into my camera bag nearly as neatly, and, annoyingly, it has crossed the point where I can comfortably grip the body with one hand.

The original S50 also looked better. And please, ZWO, bring back black. This telescope is designed to be used at night. Why is it white?

For flights and trips where luggage space matters, I’ll probably continue taking the S30 Pro. That doesn’t alter my view that the S50 Pro is the better imaging instrument, but it’s a reminder that 'best' and 'best for every situation' aren’t the same thing.

Where the S50 Pro sits against its rivals

The S50 Pro’s high price also changes the conversation. The original S50 was so inexpensive for what it did that many of its compromises were easy to forgive. The S50 Pro is entering territory where buyers can reasonably compare it with more sophisticated smart telescopes — and even modular astrophotography equipment.

Smaller smart telescopes such as the S30 Pro remain more compelling for travel, while DwarfLab’s ultra-compact models emphasize portability. At the other extreme, instruments such as Unistellar’s Odyssey Pro offer larger apertures, an electronic eyepiece and citizen-science projects, but at a substantially higher price.

The S50 Pro sits in the middle. Its 50mm aperture gives it useful light-gathering ability; its larger 8.3MP sensor captures a generous 2.8-degree field; EQ mode gives enthusiasts better data to work with and the second camera adds Milky Way and star trail photography.

It may not end up traveling around the world with me regularly (although it definitely will be for the next total solar eclipse), but the S50 Pro has already become my favorite Seestar. It has enough features for users to grow into over a long period and it is so easy to use that it lets me enjoy the night sky on my terms.

You don't have to wait until October Prime Day to get a bargain. These extra-durable Bushnell H2O 10x42 all-weather binoculars are 40% off, cheaper than even the previous Prime Day.

You can get these Bushnell H2O 10x42 binoculars reduced to $70 at Amazon.

Our experts think the Bushnell H2O 8x25 binos are the best waterproof compact binoculars. With their bigger, light-gathering objective lenses, improved magnification and ridged grips this 10x42 model is even better for skygazing in the autumn and winter months. You'll be glad for their waterproofing if the weather turns and their fog-proofing means they won't steam up when moving between outdoors and indoors.

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Not everyone's a fan of autumn and winter but if you're a stargazer it means even more time to observe the night sky, whether that's observing the moon or spotting Saturn at opposition this October 4. However, the winter weather can be unfriendly, which is where these Bushnell H2O 10x42 binoculars come in.

We think they're the best waterproof compact binoculars and their fog-proofing means you don't have to deal with condensation issues when you change environment. Their ridged grips mean you shouldn't drop them if it gets wet and if you do they're so rugged durable they should survive the odd fall or three.

Performance-wise, their 42mm objectives drink in enough light for general astronomy use, though not so much for spotting deep sky objects. They're also excellent for daytime use, whether that's nature-watching or zooming in on sports events.

At 22.2 oz (629 g), they won't weigh you down, and don't require a tripod. They're a little too large to fit in a pocket but at this price they're excellent value all-weather binoculars.

Key features: 10x magnification, 42mm objective lens, 4.2mm exit-pupil diameter, 5.8 degree FOV, waterproof and fog proof, 22.2 oz (629 g) weight

Price history: This is the cheapest these binoculars have been since April. They weren't even this low for Prime Day. They have generally sold below RRP but this is still a good deal.

Price comparison: Amazon: $70 | Adorama: $120

Reviews consensus: We rank the Bushnell H2O 8x25 model as the best waterproof compact binoculars. Those who've purchased the 10x42s praise their image and build quality, and how easy they are to focus.

✅ Buy it if: You want a pair of weatherproof binoculars for general stargazing and daytime use.

❌ Don't buy it if: You need a pair you can slip into a pocket, since these are more mid-sized.

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The Seestar S50 Pro smart telescope is the latest release from astronomy optics company ZWO. It's a slightly bigger version of their original S50 but boasts dual 8MP sensors, a new optical design and boosted battery life. Early comments from our reviewer are positive and he used it to get some great shots of the recent lunar eclipse.

You can order the ZWO Seestar S50 Pro at B&H Photo and Video for $999.

We loved the original model and gave it four and a half stars in our ZWO Seestar S50 review for its affordability and easy setup but we were disappointed with the low-resolution images and short battery life. ZWO seem to have listened and improved those issues that we and others had with the original model, so we are very excited for this release.

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ZWO's first round of smart telescope releases were great. They were compact, portable and delivered great shots of deep sky objects. Not only this but they managed to deliver these features for such cheap prices. The original S30 and S50 were both available for under $500 in a world where smart telescopes usually sell for thousands.

We gave the original Seestar S50 four and a half stars in our review and got some great images of a solar eclipse, the moon and a range of deep sky objects. The original model was truly a versatile smart telescope and even came pre-equipped with dual band filters for imaging nebulas and revealing their wonderful colors.

With the S50 Pro ZWO have upgraded to quadruplet optics and 8MP sensors, rivalling the new Vaonis Vespera III and whilst more expensive than the Dwarf 3, it represents great value for these optics and imaging technology. We are currently reviewing this model and our tester has already had great performance with it during the recent lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28.

Key features: 1.9-inch (50mm) aperture, 260mm focal length, f/5.2 focal ratio, 4-element quadruplet apochromatic refractor design, Sony IMX585 CMOS sensor, 8.3MP dual-camera system (telephoto & wide-angle), motorized alt-azimuth mount with go-to and equatorial (EQ) mode capability, 80,000+ object database on Seestar app, 128GB internal storage, up to 9-hour battery life (10,000 mAh), 6.17 lbs (2.8 kg) without tripod.

Product launched: August 2026

Price comparison: BHPhotoVideo: $999 | Adorama: $999

Reviews consensus: This is a highly anticipated telescope and we are currently in the testing process for it. Early comments from our expert reviewer Jamie Carter are positive, having used it to image the recent lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28.

✅ Buy it if: You want pro level optical design and dual imaging cameras for wide starscapes and individual deep sky objects without paying more than $1000.

❌ Don't buy it if: You prefer to image using a separate telescope, mount and astrocam, or would rather just observe with a manual telescope.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

When we had an early preview of the Unistellar Envisions last year, our editor-in-chief Tariq Malik said they felt like something out of Star Trek. I have been very excited about getting my hands on these for a long time and I can't wait to use them to identify stars and constellations in the night sky.

You can preorder the Unistellar Envision AR smart binoculars right now, available for $1499 exclusively from Unistellar.

Unistellar announced that pre-orders were opening for the highly-anticipated Envisions at this year's IFA 2026 conference in Berlin and have delivered more details on the type of functionality customers can expect. The 10x50 smart binoculars can be used with or without the augmented reality (AR) overlay which is able to recognise constellations, planets and deep-sky objects in real time, with more functionality expected to be released within the coming months.

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Unistellar have already shown their muscle in the smart telescope department with the Odyssey, eQuinox 2 and eVscope 2 delivering easy and professional astrophotography to beginner and intermediate stargazers alike. Now they are pushing into the world of smart binoculars with the release of the Unistellar Envision smart binoculars.

These binoculars are "smart" in a different way to the rest of Unistellar's products. They use augmented reality to help users identify constellations, stars and deep sky objects, with a red overlay displaying names and information within the 10x magnified view. Our editor-in-chief got his hands on a pair of Envisions last year and was struck by how sci-fi they felt, likening them to something from Star Trek.

Whilst connected to the Unistellar smartphone app, users can select "Guided Navigation Mode" which guides them to their chosen target. This can also be used for custom targets that the user selects and can be used during shared viewing to help others find the same target. Functionality for geographical landmark identification is expected to be released in the coming months and subsequent software updates are expected to introduce new and exciting uses.

This Unistellar Envision pre-order guarantees delivery before Christmas, so if there is a stargazing obsessed loved one in your life, these smart binoculars could be the perfect gift. They are ideal for those who love adventuring and prefer dynamic skywatching with a new tool that boasts over 1,000 astronomical targets of interest and more than 200,000 visible stars in its database.

Key features: 10x magnification, 50mm objective lenses, porro prism design, weight 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg), five-hour AR battery life, operates without battery as classic binoculars, six-degree field of view, BaK-4 fully multi-coated optics, 1,000+ astronomy targets, +1,000,000 terrestrial targets (functionality expected to be released within the coming months).

Product launched: 2025

Price history: Unistellar did offer the binoculars for $999 for those who pre-ordered them last year but the current selling price is $1,499.

Unistellar exclusive: $1,499

Reviews consensus: We tried them out before general release and were impressed with their augmented reality (AR) overlay which helped us identify stars and a geographical target.

Featured in guides: best smart binoculars

✅ Buy it if: You want an interactive display that helps you learn about the night sky and locate targets.

❌ Don't buy it if: You need stronger than 10x magnification for long-distance viewing or features like image-stabilization or extreme waterproofing.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

Jase Parnell-Brookes has reviewed a huge range of skywatching optics, including the best telescopes, binoculars and image-stabilized binoculars. As our trusted authority and expert tester, when they recommend a product and you're in the market for it, their opinions and recommendations are worth paying attention to.

In their Nikon Stabilized 12x25 binoculars review, Jase reckoned they were without doubt the best compact image-stabilized (IS) binoculars they had ever tested. Right now they have $73 off and are at the best price we've seen since Black Friday 2025.

Get the Nikon S 12x25 binoculars, available for just $627 at Best Buy.

Jase awarded them with a perfect 5-star rating, which was mostly thanks to their excellent stabilization, their unobtrusive controls and incredibly small form factor. They also earned a place on our best binoculars guide as the best compact IS binoculars. This Best Buy deal is worthy of your attention if you're in the market for an incredibly versatile pair of binoculars that deliver still views in a compact body.

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These image-stabilized (IS) binoculars punch well above their weight. Tipping the scales at a feathery 13.9 oz (395 g), they pack effortlessly into any bag, giving you rock-steady views wherever you roam. While the compact objective lenses yield a slightly dimmer view than the naked eye, they still deliver fantastic, crisp performance for casual stargazing.

In their testing, Jase managed to see the Andromeda galaxy (M31) with averted vision and the Orion nebula (M42), so these are worth taking out with you at night for a better look at the stars and some of the brighter deep sky objects.

They are also relatively cheap in the image-stabilized world where models can easily go for $1000 and up, depending on the model. Jase was happy to recommend these over another compact IS model, the Canon 8x20 IS binoculars, and they are actually lighter and smaller too. With their silky smooth steadying and clear views, they highly recommended them for anyone looking to get image-stabilized binoculars but doesn't want to spend big bucks.

Key features: 12x magnification, 25mm objective lens diameter, 4.5-degree angular field of view, 12.3mm eye relief, 13.9 oz (395 g) weight.

Product launched: November 2024

Price history: The Nikon Stabilized 12x25 binoculars usually retail for $699.95 on Amazon. This deal from Best Buy beats the Amazon price easily and, at just $626.95, is the best price we've seen since Black Friday 2025.

Price comparison: Best Buy: $626.95 | Newegg: $629.95 | Amazon: $699.95

Reviews consensus: Space: ★★★★★ | Digital Camera World: ★★★★

Featured in guides: Best binoculars, Best compact binoculars

✅ Buy it if: You are looking for an affordable way into image-stabilized binoculars and need a pair that you can slip into your pocket.

❌ Don't buy it if: You need really high magnification or bigger objective lenses. For more powerful image-stabilized binoculars, try the Canon IS 15x50 binoculars.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

Looking for a quality camera that marries style and performance? Look no further than the Nikon Zf. Despite its vintage looks, it's one of the best Nikon cameras you can buy and with its excellent low-light performance, we also rank it as one of the best astrophotography cameras. Now, thanks to this deal, it's the cheapest it's been since last year's Black Friday.

Save $453 and get the Nikon Zf camera, on sale for $1,747 at Amazon.

In our Nikon Zf review, our expert called it "A great buy that offers excellent value for money when compared with some of the much more expensive Nikon models." Now less than $1,800, this is a steal for astrophotographers and photographers in general.

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What's not to love about this Nikon Zf camera? We ranked it as the best camera under $2,000, before inflation pushed it past that price point, and this deal makes it the cheapest it's been since last Black Friday.

Not only does this full-frame mirrorless camera offer excellent low-light performance, so much so that we think it's one of the best cameras for astrophotography, it's a brilliant all-rounder too.

In their Nikon Zf review, expert Jase Parnell-Brookes awarded it four-and-a-half stars, discovering that its strengths go far beyond its vintage stylings, remarking that "It delivered an impressive dynamic range and performed well in various lighting scenarios."

And, while you can point and shoot, the Nikon Zf is packed with controls designed to enhance your experience. From changing the ISO and ISO sensitivity, through to switch to black-and-white mode, you have complete control over your images. That much choice may seem daunting but the buttons and dials are intuitive enough that using them becomes second nature.

There are Nikon cameras out there that can beat its 24.5 MP images, but you'd have to spend significantly more. The Nikon Z8, for example, is over half as much again. If you want to make your money count, the Nikon Zf is the camera to buy. However, you'll have to hurry if you want to make the most of this deal. As we write this, there are just a handful of units left in stock.

Key features: 24.5 MP FX CMOS Sensor, Z mount, 100-64000 (expandable to 204,800) ISO, 4K UHD 30p video, 1 lb 9.1 oz / 710 g weight, 1SD UHS-II + MicroSD UHS-I card slots.

Product launched: September 2023

Price history: This is the cheapest this camera has been all year. It last dropped to around this price last Black Friday.

Price comparison: Amazon: $1747 | Adorama: $2197 | B&H Photo: $2047

Reviews consensus: Reviewing the Nikon Zf, we awarded it four-and-a-half stars praising, in particular, its low light performance and how it stacks up to Nikon's more expensive cameras. We were also impressed by its vintage appearance, replicating the look of a film camera. Its Amazon reviews are just as positive, with just a few purchaser complaining about its weight.

Space: ★★★★½ | TechRadar: ★★★★½ | Digital Camera World: ★★★★½

Featured in guides: Best astrophotography cameras, best Nikon cameras, best cameras under $2000

✅ Buy it if: You want a vintage-styled but powerful camera that will let you take stunning shots of whatever you point it at, the night sky included.

❌ Don't buy it if: You want maximum image detail. You can get better than the Zf's 24.5MP sensor; consider the Nikon Z8 instead.

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I've got three telescopes in my home, but the Celestron FirstScope is my first stop when it comes to stargazing. Now this super-portable, beginner-friendly tabletop scope is $60 at Amazon, even cheaper than Prime Day!

Save 20% on this moon-themed Celestron Firstscope at Amazon

What makes the Celestron FirstScope so fantastic? It's all down to ease of use and portability. There's next to no assembly and once you've unboxed it, you can pick it up in one hand and head outside.

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Even though I've got two bigger telescopes in my home, a Skyatcher Classic 200P and a Bresser Solarix 114/500, I wouldn't dream of parting with my Celestron FirstScope. This tabletop scope is so easy to use and so portable, you can just grab it, head outside and get stargazing.

No fuss, no mess, no scraping the door frame because folding the tripod down seems like too much work. It's also small enough that you can sling it in a backpack, ideal for hopping on your bike and pedalling away from light pollution.

It comes with 20mm and 4mm eyepieces, but you can also trade up to any of the best eyepieces. As a tabletop telescope you'll need to find something to rest it on but a wall or even a trash can will do. And if you're a beginner, or buying for children, you'll be delighted with how the FirstScope performs. We think it's the best tabletop telescope for kids.

And, despite its size, it offers respectable views of the night sky. Testing the scope for our Celestron FirstScope review, expert Gemma Lavender was able to view Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the moon as well as the Pleiades. It may not be one of the best telescopes for deep space, but if you're new to stargazing, you'll find plenty to wow you.

The lack of a finderscope is slightly disappointing but you can purchase one separately and, even without one, this is an impressively capable telescope, at a price that won't break the bank. It really is that simple. Want to watch Saturn at opposition this Oct. 4? Grab your FirstScope, perch it on a table or wall, and home in on this ringed planet. It's excellent for moonwatching too, especially if you're short on time. We think this is the best tabletop telescope for kids and beginners will love it too.

Key features: Newtonian reflector with Dobsonian mount, 2.99-in (76mm) aperture, 11.81in (300mm) focal length, 20mm and 4mm eyepieces.

Product launched: March 2009

Price history: This is even cheaper than Prime Day, when the Celestron FirstScope dropped to $70.

Price comparison: Amazon: $64 | Walmart: $75

Reviews consensus: Reviewing the Celestron Firstscope, we awarded it four stars, saying "It exudes portability, ease of use and a price that's not going to break the bank." That sentiment still stands and its Amazon reviews are just as positive. At this price, it's a steal.

Space: ★★★★

Featured in guides: Best tabletop telescopes, best telescopes for kids

✅ Buy it if: You're a beginner, are buying for children or want a quick grab-and-go telescope

❌ Don't buy it if: You want to gaze into deep space. The FirstScope can see some star clusters but it's best used to view our own solar system.

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The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is one of the best telescopes for beginner-to-intermediate stargazers who want to view deep-sky objects and appreciate assistance in manually locating the targets.

Right now, the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is 17% off, down to just $414.99, its cheapest since Prime Day in June.

In our Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ review, our expert tester Damian Peach awarded it an impressive 4 out of 5-star. Damian noted that it was an exquisite telescope for the beginner and added that the StarSense Explorer telescope was fully equipped, supplied with just about everything the skywatcher needs for a successful observing session under the stars.

It only missed out on the perfect score as Damian felt it would benefit from additional high-powered eyepieces to achieve more detailed views. However, at this discounted price, it's one of the best beginner-friendly telescopes you could ever want to own.

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Ideal for entry-level stargazers, the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ uses its clever StarSense smartphone app to streamline finding targets in the night sky. While it lacks the fully automated GoTo tracking found on some of the best smart telescopes, its substantial 5.1-inch aperture gathers plenty of light—delivering brighter, sharper, and more detailed views than most automated competitors.

One of its standout features is the clever mount-integrated smartphone dock, which takes the hassle out of locating faint deep-space targets. Fueled by real-time GPS tracking and your phone's camera, the StarSense app generates a live sky map that leads you straight to any celestial object. By replacing tedious star charts with turn-by-turn guidance, it lets you spend your time actually observing the universe rather than searching for it—earning it a top spot in our best budget telescope guide for astronomers of all experience levels.

Key features: Newtonian reflector design, 5-inch (130 mm) aperture, 25-inch (650mm) focal length, f/5 focal ratio, 307x highest useful magnification, 18 lbs (8.16 kg) weight, Starsense smartphone-powered technology, two-year warranty.

Launched: January 2020

Price history: Before today's telescope deal, the best price we've seen on the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ telescope was $379 during the Prime Day sales in June. The MSRP is $499.95, which makes the current on-sale price of $414.99 a significant saving on what is a seldom-discounted model.

Price comparison: Amazon: $414.99 | Adorama: $449.99 | Walmart: $499.95

Reviews consensus: In our Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ review, we awarded this telescope four stars for its user-friendly interface and impressive views, making it an ideal choice for beginners who want a modern and simple way to explore the night sky.

Space: ★★★★½ | Digital Camera World: ★★★★½

✅ Buy it if: You want a user-friendly telescope for beginners that uses smartphone technology to help you navigate the night sky to observe planets and deep space objects.

❌ Don't buy it if: You want a fully automated smart telescope or prefer a more traditional method of navigating the night sky.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, Lego and much more.

A partial lunar eclipse takes place this Aug. 27-28 and this beginner-friendly Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ telescope, nearly $50 off at Walmart, will let you zoom in on what promises to be a stunning sight.

Save $49 on this Celestron PowerSeeker 80Q telescope at Walmart.

Ideal for exploring our own solar system, the Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ comes with 20mm and 4mm eyepieces, a 3x Barlow lens, a German equatorial mount, finderscope and Starry Night astronomy software. In short, it has everything you need to get stargazing.

It's perfect for newcomers to the hobby, adults and children alike, or those on a budget. And, this October 4, it'll let you experience Saturn at opposition, when the planet is at its brightest.

• We're constantly checking the best prices on our pages for big discounts on the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, drones, Lego, streaming and more.

Where do you start if you want to get into astronomy? This Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ telescope is a good jumping-on point, particularly if you're on a budget. At $150, it's ideal for beginners and older children and, with some supervision, young stargazers.

It has everything you need to get started; the 20mm and 4mm eyepieces will provide magnifications of 45x and 225x respectively, enough to pick out the moon's major craters and zoom in on the planets in our solar system.

As a refractor telescope, it won't invert the image, so you can also use it for nature watching. And while the Barlow lens will likely push the telescope's practical limits, it's a neat bonus, as is Celestron's Starry Night software, which contains over 36,000 objects to explore.

Key features: 80mm objective, manual EQ mount and tripod, 20mm, 4mm and 3x Barlow lenses, 13.9 lbs (6.3 kg) weight

Price history: This is the cheapest the Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ has been in nearly two years.

Price comparison: Amazon: $190 | Walmart: $150

Review consensus: The Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ has been well received by purchasers, with Amazon reviews praising how beginner-friendly it is, suitable for spotting the Moon and planets.

✅ Buy it if: You want a beginner-friendly telescope that won't break the bank.

❌ Don't buy it if: You want to look beyond our solar system. Instead, consider one of the best deep space telescopes.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

Top 5 things to see in the night sky with binoculars — ranked by an expert

Beyond simple naked-eye observing, a pair of the best binoculars are the most accessible way to experience the night sky. They are affordable (although pricier models are available), very easy to use compared to telescopes and they offer a wide range of celestial sights, from our solar system neighbors to distant deep-sky objects. They are great for both beginners, casual observers and even veteran stargazers who want to grab a quick look or spend time sweeping through the Milky Way.

So what are the best night-sky targets for binocular users? There are so many, but we’ve done our best to whittle them down to five of the best that provide a good sense of what can be seen through binoculars. We’ve also accounted for different apertures and magnifications to make sure there’s something for everyone, even kids

The moon

The moon is the ideal starting point for observing with binoculars. As a large target full of intricate features that appear differently depending upon the illumination, the moon rewards return visits, and you’ll never grow bored.

Even low-magnification, smaller-aperture binoculars will show some interesting details. Small 8x40 or 7x50 binoculars are sufficient; you certainly wouldn’t want to go as low as, say, 8x25 because the moon would appear small. While larger magnifications can improve the view, unless you have the binocular mounted on a tripod, the shake from jittery hands can look like moonquakes. If you don’t have a tripod, an alternate solution is to use image-stabilized (IS) binoculars, where the binoculars’ internal electronics are able to remove the jitter from the image, making the view more static.

The illumination on the moon changes across a 29.5-day cycle as the sun rises and sets over the lunar landscape, with phases cycling from new to first quarter, then to full and last quarter and finally back to new again. Often, the best time to observe a particular feature on the moon is when it is dawn or dusk at that location, and the sun angle is low, casting stark shadows. Otherwise, it is difficult to see the relief when the sun is overhead.

Jupiter’s moons

Earth’s moon isn’t the only moon in the solar system that can be seen through binoculars.

A simple pair of 8x40s or 10x50s will be sufficient to watch the four largest moons of Jupiter — Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto — circle around the Jovian giant. Unfortunately, these binoculars won’t be enough to show you the belts of Jupiter or its Great Red Spot, but its four large moons, known as the Galilean moons, because they were discovered by Galileo, will appear as pinpricks of light on either side of Jupiter.

It’s fun to follow in Galileo’s footsteps and watch the moons orbiting Jupiter, sometimes disappearing from view as they move behind the giant planet, or pass in front of it. Binoculars will not be powerful enough to show the moons transiting against the face of Jupiter, though — Jupiter is too bright, and the contrast is not great enough. The other 91 moons of Jupiter are far too small and faint to be seen in binoculars.

Mizar and Alcor

In the handle of the pan-shaped Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major) is the pair of stars called Mizar and Alcor. They make a lovely visual double, easily seen with the naked eye, and they really pop when viewed through 10x50 binoculars, with Mizar the brightest at magnitude 2 and Alcor a little fainter at magnitude 4.

Some double stars are just visual doubles, meaning they are many light-years apart and unrelated, but they just happen to be very close to each other on the night sky as seen from our line of sight. Not so with Mizar and Alcor, which are physically bound by gravity as they orbit each other. However, view Mizar and Alcor through binoculars, and you will get a glimpse of the true magnificence of this system. Large binoculars will show that Mizar is also a double star. Resolving Mizar as two stars is probably pushing it in 10x50s, but a pair of 20x80 binoculars will give you a better chance of splitting them, with image-stabilized binoculars, if you have them, giving you the edge.

There’s even more in the Mizar and Alcor system than what binoculars can show. Both stars in the Mizar system are also doubles, as is Alcor, making this a six-star system in total! Sadly, these extra companions are so close together that not even telescopes can split them. But there are plenty of other doubles for you to hunt down with binoculars. The trick is to find double stars that have a wide enough separation to be resolvable by 10x50 binoculars. Try also Epsilon Lyrae and Alpha Librae, also called Zubenelgenubi, meaning ‘southern claw’, as it was once associated with the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion, before being moved into Libra the Scales.

Auriga’s open clusters

Auriga the Charioteer is a constellation famed for two things: its brilliant yellow star Capella (the sixth brightest in the entire night sky), and its array of magnificent open clusters, notably Messier 36, 37 and 38.

Open clusters are young clusters of stars that were born together and are now gradually dispersing, and Auriga’s open clusters are some of the best and brightest of their kind in the night sky.

A pair of 10x50 binoculars can have a field of view between 5 and 7 degrees, depending upon the model. For the larger field, it’s possible to squeeze all three of Auriga’s open clusters into the same view!

To find the clusters, first drop down from Capella to alight on the bright star Elnath, which is actually Beta Taurii in the constellation of Taurus the Bull. You can find Elnath easily with the unaided eye. Switching to binoculars, look about three-quarters of the way along the line between Capella and Elnath. You should see six fainter stars of magnitude 6 forming a curve. Follow that curve west, and you’ll come across two other magnitude 6 stars close to M38, which appear as a hazy patch whose diffuse light is made from a multitude of faint stars. This is the case for all three clusters. Most of M38’s stars are not resolvable in binoculars, but some certainly are in 10x50s, and switching to larger aperture binoculars or an image-stabilized model will help to reveal more.

Just 2.5 degrees to the south-east is the next cluster, M36, which overall is brighter than M38. Through 10x50s look for eight or ten stars; again, large binoculars will reveal more.

Finally, M37 is located a little further away. The constellation of Auriga has an obvious five-sided shape marked by its main stars and Elnath. Draw an imaginary line between Elnath and Auriga’s bright star at its lower left, magnitude 2.6 Theta Aurigae. Messier 37 is found about halfway along and just outside of this line. Another hazy patch, it is the densest of the three clusters, but most of its individual stars are fainter than in M36 and M38, so M37 will need larger binoculars, say 25x100, to get the best out of it.

After spending time looking at the three clusters, sweep your binoculars along the splendor of the winter Milky Way, in which Auriga sits. Through binoculars, the vast star fields of the Milky Way are spellbinding.

The Andromeda Galaxy M31

The Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31) is the closest large spiral galaxy to our Milky Way galaxy, located 2.5 million light-years away. That means it is large and relatively bright in our night sky, making it a great target for binocular users. If you are observing from a dark site away from city lights, you will probably be able to see it with the naked eye.

If you can’t or are having trouble knowing where to look:
- Use the stars of the nearby constellation Cassiopeia to find it. Cassiopeia has the shape of the letter ‘W’. Use the bottom star on the right of the W — the brightest star in Cassiopeia, Alpha Cassiopeiae or Schedar — to...
- Point down towards Andromeda and its bright star Beta Andromedae, or Mirach.
- Now using 10x50 binoculars, move north-west until Mirach is at the bottom-left of your field of view and the star Mu Andromedae is at the top-right.
- Then move your binoculars the same distance in the same direction again, and you should find the Andromeda Galaxy.

While you won’t be able to resolve its spiral arms, you will see a smudge of light that is its disk, and a brighter core. Also look out for its two companion galaxies, M32 beneath it and M110 to the top-right. Both appear as fuzzy stars and, depending on how dark your observing site is, you may need to use averted vision to see them (looking at them out of the corner of your eye). Larger binoculars, say 25x100, will show M31 and its companions much more easily, though you’ll need a tripod to take their weight.

The night sky is not an impenetrable “blanket of stars.” There is depth and detail that can be navigated and known, probed and plundered for rewards — and the best way to do all of that is with a manual telescope. Sure, you can get a motorized computerized “go-to” telescope and even one of the best smart telescopes that self-align and do all the work for you. Arguably, they also take much of the reward and leave you none the wiser. Can users of smart telescopes find Polaris, the North Star? Probably not. Do they know where the fabulous images of nebulae they produce actually come from? It’s doubtful.

Manual telescopes don’t find celestial objects for you — you find them yourself. However, it’s the only way to build sky literacy. Observing manually connects you to a long tradition of stargazers who learned the patterns of the sky by heart.

The learning curve can be steep, even with one of the best beginner telescopes. Knowing where to point a manual telescope is a challenge for beginners. With narrow fields of view, it’s easy to miss even bright targets unless you understand where objects are, how to navigate the sky and how to move your telescope.

All telescopes use lenses and/or mirrors to collect and focus light. There are several types of telescope — the main two being refractors and reflectors — as well as Dobsonians and catadioptrics (Schmidt-Cassegrains and Maksutov-Cassegrains). Let’s assume you already have one of the best telescopes. How does it move? There are two mount types — alt-azimuth and equatorial — each of which moves differently and has its own learning curve.

To lessen any confusion, here’s everything a beginner needs to know about observing the night sky with a manual telescope, and a glossary of telescope terms.

1. Understand the night sky

The night sky is not static. Thinks of it as a celestial sphere surrounding a rotating globe; as Earth rotates, the stars appear to move across the sky — rising in the east and setting in the west, just like the sun — which is why objects drift out of a telescope’s field of view over time.

Since it’s not static, the celestial sphere requires two coordinate systems to help you understand this movement and find objects in the night sky:

Altitude and azimuth: typically shortened to Alt-Az, these describe where something is based on your position, with altitude meaning how far up in the sky an object is, and azimuth, where it is from left to right.

Right ascension and declination: typically shortened to RA/Dec, these are fixed coordinates that rotate with the celestial sphere, similar to longitude and latitude on Earth.

2. Manual telescope mounts and how to use them

A mount allows you to manually move and position a telescope. They come in two primary flavors: alt-azimuth (alt-az) and equatorial (EQ). However, pointing a telescope at the night sky and hoping you hit on something will not work because a telescope’s narrow field of view makes even very bright objects hard to see unless they’re precisely centered. Here’s why both mounts exist and how best to use them.

Alt-Azimuth mounts: Best for beginners and found on almost all low-cost models, these are simple (alt-az) mounts that move a scope up and down and left and right. Intuitive, easy to use and quick to set up, the constant adjustments required to track an object make it less accurate. That said, you could easily use an alt-az mount your entire life and never notice.

Locate a bright object, such as the moon, a planet or a bright star like Rigel, Vega or Arcturus, then use the finder scope or red-dot finder to roughly align the telescope.

Begin with your lowest magnification eyepiece‚ typically 25mm on a beginner’s model, for the widest field of view. Once your target is centered, you can switch to higher magnification, such as 10mm.

Move the telescope ever so slightly every few minutes to keep the object centred. If the object is drifting through the field of view from left to right, place it on the far left to keep it in view for as long as possible.

Equatorial mounts: A step-up choice, EQ mounts follow the sky’s natural motion. With one axis tilted to align with Polaris, the North Star (in the Northern Hemisphere), an EQ mount hence moves in sync with Earth’s rotation. While EQ mounts allow smoother tracking, particularly at high magnification, they are nevertheless complicated (and somewhat intimidating) to set up and typically include a counterweight, making them heavy and more expensive.

Understand that perfect polar alignment is not necessary for visual observing — getting as close as you can is fine.

In the Northern Hemisphere, point the telescope mount roughly north and set the mount’s tilt to match your location's latitude, using Polaris, the North Star, as a rough guide to true north.

Once aligned, track objects with a single slow-motion control, which keeps them centered for much longer and makes high-magnification viewing much easier.

3. Using a manual telescope for the first time

Taking a telescope outside for the first time is as much about learning about the night sky as it is about your telescope. Assemble it indoors in daylight and test your finder scope or red dot finder on a distant object. Once it’s dark, place the lowest-power eyepiece (say, 25 mm) on your telescope, which will give you the widest field of view. Here is what — and what not — to do:

Standing still is how to get cold, so you’ll likely need to dress more warmly than you think.

Let your eyes adjust to the dark (which takes about 20 minutes), then preserve your night vision by using a red flashlight and avoiding smartphone screens (though some stargazing apps have a red light mode).

Be unambitious: Set aside a few hours to learn the absolute basics of using your finderscope, pointing the scope and centering and tracking objects.

Be patient, resisting the temptation to use too much magnification too quickly.

Don’t give up on faint objects, using the averted vision technique (looking to the side of an object) to help your eyes collect more light.

4. How to find objects with a manual telescope

You’re a stargazer interested in the night sky, not telescopes. Look at the night sky. Find a bright anchor star or constellation — maybe the moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Vega, Sirius, Orion’s Belt or the Big Dipper — then, using a simple star chart or astronomy app in night mode, trace a visual path to your target. Don’t feel bad about just stargazing for 15 minutes while you figure out where you are — that’s why you’re here. Know where you’re going to move the telescope before you touch it. Navigating from bright stars to fainter objects is how to be a successful manual observer. With practice, even the faint fuzzies will be within your reach; many manual observers with moderate experience can tell you exactly where, say, the Andromeda Galaxy is in the night sky, even though they can’t actually see it with their own eyes.

With just a few sessions, your skills will improve quickly, and you’ll recognize stars, constellations and patterns more easily — and every object you get in the crosshairs of your manual telescope will feel like your own discovery.

A quick telescope glossary

There are some terms every telescope user needs to know to appreciate how they work and why they’re designed as they are.

When it comes to space exploration, rockets are probably one of the coolest things you'll learn about as a kid. Zooming off into space, traveling to new planets and searching for potential life are all things that feel like they should be impossible. For any age of space enthusiast, it's pretty darn cool. For kids, though, learning about rockets can mark an amazing introduction, sparking a lifelong love of space. But, while real rockets aren't really obtainable, kids can always start out with model rocketry.

One of the most child-friendly, affordable and safest ways to get into this hobby, though, is by trying out Stomp Rockets. These toy rockets can be propelled into the air by a simple stomp onto a launcher, hence the name. Attached with a flexible hose, when you compress the launcher, it releases the air into the rocket and makes it fly. A fairly simple concept, but one that can be a lot of fun for kids and very educational (without feeling like you're learning).

Best stomp rockets you can buy today

With such simple mechanics behind it and no need for batteries, electronics or even assembly, it's a lot of fun without having to put in too much effort. So, when it comes to kids getting into it, it's a pretty perfect combination.

Model rocketry as a hobby can range anywhere from building your very own rocket from scratch to wiring up an actual engine to make it fly. And, while there are plenty of the best model rocket sets, these may be too advanced for children. So, before you hit the more advanced stages of model rocketry, it's best to find a place to start that feels more beginner-friendly. And there's a variety of different Stomp Rockets you can buy, like the NASA collection Rocket Launcher for $29.99 and the Super High-Performance X-Treme Rocket Launcher for $26.99. We'll jump into exactly what's great about Stomp Rockets below.

They are easy to use

The first thing to talk about when it comes to Stomp Rockets is how easy they are to use. Each Stomp Rocket kit usually comes with the rocket, a launch stand, a flexible hose and a launcher — and that's about it. There's no need for batteries, cords or plugs, meaning using them outside is super streamlined and not at all technical. Plus, you'll be urging your kids to get outside to play because, depending on how hard you stomp, rockets can reach up pretty high into the air, sometimes up to 400 feet (depending on age suitability).

Stomp Rockets are also 100% kid-powered, which is a huge deal for little kids who want to practise independence and feel confident in what they're learning about. To help with this, each box comes with a selection of rockets to stomp with. If kids lose any of them, or if they just want to load them up and stomp them over and over again without having to run around picking them up first, then it's easy.

In comparison, other model rocketry can come with an abundance of intricate pieces that can feel overwhelming or too complicated, or there are ignition-based model rockets, like the ones found amongst the best model rocket sets, that can be very technical.

While that's great for model rocketry hobbyists as they get older, the Stomp Rockets are a great place to start for younger kids because of how truly simple they are. Plus, they also encourage a lot of activity from your kids, jumping and running about to blast off. And if there's one thing we know for sure about kids, they've got a lot of energy!

They're about as safe as it gets

One of the biggest draws to Stomp Rockets is how safe they are to use. As I already mentioned, they're so safe in fact that kids can power them all by themselves. As the Original Stomp Rocket Jr. Rocket Set for $27.99 puts it directly on the box: “100% Kid Powered”.

There's no assembly required; the rockets and accompanying accessories are often made from simple foam and plastic, and the height they travel tends to vary depending on the age on the box. All solid reasons that your kid can play and experiment with them without adults needing to get too involved. For the Jr. Rocket Set, for example, it's suitable for 3 years and up, traveling to heights of 100 feet. For something more advanced, but still accessible, the Stomp Rocket Original Dueling Rockets is for ages 5 and up, reaching up to 200 feet in the air.

You'll notice that the only safety concern with Stomp Rockets seems to relate to how high they launch up into the air. That's why the Super High-Performance X-Treme Rocket Launcher I mentioned earlier recommends use for ages 9-13 only, reaching up to 400 feet. But they also adopt a rounded-out nose, rather than a tip, to ensure safe landing.

As kids get older, they might want to experiment with more advanced model rockets, including those with a launch pad and ignition switch. This is where safety protocol and adult supervision are essential, as they're considered a lot more dangerous. As NASA advises in their Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics: “At NASA, we take safety very seriously in everything that we do. Safety is the first mission in flying, whether it is flying the Space Shuttle, an experimental aircraft, or a model rocket. You must always be aware of the people and things around you that can be harmed by your rocket, or which can harm you or your rocket.”

Stomp rockets are relatively inexpensive

Amongst the selection of Stomp Rockets we've researched online, they tend to range between $15-$30 and that's incredibly affordable when it comes to model rocketry. But why are they a lot cheaper? Well, they're a lot simpler and require far fewer parts, especially considering they come fully assembled. If you run out of rockets, you can also purchase refills that'll only cost you around $10-$20, depending on the model and how many you buy.

With more expensive model rockets, the price can jump up when you're buying kits that need to be built. Additionally, you'll be spending more on acquiring extra parts or upgrades to existing model rocket kits. A pack of model rocket engines can cost you as much as a whole kit of Stomp Rockets. Engine starters, igniter plugs, launch pads, and controllers are all things that can cost you money.

When you're just getting started, model rocket kits will also require you to have your own tools to build them. And tools are unlikely to be something you'd have your kids own when they're just learning, and they're only little. So, you can save yourself money there, too (for now).

Don't be surprised by their limitations

Of course, if you're not spending the money on all these additional extras, you're also not getting them. With Stomp Rockets, they're pretty basic kits that don't come with a lot of additional extras and that is one of their limitations. They won't reach incredible heights, they won't deploy parachutes to float safely to the ground, and they certainly won't let out any exhaust when they fly skyward. But they're also incredibly safe and that's why they're better suited for younger children.

If you are missing out on the building perspective of Stomp Rockets, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory does offer an online lesson for teachers to practice in class, creating the nose cone, fuselage and fins while powering it with a simple empty water bottle. However, this is targeted at grades 4 and up.

They might not always fly as high as you want and they might be susceptible to breaking given their foam construction, but it can't be doubted that they're easy for younger kids to use and a great introduction to model rocketry without stressing about safety, price or fun.

Of all the models in the renewed Nikon Action range released in 2026, the Action Zoom 10–22x50 is definitely one of the most attention-getting, with its zoom capability from 10x to 22x magnification.

These are Nikon's third-generation 10-22x50 binoculars, building upon the past designs of 2007's Action VII Zoom XL 10-22x50 and 2013's Aculon 10-22x50 in 2013. The new design features a generous 16.3mm of eye relief, a tough aluminum chassis and updated optics.

We found them to be a versatile pair of binoculars, and used them at 10x magnification to locate objects before zooming in to 22x for a closer look. Changing magnifications is easily done with a lever on the right eyecup, but the optics do suffer from the sacrifices required when producing a binocular with zoom functionality.

Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars review

Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars: Design

• Strong aluminum chassis
• Easy magnification change
• Big focus dial

Along with the fixed magnification models in the Action series, the Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars have the same strong, lightweight aluminum chassis. This helps to protect the careful arrangement of lenses required for zooming, as well as making the binoculars more durable without adding extra weight.

In fact, the 2026 Action Zoom 10-22x50 is 0.4 oz (10 grams) lighter than the previous Aculon model. This is important for the stargazer or hiker who may already have lots of heavy gear to carry, where small amounts can make all the difference.

The exterior of the binoculars is covered in a textured rubber armor, which provides good grip while scanning the skies. A chunky focus dial between the barrels is easy to find with your fingers and use, enabling you to adjust focus quickly while observing. Focus touch-ups are usually required when changing magnification.

Magnification is easily changed with the right eyecup zoom lever, which is pushed down with the right index finger to move from 10x through to 22x. On the bottom of the right eyecup, there are printed white numbers on the body so that you can also set the magnification precisely at 12x, 15x and 18x. This helps with observing targets that don't require the full 22x zoom, and allows an astronomer to be more precise in their observations.

When moving the zoom lever, the lenses in the eyepieces slide forward and backward, changing the distance to the objective lenses at the front of the binoculars. This changes the effective focal length and magnification of the binoculars.

50mm objective lenses let plenty of light through the binoculars when stargazing, delivering a bright image at 10x magnification and helping you to spot faint objects.

Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars: Performance

• Good for star-hopping then zooming in
• Noticeably dimmer at 22x
• Needs a tripod for overhead views at 22x

The 22x magnification on the Nikon Action Zoom is the strongest out of the entire range, with the next one down being the 16x50. During handheld observation, the zoom functionality was good for night sky objects that weren't too high overhead or terrestrial observation at horizontal and downward angles.

We were able to see the top portion of the Orion constellation with the magnification at 10x, with a bright Orion's belt and smudgy Orion nebula (M42). Switching to 22x magnification, we got a close-up view of the three stars making up Orion's belt and the dog-star Sirius to its left. At 22x these points of light were much more impressive but the binoculars handled stars much better than diffuse objects such as the Orion Nebula, which looked fairly unimpressive at 22x. We actually got a better view of the Orion Nebula with the NIkon Action 16x50.

The maximum exit pupil on the Action Zoom is 5 mm at 10x magnification, but when fully zoomed in at 22x, the exit pupil drops to 2.3 mm, effectively halving the amount of light your eye is receiving. This makes the view seem dimmer and was especially noticeable when observing Orion's nebula and during terrestrial viewing in daylight.

We found the Beehive Cluster by star-hopping from Castor to Pollux and then to the star cluster. We used the 10x magnification for star-hopping before zooming in to get a better view of the Beehive cluster, but it was still disappointing. The wide-field view of the Beehive Cluster within the triangle of Cancer at 10x was much better than the zoomed-in dim view at 22x. Paired with the increased handshake from overhead observation without a tripod, it was less rewarding than observing at lower magnifications.

For beginners we would usually recommend using a tripod or getting an image-stabilized model when using binoculars with 12x magnification or over. It is possible to get sturdy views during handheld viewing by tucking your elbows into your chest or sides, but this only works when observing on the horizontal or downwards. When looking directly overhead, it was very hard to keep the Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 still enough to make out any details when fully zoomed in.

This was also an issue when observing another overhead observation target, Jupiter. When trying to spot the faint line of its Galilean moons, the resulting observation was just a mess of bright squiggles. This would definitely be remedied with the use of a tripod adapter and tripod, but be aware that these accessories become a necessity when stargazing overhead.

Looking at the half moon was good and offered a range of lunar views thanks to the magnification change, but again, the higher magnifications required steady hands. The moon at 22x magnification also looked significantly dimmer than the moon when observed with the Nikon Action 16x50s. While it suffered from similar levels of handshake, 16x50s have better light transmission because of their fixed magnification and wider exit pupil. At 10x magnification, the binoculars suffered from distortion around the edges of the view, but this disappeared when zooming into higher magnification.

Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars: Functionality

• Rubber eyecups block light
• Versatile zoom range
• Tripod adapter socket

The Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 is a versatile optical tool and is useful when you are unsure what level of magnification you will need before you go out. We tested them out with the other binoculars in the Nikon Action range, the 7x50, 10x50 and 16x50. If we were going out for the evening, we would usually reach for these as it saved us having to take two different binoculars for wide-field and close-up viewing.

The zoom lever was incredibly easy to use during observation and touching up the focus with the focus wheel was easy with my middle finger. That said, viewing overhead objects at 22x magnification is heavily marred by hand shake and would be improved with the use of a tripod.

Just like the rest of the new Nikon Action range, the Zoom model has a tripod adapter socket in-between the two barrels, hidden behind a screw-in Nikon logo. If you are planning on using these for a lot of high-magnification observation, we would recommend buying the Nikon 7650 binocular tripod adapter and a budget tripod, like the Manfrotto Element II tripod, to ensure you can get blur-free views of the stars.

We found the rubber eyecups were really comfortable, and actually preferred them to the hard, twist-up cups that the rest of the Nikon Action range has. They blocked out any light in the environment far better than the twist-up cups and were much more comfortable on the eye sockets. While the binoculars feature 16.3mm of eye relief, stargazers who wear eyeglasses may be disappointed by only having two heights for eye relief, with the rubber eyecups flipped up or flipped down.

The objective lens caps are easy to remove and replace but they can be quite loose and could get lost easily if not attached to a neck strap. The rubber eyecup covers remain fixed in place during transport and keep the eyepieces clean for observation. Nikon provides a neck strap and soft carry case with these binoculars but the neck strap is pretty thin, so if you are planning on carrying them around for a long time, consider getting a padded neoprene strap for binoculars for only $25.

How we tested the Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars

We tested the Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars in a city park during the day and at night in mid-March in the U.K. For stargazing, we tested them in a city park with a Bortle scale between 5 and 7. Our primary observation targets were Orion's belt, Sirius, Jupiter, the waxing half moon and the Beehive Cluster in the constellation of Cancer. For terrestrial viewing, we used them for finding birds in a local park and zooming in for up-close observation.

During testing in the U.K., nighttime temperatures were on average between 46 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit (8-12 degrees Celsius). Seeing conditions were clear and during non-lunar viewing, the skies had minimal or no moonlight.

User reviews

At time of writing, reviews for the Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 were relatively positive, with users praising the smooth zoom mechanism and agreeing with the quoted 22x magnification on the zoom.

Users also liked the Zoom’s flexible magnification options and the 50mm objective lenses for height views, but the general consensus was that a tripod would vastly improve observation at the maximum magnification.

Should you buy the Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars?

If you are a binocular beginner or casual stargazer who wants variable magnification, these are a great purchase. The build quality is solid and the zoom mechanism is very smooth, enabling you to observe from 10x through to 22x.

The zoom function does mean that sacrifices have to be made in terms of light transmission, and at full magnification, the view is noticeably dimmer than at lower magnifications. This reduces the brightness when observing deep space objects like nebulas, but for brighter objects and stars, they performed well.

If you want to observe frequently at 22x magnification, though, we would recommend buying a tripod and binocular tripod adapter, so that you can enjoy these night sky wonders shake-free.

If the Nikon Action Zoom 10-22x50 binoculars aren't for you

If you need binoculars purely for wide-field observations, we would recommend the Nikon Action 7x50 binoculars or Action 10x50 binoculars. They have fixed lower magnifications and light transmission isn't sacrificed for the zoom functionality. The build is almost identical to the Action zoom model.

If you need optics for looking at deep sky objects, we would recommend one of the best telescopes, or a pair of binoculars with strong magnification and large objective lenses. Try the Celestron SkyMaster Pro 20x80 or Celestron SkyMaster 25x100 binoculars, both of which have larger objective lenses than the Nikon Action zoom. You will have to use a tripod with these, but the larger objective lenses will give you a brighter view of dim objects.

If you want high-magnification views without needing a tripod, the Fujifilm Fujinon Techno-Stabi TS-L 1640 binoculars are a great choice. The objective lens diameter is only 40mm, but the image stabilization gives you a higher level of detail that makes up for the lower light transmission. For handheld use, the difference is night and day.

Small telescopes have really come on leaps and bounds in recent years. There was a time when refractors with apertures smaller than 4 inches were seldom to be recommended, but manufacturers have been pushing the capabilities of smaller apertures ever further, with optical coatings and high quality, mass-produced optics helping to eke out every little bit of capability from these pocket-sized instruments.

While still aperture-limited — a smaller aperture makes less light received, which makes faint objects harder to see and details harder to resolve — a good small telescope can excel at the things it can do. This include showing fabulous views of the whole moon, revealing the phases of Mercury and Venus, showing surface features on Mars when the Red Planet is at a close opposition, tracking the Galilean moons of Jupiter, splitting double stars, showcasing open star clusters and revealing the very brightest deep-sky objects, including the Orion Nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy.

The Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70 portable telescope is a re-skin of the plain Celestron Travel-scope 70, and is labelled as a lunar telescope. The moon is what it excels at, which is particularly handy in the year that humans went back to the moon for the first time since 1972, drumming up all kinds of excitement about our nearest neighbor.

Its affordable price and simplicity of use further increase its attraction for children. How many young astronomers will find a passion for space after being excited by the Artemis II mission and then seeing the moon for themselves through the eyepiece of this easy-to-use telescope?

Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70 review

Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70: Design

• Quick and simple set-up
• Comes with all the accessories to get started
• Lightweight and portable

Inside the box we found the telescope tube, which is just 17 inches (44 centimeters) long, kept within a protective travel bag. Also present were the two eyepieces (10mm and 20mm), a 3x Barlow lens, a moon filter, a star diagonal, a finderscope with crosshairs and a useful moon map poster. There are even free download options for the well-known Starry Night planetarium software and Celestron’s Sky Portal mobile app. All in all, it’s a complete package for anyone wanting to get started in astronomy. The only thing it doesn’t come with is guaranteed clear nights!

Everything is lightweight, so there is no risk of children hurting themselves if they drop anything (though one would advise not dropping the telescope tube!). No tools are required for assembly, which is an additional advantage when aiming a telescope at children. The finderscope is attached by chunky thumb screws, the telescope tube screws onto the pan of the mount, and the tripod legs extend via a series of latches.

The mount is a simple, manual alt-azimuth with a pan handle for easy control. The tripod can extend from 22 to 52 inches (56 to 132cm), and it’s a good height for sitting down while observing or standing up — whichever you prefer. The whole set-up process takes a couple of minutes — perfect for impatient children (and the occasional impatient adult!).

Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70: Performance

• The moon looks superb through both eyepieces
• Ideal for following Jupiter’s moons
• Open star cluster Messier 35 was easily shown

The view of the crescent moon while it was in the constellation of Gemini, the Twins, and near Jupiter, was impressive. First using the 20mm eyepiece at 20x, the whole moon easily fit into the field of view. Though the moon’s phase was two days away from first quarter, through the eyepiece we could easily see the silhouette of the whole moon’s disk thanks to earthshine.

During the time we observed the moon, the day/night terminator cut close to the crater trio of Theophilus, Cyrillus and Catharina around the edge of Mare Nectaris. Other lunar seas including Mare Crisium, Mare Tranquilitatis (landing site of Apollo 11) and Mare Serenitatis were nicely displayed.

Through the 8mm eyepiece at 40x, the moon filled the field of view. The low-angled sun cast dark shadows below the crater walls, which contrasted nicely with the bright surface. Just beyond the terminator, the peaks of crater walls and highlands caught the sun, islands of daylight on the edge of night. All in all, it was a very pleasing view.

A short hop brought us to Jupiter, the moon’s close neighbor for the night. As expected, we found the sub-3-inch aperture unsuitable for revealing any details in Jupiter’s atmosphere — the gas giant just appeared as a bright disk. Its four Galilean moons could be seen to either side, however. We tried with both the 20mm and the 8mm eyepiece: Jupiter’s moons were evident in both and filled the view in the 8mm, appearing as points of light accompanying Jupiter.

Close by in Gemini was Messier 35, an open star cluster that is technically visible with the naked eye, but only from the darkest sites in a moonless sky. Through a 70mm telescope it should be much easier to see, and it was, appearing as a faint smattering of stars against the night sky.

We could not, however, see NGC 2158 — a neighboring open star cluster that is much fainter at magnitude +8.6. This revealed the limitations of a 70mm telescope as opposed to a 100mm (4-inch) or 127mm (5-inch) aperture.

Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70: Functionality

• Wobbly tripod
• Accessories are a mixed bag

The actual telescope is as smooth as they come. We found the focuser is good enough for the price point, the two supplied eyepieces aren’t at all bad, and the optics were pretty crystal-clear. For more experienced users with larger telescopes, this 70mm telescope would make a fine finderscope. But what massively lets down the Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70 portable telescope is the tripod that comes with it.

We found the tripod to be incredibly flimsy, and this resulted in vibrations that would shake and blur the view through the eyepiece. Every time we used the pan-handle to turn the telescope and mount head, the tripod would wobble, setting up a feedback of vibrations which we would then have to wait to settle down. The same happened whenever we adjusted focus. While budget telescopes typically do come with poor tripods, we definitely recommend investing in a better tripod as soon as you can.

The 3x Barlow lens also felt like overkill to us. For a 70mm aperture we would not recommend pushing the magnification too high: the telescope simply does not have sufficient aperture to capture enough light for such high magnifications, and the view just becomes a blur. Anything above 100x for a 70mm aperture is too much in our view, yet when used with the 10mm eyepiece (which has a power of 40x) the Barlow lens pushed the magnification up to 120x. We think a 2x Barlow lens would have sufficed.

We were indifferent to the moon filter. When screwed into the eyepiece it just dulled the moon and made it look red and drab, similar to how it might appear during a lunar eclipse. Admittedly it might be more useful when looking at a full moon rather than a crescent, when there are no shadows or contrast on the surface, but we found we preferred not to bother with the filter.

Overall, the telescope’s engineering is decent for the price, but replacing most or all of the accessories would not be unwarranted. But given how much it would cost to do so, if you are intending to spend that money then it would be better just to buy a more expensive, larger-aperture and better quality telescope.

Should you buy the Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70 portable telescope?

If the Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70 portable telescope isn't for you

If you are looking for a telescope for astrophotography that is also relatively simple to use and won’t break the bank, consider ZWO’s SeeStar S30 smart telescope.

If you are looking for something that’s still affordable, but with a little more aperture, try Sky-Watcher’s Explorer 130 EQ2 telescope.

If you want a telescope that has the same 70mm aperture but is a little more high-tech, go for Celestron’s StarSense Explorer LT70AZ refractor, which uses Celestron’s StarSense mobile app technology.

If you want a lot more aperture to track down faint deep-sky objects or to clearly see the belts and rings of Jupiter and Saturn, go for Celestron’s StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian.

User reviews

There were not many customer reviews of the Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70 portable telescope available at the time of writing, but as it is identical in all but aesthetics and a few accessories to the standard Celestron Travel-scope 70, we can use reviews of the latter as a guide.

The consensus on Amazon was that users were mostly delighted by the telescope, valuing how easy it is to set up and use, as well as its portability and appropriateness for children. However, they shared our concerns about the flimsiness of the tripod.

How we tested the Celestron Moon Mission Travel-scope 70 portable telescope

We took advantage of the clear, mild spring weather that the southwest of England enjoyed in the week beginning April 20, observing around 9.30pm. In particular, we took time to study the moon on the evening of April 22, from a south- and southwest-facing garden.

The night sky holds endless wonders, but few experiences match the thrill of photographing planets in vivid detail. With even a modest telescope and camera setup, you can capture cloud bands on Jupiter, the majestic rings of Saturn or the polar caps of Mars — images once the preserve of professional observatories. This technique, known as lucky imaging, records short video clips at high frame rates to freeze fleeting moments of steady air, then stacks the sharpest frames into one crisp photo.

No advanced skills are required to start. Whether you own a modest backyard telescope or are shopping for your first planetary camera, this guide provides everything needed to succeed. You will learn a complete workflow that takes you from set-up to finished image, explore why certain planets are easier than others and find answers to practical questions that beginners often ask.

Clear skies, patience and practice are your only limits. Soon you will be creating gallery-worthy shots right from home.

Step-by-step tutorial: Imaging planets with a telescope and camera

Planetary imaging relies on video capture rather than single long exposures. Follow these 12 steps for reliable results with most setups. Planning observations in advance is essential!

4. Locate and center the planet either manually or via GoTo. Use the finder scope or red-dot finder, then switch to a low-power eyepiece to bring the target into view and center it as best you can.

The best planets to target with your telescope and camera

Jupiter ranks as the top choice for beginners – and perhaps even veterans! Its large disk shows colorful cloud bands, the Great Red Spot and orbiting moons even in modest telescopes. The planet’s brightness and size tolerate average seeing well and reward those even with modest equipment.

Saturn follows closely. Its iconic rings and subtle atmospheric banding create dramatic images. While significantly dimmer than Jupiter, modest telescopes easily reveal its brilliant rings, and the belts and zones within the planet’s atmosphere.

Mars delivers excitement during its oppositions every couple of years. At closest approach the planet swells in apparent size, revealing dark surface markings, polar ice caps and occasional dust storms. Again, even small telescopes reveal fascinating detail when the planet is close to opposition.

Venus offers an easy entry point. Extremely bright and straightforward to locate, it displays clear phases like a miniature moon. Cloud features require ultraviolet filters, but the phases alone impress viewers — even binoculars show these phases clearly.

These four planets share key advantages: They appear large and bright enough for small apertures to record good detail on them. Jupiter, Saturn and Mars are the top three – all are fascinating objects to study for observers of all experience levels.

Handling the more challenging solar system targets, however, requires more advanced equipment and experience levels.

Mercury, Uranus and Neptune present greater challenges. Mercury stays glued to the sun’s glare, visible only briefly at dawn or dusk and best at maximum elongation. Its tiny disk demands exceptional seeing and precise daytime locating skills as well as a decent size telescope.

Uranus and Neptune appear as tiny blue-green disks. Their small apparent sizes require at least an 8-inch aperture telescope, longer focal lengths and higher magnification. Larger apertures gather more light, while monochrome cameras with filters help tease out subtle banding.

Upgrading to a 10-inch or larger telescope, a high-sensitivity monochrome camera and a filter wheel unlocks these distant worlds. Start with the easier quartet before investing further.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to image the planets?

Aim for nights when the target planet rides high in the sky — ideally near the meridian — to minimize atmospheric turbulence. Planets such as Jupiter, Saturn and Mars look largest and brightest around opposition, when Earth lies directly between them and the sun. But good seeing matters more than the calendar: stable air with low turbulence yields sharper frames regardless of season. Check forecasts and look for periods of high pressure with stable weather and calm winds. Planetary imaging works year-round on clear nights, but spring and fall often deliver steadier conditions. Light pollution is also irrelevant to this form of imaging, so it’s something you can easily undertake from urban locations.

What is the most basic setup you need to do this?

A 4- to 6-inch aperture telescope on a motorized mount — such as a Celestron NexStar 6SE or anything similar — provides an ideal starter platform. Pair it with an entry-level planetary camera like the ZWO ASI224MC, plus a 2x Barlow lens and a laptop running free software. Total beginner budget often stays under $800 if you already own the telescope. This kit can capture excellent Jupiter and Saturn images without breaking the bank. Skip expensive cooled cameras or large apertures until you gain experience.

How long does it take to get a good image?

The real key to achieving good image quality is everything you do before pressing the record button: Making sure the telescope is properly cooled down, ensuring it is properly collimated, taking time to focus carefully. All these factors play a huge role. Beyond this, it is largely down to the steadiness of the atmosphere when capturing. The steadier the seeing, the better the result will be!

Summary

We hope that, with a little practice, this gives you the know-how you need to take stunning images of the planets. If you've yet to purchase the necessary equipment, take a look at our guides to the best telescopes and best dedicated astrophotography cameras.