When I go in search of dark skies, I like to travel light. Backpack light. With a full-frame camera, a tripod and some binoculars on my back, I can get everything I want from the night sky, save for the close-up views that only a telescope could bring. A telescope is such a burden when traveling. It's heavy and delicate, making any trip feel like a driving tour where you're never more than a few feet from your vehicle. No thanks — astrotourism for me is about exploring.

I stuck to my "no telescope" rule for years, right up until a trip to New Brunswick's dark-sky corridor a few years ago, when I packed a small Seestar smart telescope I had been asked to test. Almost as an afterthought, I wedged it into my camera bag instead of a lens I didn't use that much. It was tiny. Would I use it? Maybe.

I set it running outside a cabin on the Fundy Coast and forgot about it for half an hour while I took some wide-angle photos of the beautifully clear night sky. When I checked up on it — something you can do just by looking at an app on a smartphone — I could see the Whirlpool Galaxy clearer than ever before. That was the moment my old rule broke. In the smart telescope era, traveling light doesn't have to mean leaving a telescope behind.

At its core, a smart telescope is still an optical telescope — collecting light with a mirror or lens — but instead of sending that light to your eye, it focuses it onto a digital sensor. There's no eyepiece. In some ways, they're miniaturized versions of big, professional telescopes like Hubble and Webb, capturing digital images rather than sending light directly to your eye. Once powered on, the telescope points itself by taking a quick image of the sky and matching star patterns against an internal database — a process called plate-solving. After that, you just select a target in the app, and the telescope slews to it automatically. Then it begins taking lots of short exposures, stacking them in real time so the image slowly improves. That gradual build-up is something beginners often miss: the first few seconds rarely look like much. Leave it running for ten or twenty minutes, and structure starts to appear. What you see is a live image on your phone or tablet that you can easily share. For some, the ability to instantly share images is the killer feature.

People keep telling me that some amateur astronomers and astrophotographers hate smart telescopes with a passion. They hate the fact that your eyes are not seeing photons from another galaxy, just pixels on a screen. They miss the eyepiece. I don't disagree with any of that — nothing beats looking at a distant object with your own eyes through a large, expensive and very heavy telescope — but for astrotourism, a smart telescope easily wins out. Besides, everything looks clearer and more colorful through a smart telescope compared to a purely optical telescope.

Related: Best smart telescopes 2026: Observe stars, galaxies and nebulas with ease

A few months after I returned from New Brunswick, I headed down to a star party in Florida. I couldn't quite believe how many large Dobsonian telescopes were in the same field (one had a 70-inch aperture), but even more surprising was what I could see perched below almost every single one — a pint-sized smart telescope quietly collecting shots of distant nebulas, galaxies and globular clusters that go straight to a smartphone. Where are the so-called purists who hate smart telescopes? I'm yet to actually meet one.

When to use a smart telescope

The Northern Hemisphere's late-spring sky is a good place to point a smart telescope. Around this time of year, the last properly dark nights are still hanging on before summer twilight starts to interfere. After sunset, give it a couple of hours for the sky to darken fully, then have your smart telescope slew to the south to find the region astronomers call the "realm of galaxies." This is where constellations like Leo, Virgo and Coma Berenices host dozens of faint galaxies — most invisible to the naked eye and small optical-only telescopes, even in excellent conditions. That's where a smart telescope adds to an astrotourism arsenal.

If you're observing before midnight, you'll catch these galaxies while they're still reasonably high in the sky. Later on, they drift west and become harder to image cleanly.

Related: I thought my backyard had too much light pollution for astrophotography. The Vaonis Vespera Pro proved me wrong

How I use a smart telescope

My own approach has become almost ridiculously low-effort. I set up the telescope just after dusk, making sure it has a clear view of the sky. Alignment takes a few minutes, and then I pick two or three targets for the night and leave it to work through them, prioritizing nebulas, which are notoriously difficult to image from my light-polluted home. The trick is simply to give each object enough time. Ten minutes is a glimpse, thirty minutes starts to feel like a nice image, and an hour or three is when you begin to get something stunning.

I also love using a smart telescope to capture images of the sun and moon. Anytime I read about large sunspot groups, I fetch my smart telescope. It's also constantly charging by day in the days after the new moon, when our natural satellite hangs like a crescent after sunset.

Stargazer's corner: June 5-11, 2026

Get ready for one of the most eye-catching planetary displays of the year. In the first half of the week, look low to the west-northwest about 30-45 minutes after sunset to see Venus and Jupiter drawing together in the twilight. Start looking this weekend, and you'll see the two already close, beneath the two bright stars of the constellation Gemini, Castor and Pollux. However, the three nights to definitely catch the pair of planets are Monday, June 8, through Wednesday, June 10, when they'll appear to pass each other very closely, getting to within 1.5 degrees on Tuesday, June 9. Look below the pair, and you may see Mercury, briefly visible in the west-northwest, if your horizon is clear.

Constellation of the week: Hercules (Keystone)

Hercules is impossible to find. At least, that's what it feels like when you search for it the first time — it's all arms and legs. So ignore the full outline and focus instead on the Keystone — a neat, four-star rectangle high in the southeastern sky on June evenings. Once you see that shape, the rest of Hercules becomes easier to place around it. Look between bright stars Vega and Arcturus, and you'll slowly figure it out.

We’re witnessing a surge in the popularity of astrophotography, with Gen Z and beyond embracing the hobby as never before, but it comes with a steep learning curve. As the sun goes down and the stars come out, the familiar rules of photography radically change. Those comfortable with staying on auto in daylight are suddenly faced with manual settings and long exposures, an obsession with staying in focus and a subject — the night sky — that’s constantly in motion.

Astrophotography is not a single technique but many, ranging from simple tripod-mounted nightscapes — where at least the usual rules of composition apply — to highly technical deep-sky imaging rigs using telescopes. Some approaches to astrophotography emphasize simplicity and portability, while others reward patience and precision. Knowing which approach will suit you best depends on what you want to photograph, how much gear you’re willing to carry and how much time you want to spend learning.

Here are five common ways to shoot astrophotography, followed by a practical guide to getting started with any mirrorless or DSLR camera.

1. Smartphones

If you want to dip your toe into the world of wide-field astrophotography, begin with the device you already have. Flagship smartphones have quietly become capable of astrophotography, with ‘night modes’ often excelling at revealing stars, the Milky Way and aurora. For the latter, often viewed in icy conditions, a smartphone can produce excellent results without the painful setup of more complex photography equipment.

If you use one of the best camera phones for astrophotography at night, always shoot in RAW if that’s an option, and know that you’ll be limited by a relatively small sensor and a fixed lens. It’s also highly recommended to find a universal smartphone clamp and a tripod, which will massively improve results, though few smartphone users ever do this. Smartphones offer a surprisingly capable starting point for astrophotography, and serve as a reminder that the hobby is at least as much about technique as it is about equipment.

2. Mirrorless or DSLR camera on a tripod

This is where most astrophotographers begin, and it remains one of the most versatile and rewarding approaches. With one of the best cameras for astrophotography, whether that's a mirrorless or DSLR camera, a wide-angle lens on its widest aperture and a sturdy tripod, you can photograph starry skies and, if you get the timing right, the Milky Way (generally April through September).

Since Earth rotates, the time you can expose for is limited to 25-30 seconds (the wider your lens, the longer), but it’s possible to get some exquisite shots. It’s wise to emphasize composition, pairing the sky with a landscape, foreground interest or city skyline — and to always shoot in RAW to make post-processing easier — but once you’ve mastered the basics, the same techniques will allow you to image aurora and even meteor showers.

3. Mirrorless or DSLR camera on a star tracker

Once you’ve learned the fundamentals of night-sky photography, you can begin experimenting with specialist equipment — and it’s one of the best star trackers that is often the first significant upgrade for astrophotographers.

Compact motorized mounts that rotate in sync with the sky to compensate for Earth’s rotation, star trackers allow much longer exposures without star trailing. That means brighter, more colorful stars and much more light and detail from faint objects, such as the Milky Way and nearby nebulae. Exposure times can stretch to minutes, and ISO can be lowered to create cleaner images that allow much more post-processing. Sounds simple? Unfortunately, it’s not, with polar alignment required before you begin shooting, which can be challenging in the Northern Hemisphere if you don’t know where Polaris, the North Star, is (and even harder in the Southern Hemisphere, where there is no South Star). However, with a bit of practice, these fairly portable (though often heavy) contraptions bridge the gap between casual night photography and more serious astrophotography.

4. Smart telescope

These all-in-one systems — which can be as small and portable as a camera body — combine a small telescope, an image sensor, filters, a motorized mount and image-processing software into a single unit controlled by a smartphone or tablet.

Rather than taking a single long exposure, smart telescopes capture many short exposures and automatically stack them to reduce noise and increase detail and color, gradually revealing a color image of a galaxy, nebula, star cluster or the moon and sun (planets are largely beyond their skill).

Alignment, tracking and processing are automatic, making them so easy to use. Some are so small that they are ideal travel gadgets. However, their stacking and filters make them perfect for revealing deep-sky objects from light-polluted cities and suburbs, where astrophotographers are often left frustrated.

For beginners who want results quickly, or observers short on time, smart telescopes can be an effective solution — but creative control is mostly sacrificed.

5. Deep-sky imaging with a telescope

If you want complete creative control and the ability to shoot exquisite images of deep-sky objects, arm yourself with a telescope, an astronomy camera and a laptop — then find dark skies and hope for favorable weather. With a camera attached directly to a telescope, small, faint objects — such as distant galaxies and planetary nebulae — come into view, though the equipment required can be daunting. As well as choosing a telescope, these setups typically involve an equatorial mount, guiding systems, filters and specialist software. They reward patience and careful planning with highly detailed images, but demand significant time, money and technical knowledge.

Camera, lens and starting camera settings to use for astrophotography

With the right settings and a little patience, almost any mirrorless camera can capture the night sky — but mastering its basics takes a bit of patience. Start by switching to manual mode and shooting in RAW.

Armed with one of the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astro (14mm to 24mm are favored), put the camera on a tripod (use the camera’s self-timer, a shutter release cable or an intervalometer to reduce vibrations) and set the lens to the widest possible aperture — usually between f/1.4 and f/2.8 — and focus manually on a star or a distant light using live view, zooming in until it appears as small and sharp as possible.

Now comes the fun part — finding a balance between ISO and shutter speed. A good place to start is ISO 800 (for the cleanest possible shots), but depending on your camera, you can go way higher, beyond ISO 6400 on newer models. Shutter speeds typically range from 10 to 25 seconds when using wide-angle lenses, depending on focal length (longer lenses require shorter exposures to avoid star trailing).

Once you’ve found the ideal settings, you can move the rig around as you search for the perfect composition, remembering that images of stars are rather dull — it’s a fabulous foreground that you need for a great shot. Think of a starry sky around a building, a mountain or a tree.

A good, alternative hybrid setup

Astrophotography doesn’t need to mean a complex, expensive setup that’s only good for one thing. For photographers who want one kit that works day and night, a mirrorless camera, a fast wide-angle lens and a tripod form an excellent hybrid setup that’s inexpensive and portable. When you’ve mastered the basics, progress to a star tracker and gradually progress into deeper astrophotography without abandoning everyday shooting.

Whether you start with a smartphone, a tripod-mounted camera or a smart telescope, the ingredients of great astrophotography never change — dark skies, patience, composition and time spent practicing under the stars.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

The night sky has long sparked wonder and curiosity. Early civilizations studied the stars and tracked celestial events, predicted eclipses and used their observations to construct calendars, develop maps and formulate religious rituals.

Scholars widely agree that astronomy is a gateway science – that it inspires a core human interest in science among people of all ages, from senior citizens to schoolchildren. Helping young people tap into their excitement about the night sky helps them build confidence and opens career pathways they may not have considered before.

Yet today the night sky is often hidden from view. Almost all Americans live under light-polluted skies, and only 1 in 5 people in North America can see the Milky Way. When people live in areas where the night sky is clearer, they tend to express a greater wonder about the universe. Altogether, this means communities with less light pollution have great potential to educate the next generation of scientists.

Rural communities have some of the darkest skies in the country, making them perfect for stargazing. Yet while students in rural areas are in the optimal physical environment to be inspired by the night sky, they are the most in need of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education resources to support their interests and build the confidence they need to pursue careers in science.

Stargazing, finding constellations and watching meteor showers as a kid inspired my own sense of awe around the vastness of space and possibilities in our universe. Now, I'm the executive director of the Smithsonian's Scientists Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools, or STARS, a new program led by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, that delivers telescopes and associated lesson plans to rural schools across the United States, free of charge. I'm working to share my excitement and wonder with students in rural areas.

Why hands-on STEM learning matters

Students need direct exposure to STEM careers and hands-on experiences that help them learn the skills they will need to pursue these careers on their own. Hands-on activities ground new knowledge in ways that lectures and reading often cannot. Experiential opportunities connect what may be distant or abstract concepts to clear, tangible, real-world skills. This experiential learning improves students’ understanding of astronomy content and increases their motivation to learn.

Telescopes are important tools for astronomy that scientists use all the time. When students use telescopes as part of their learning, they are experiencing real techniques that scientists use. Using a telescope brings the viewer closer to fantastic celestial objects – allowing them to see galaxies, nebulas, planets, the moon and the sun, with solar filter protection, more closely or in greater detail.

There is nothing quite like seeing the soaring peaks and shadowed valleys of the moon, or the distinct ring structure of Saturn, or endless other astronomical objects, through a telescope lens. This inspiration can motivate students to use their curiosity to explore the universe and see STEM careers as potential pathways.

Rural STEM education

The National Rural Education Association's Why Rural Matters 2023 report estimates that there are 9.5 million students attending school in rural areas in the U.S., across more than 32,000 schools. This is more students than the student population of the 100 largest U.S. school districts combined.

While rural communities around the country all look different, they can face similar challenges: limited access to broadband internet, reduced state funding support and restricted geographical access to field trip opportunities, such as museums. Why Rural Matters found, on average, that 13.4% of rural households have a limited internet connection, and for some states this increases to 20%.

Each state distributes their education funding differently. The percentage allocated to rural schools varies from state to state, ranging from 5% to 50% of the total funding, which results in a wide range of money spent per student. Nonrural districts spend an average of US$500 more per student than rural districts. Looking state by state, however, this disparity climbs into the thousands of dollars.

Given their remote locations, rural areas host only 1 in 4 museums in the United States. Only 12% of children's museums are in rural areas.

Educators may also consider STEM topics daunting. Many teachers do not feel adequately prepared or confident to introduce these topics to students. In other situations, there simply aren't enough teachers to cover these topics. Shortages of STEM-focused teachers occur at some of the highest rates in rural districts, reducing rural students' access to these subjects.

These reasons are why, through the STARS program, we give teachers access to a national community of practice that supports peer sharing and participation, alongside the telescope and science-aligned lesson plans. The lesson plans will be available online for anyone to use later this spring, whether or not they are part of the program.

STARS isn't the only program connecting students with the night sky. Teachers, parents and students can also participate in national activities such as Observe the Moon Night and Globe at Night, and local activities, like their local amateur astronomy clubs.

Opportunities to observe the sky with telescopes lead to an improvement in learning outcomes and STEM identity, and rural schools are uniquely situated to introduce students to the night sky. With a little extra support, through community events and educational programs, these schools have the opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

After a string of dramatic failures, the huge Starship rocket from SpaceX had a fully successful test on Oct. 13, 2025. A couple more test flights, and SpaceX plans to launch it into orbit.

A month later, a rival rocket company, Blue Origin, flew its almost-as-large New Glenn rocket all the way to orbit and sent spacecraft on their way to Mars.

While these successful flights are exciting news for future missions to the Moon as well as other planets, I've argued for several years that these superheavy-lift rockets can also boost research in my own specialty, astronomy – the study of stars and galaxies far beyond our solar system – to new heights.

Taking the broad view

Why do I say that? Astronomy needs space. Getting above the atmosphere allows telescopes to detect vastly more of the electromagnetic spectrum than visible light alone. At these heights, telescopes can detect light at much longer and shorter wavelengths, which are otherwise blocked by Earth's atmosphere.

To get an idea of how that has enriched astronomy, imagine listening to someone play the piano, but only in one octave. The music would sound much richer if they used the full keyboard.

With the broader spectrum in view, astronomers can see objects in the sky that are much colder than stars, but also objects that are far hotter.

How much cooler and hotter? The hottest stars you can see in visible light are about 10 times hotter than the coolest. With the whole infrared-to-X-ray spectrum, the temperatures that come into view can be 1,000 times colder or 1,000 times hotter than regular stars.

Scientists have had nearly 50 years of access to the full light spectrum with sets of increasingly powerful telescopes. Alas, this access has come at an ever-increasing cost, too. The newest telescope is the spectacular James Webb Space Telescope, which cost about US$10 billion and detects a portion of the infrared spectrum. At that forbidding price, NASA can't afford to match Webb across the spectrum by building its full infrared and X-ray siblings.

We'll have to wait a long time even for one more. The estimated date to launch the next "Great Observatory" is a distant 2045 and may be later. The range of notes astronomers can play will shrink, along with our views of the universe.

Escaping the trap with heavy-lift vehicles

These new rockets give us a chance to escape this trap. For the same cost, they can send about 10 times more mass to orbit, and they have bodies about twice as wide, compared with the rockets that have been in use for decades.

Mass matters because telescopes contain heavy mirrors, and the bigger the mirror, the better they work. For example, building Webb's large mirror meant finding a way to make a superb mirror that was 10 times lighter in weight per square meter than the already lightweight Hubble mirror. The engineers found a solution that was technically sweet but financially costly.

Similarly, the size of the rocket's body matters because to fit Webb's 21-foot-diameter mirror (6.5 meters) into the 13-foot-diameter body (4 meters) of its ride, the Ariane V rocket, it had to fold up like origami for launch. Normally, space missions try to avoid any moving parts, but for Webb they had no choice.

Again, the result was a technical triumph, but the complexity introduced over 300 places where one mistake could have ended the mission. Each one of the over 300 locations had to be 300 times less likely to fail than if there had been only one, pumping up the design, manufacturing and testing requirements – and inflating the cost.

The larger, wider Starship and New Glenn rockets mean that building a Webb-like space telescope today could be done with none of the origami-like folding and unfolding, with their attendant risks, and so be much cheaper.

New ideas

This opportunity is being seized by at least three teams. First, a proposed deep infrared telescope called Origins would take advantage of superheavy lift. Scientists at Caltech are studying a potential smaller version called Prima.

Second, an X-ray telescope that can take pictures as sharp as Webb – with a sensitivity to match – would likely use thicker and heavier mirrors than imagined just a few years ago.

And third, a study published in 2025 proposes a very low-frequency radio telescope, GO-LoW, that also takes advantage of using more mass. GO-LoW would be made of 100,000 tiny telescopes, so mass production savings kick in too.

All three of these telescopes would be easily 100 times more sensitive than their predecessors and at least comparable to Webb in their own bands of the spectrum.

It would be ideal if engineers could get these telescopes down to half the cost of a large observatory like Webb. Then, for the same price, NASA could fly two new Great Observatories instead of resigning itself to building one. If it could get the cost down to a third, it could potentially fly a full spectrum-spanning set.

Big challenges, big payoff

Of course, a lot could go wrong. For one thing, these rockets may not perform as advertised, either in capability or cost. Still, investing in a few starting studies won't cost much and will likely have a big payoff.

For another, like the poet Goethe on his deathbed, we astronomers will always be asking for "more light." But if we call for yet bigger and more complex telescopes than the already awesome Great Observatories recommended by the National Academies 2020 Astronomy Survey, then we will bring back all the costly issues faced by the Webb designers.

Space agencies have the challenge of keeping the astronomers' endless desires under strict control – building to cost must come first.

But if agencies can keep astronomers' ambitions from becoming too astronomical, while taking full advantage of the new design space opened up by the superheavy-lift rockets, then our understanding of the universe could advance beyond imagination in just a decade or so.

SUNRIVER, Oregon  — Perfectly perched amid an expansive plateau of sagebrush, Ponderosa pines, and juniper trees in Central Oregon's High Desert, the Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory offers exceptional vantage points to observe all the wonders of the heavens.

During a recent visit, I was invited to join Observatory Manager Paul Poncy and visiting guests for a grand tour of the facility, which claims to offer the largest collection of publicly-available telescopes in the United States. The Sunriver community is designated as an International Dark Sky Place., with the actual observatory an affiliate member of Oregon's NASA Space Grant Consortium.

On multiple evenings each week, the private, non-profit Sunriver Observatory hosts spectacular nighttime stargazing opportunities just a few minutes from the majestic Sunriver Lodge and Resort, which is currently resplendent in its fairyland of holiday lights surrounding the golf course and adjacent grounds. Winding around vacation condos and second homes, the road to my destination was soon blanketed in darkness when suddenly habitats vanished as the domed venue appeared up ahead like a spaceship plunked down in a vast flat field.

Upon arrival, Paul Poncy greeted me at the crimson-lit check-in podium beside the parking lot where myself and a few dozen visitors were zipped up for the nippy December weather. Everyone was presented with a red-hued plastic glowstrip to attach to wrists or parkas or shoelaces to aid in nocturnal navigation and soon directed down a pathway past the closed Nature Center.

Staff specialist Bradley McLain delivered a pre-show talk inside a meeting room where nearly 50 people, some coughing and sneezing with mild winter colds, watched a slideshow explaining the basic nature and types of galaxies accompanied by some stunning galactic shots captured by the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes.

Following the 25-minute informative presentation, we all marched back outside guided by the collective glow of red bracelets and entered the main observatory with its central main telescope and two side-wing rooms with rollback roofs lit around the perimeter with red lamps. In each of the viewing areas exposed to the sky, a half-dozen large white telescopes had been set up beforehand, complete with stepladders to reach eyepieces already zeroed in on a planet or galaxy.

Constructed in 1991 by Larry Pratt, the Sunriver Observatory was helmed by local astronomy legend and NASA Solar System Ambassador Bob Grossfeld for more than three decades. Under Grossfeld's careful direction this humble little observatory was eventually named the first International Dark Sky Place in Oregon in 2020.

Solar viewing is also an eye-opening daytime activity the center offers, and the staff recently upgraded their primary solar telescope in November by installing a new Lunt Calcium K module to observe different layers of the sun and solar activity on the surface in far greater detail by utilizing this filter.

"The main telescope in the original dome is a Ritchey-Chretien with a 20-inch aperture, and it's a very flexible telescope," Observatory Assistant Manager Alex Yeager told Space.com. "It can zoom out pretty well, even though it's a very long focal-length telescope, so it can range from doing things like the Orion Nebula to doing Saturn.

"Tonight we were able to see a few different types of nebulas like a planetary nebula called the Ring Nebula, then we saw a supernova remnant called the Veil Nebula, the Witch's Broom portion of it, and then we saw a star-forming region in the Orion Nebula. And the Geminids Meteor Shower was surprisingly large, and those are fun ones because they're rocky and they burn up for a really long time."

In the near-dark, bathed in red lamps like submariners during a torpedo attack, it's a bit tricky finding the correct eyepiece in each of these intricate devices. More than a few newbie folks incorrectly stared into the spotting scope and were slightly confused why they couldn’t see anything, until one of the student volunteers wearing illuminated name tags corrected us. Yes, I admit it. I was one of those poor souls hopelessly gazing in the wrong spot!

The experience was heightened by the fact that it was a moonless night just 48 hours before an atmospheric river was to descend on Oregon for the next few days with its blanket of rain-bearing clouds which would have made stargazing extremely difficult as might be expected.

This was also the ideal night to explore the Sunriver Observatory and Nature Center, not just because of the ultra-dry December chill, but Dec. 14 was also the height of the Geminid Meteor Shower and our bundled-up group shuffling from one telescope to the next were treated to more than a dozen shooting stars streaking across the sky, especially during the laser-guided constellation tour hosted by Yeager out on the expansive patio under yawning, wide-open skies.

"Winter can be really nice because we still get clear skies in Central Oregon but a cold crisp night is when you get you best viewing," he notes. "Planets are starting to rise right now high in the sky so we have a great view of Saturn, and Jupiter is now here at the end of our programs. We also get galaxies coming up like the Andromeda galaxy, the closest galaxy to us, and it's huge. We're just approaching to where we can get some of the other showcase galaxies. We’re on the cusp of two seasons so we did get an good example of each type of object."

With the dreaded light pollution continuing to encroach upon all corners of the globe, the need to preserve dark skies becomes essential to maintain an elemental connection to our universe and our small but significant role in its complex cosmic beauty. As a dedicated student of this scientific field, it's an issue Yeager remains passionate about.

"You can definitely tell when people come from a place where they can't see stars," he adds. "Because even on a night with a moon they'll look up and be amazed at how many there are. I've heard so many times, 'It's like they're in our lap!' With Sunriver and their lighting practices, that actually started as a way to help out with nature and night pollinators. It was a nice benefit that ended up being good for astronomy. Then light pollution started getting higher and higher. People like looking at the night sky.

"It's one of the big reasons to come to live and visit Bend. It's hard to get it back once you lose it. We're never going to turn Manhattan into a dark sky area. But as Bend and La Pine build up, it's easier to shield lighting and try to preserve it as much as possible and still be able to see at night."

As the program came to a close and temperatures continued to drop towards freezing, patrons lined up for one last look. Six-year-old Lucas Kincaid of Molalla, Oregon stood with his family to take a final peek in the hulking main telescope beneath the dome in anxious anticipation, snug in his furry hooded jacket like a hibernating bear cub about to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

"I saw something blue and also Saturn," he exclaimed. "I've never seen a telescope this big!"

It was an exhilarating evening that was both educational and inspiring in this Season of Lights. If your future travel plans find you in Central Oregon at any time this holiday season or in the new year, a stimulating visit to the Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory is well worth the time. Reservations are required for the Sunriver Observatory’s 90-minute Winter In-Depth Program and more information on prices and year-round times can be found on their official website.

PHOENIX, Arizona — On Wednesday (Jan. 7), scientists made a major announcement at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society: Four next-gen telescopes have secured private funding, and they should roll out at a very rapid pace. Three are ground-based scope arrays and one is a space observatory named Lazuli that would have 70% more collecting area than the Hubble Space Telescope. If all goes to plan, Lazuli could launch as soon as 2029.

"We're going to do it in three years, and we're going to do it for a ridiculously low price," Pete Klupar, executive director of the Lazuli project, said during the conference.

The announcement comes from Schmidt Sciences, a philanthropic organization forged by Wendy Schmidt and Eric Schmidt, the latter of whom was CEO of Google from 2001 to 2011. It's notable for a philanthropic organization to be the driving force behind so many big astronomy projects — with specific costs yet to be revealed — for a couple of reasons. For one, the Trump administration has become notorious over the last year for undermining science in different ways, like slashing science organization budgets (including NASA's, though Congress is fighting those cuts) and laying scientists off in hefty swaths at a time.

"Between the congestion of space and the tightening of government budgets, a storm of possibilities is formed," Klupar said. "If we stick to traditional timelines, we lose generations of data. On the other hand, we can't be slapdash. We must move forward, but we must not compromise on our mission success."

If everything works out, Lazuli will become the first privately funded space telescope in history. This is a big deal because, while we've seen commercial interests clearly permeate the space sector over the last several years, they haven't so much aligned with what some may call "science for science's sake" these days — at least not as strongly as the Schmidt Observatory System appears to.

Jeff Bezos' aerospace company Blue Origin, for instance, has been taking paying customers to the edge of space since 2021, and Elon Musk's SpaceX still has its eye on landing humans on Mars. The first private lunar lander made a touchdown on the moon just last year, and even climate-focused companies have sent private satellites to space in order to monitor our planet's health. But a powerful space telescope being funded without government assistance still seems like a shift.

"One of the reasons why we're better is because we have one shareholder. This eliminates analysis paralysis," Klupar said. "We've proven this model works in commercial spaceflight. It's been proven in the small [satellite] revolution. Now we're investigating how to apply those lessons to large-aperture astronomy."

To get into some specifics with Lazuli: The telescope will have a 3.1-meter-wide (10.2 feet) mirror, meaning it should capture 70% more light than the iconic Hubble Space Telescope. It is expected to provide quick observations across both near-infrared and optical wavelength bands, and will be placed into a lunar-resonant orbit, a known cost-effective and stable orbit option.

The telescope will have three instruments: a wide-field optical imager, an integral field spectrograph and a high-contrast coronagraph. Scientists are especially excited about the coronagraph, because this instrument can be used to directly image exoplanets.

"There's a lot of technology that we're going to demonstrate on Lazuli that will complement what [NASA's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope] is doing and help us find the path most quickly and efficiently to get to Earth-like planets around sun-like stars," Ewan Douglas of the University of Arizona said during the conference.

The other two instruments are really cool as well; they can both be used to dissect secrets of the cosmos, like the mystery of the universe's expansion rate (popularly called the Hubble Tension) and help with supernova modeling.

The three ground-based telescope projects that will be part of the Schmidt Observatory System include the Argus Array, the Deep Synoptic Array (DSA) and the Large Fiber Array Spectroscopic Telescope (LFAST).

The Argus Array, slated to be operational as early as 2028, will survey the sky in visible light with 1,200 small-aperture telescopes that work together to offer a combined collecting area equivalent to an 8-meter-class telescope. According to a description on the Schmidt Sciences website, Argus will offer an "instantaneous field of view of 8,000 square degrees" while scanning the sky and enable "exploration of the transient universe on approximately second-long timescales."

"When a multi-messenger event is detected, optical surveys have to slew to that position and start tiling over the uncertainty region. Argus takes a different approach with an overwhelmingly large field of view that eliminates the need to tile," Nicholas Law of the University of North Carolina said during the conference. (A “tile” in this case refers to one section of the sky covered by a detector. “Tiling” means combining different tiles to increase the accuracy of measurements.)

"In our fastest operation mode, we can take images as fast as once per second,” Law said.

The Deep Synoptic Array, meanwhile, will be built in Nevada and consist of 1,656 1.5-meter aperture telescopes and span an area of 20 kilometers by 16 kilometers (12.4 by 9.9 miles). Its specialty will be scanning the sky in radio bands, which can reveal radio sources like galaxy centers or black holes otherwise obscured by things like interstellar dust that can make them hard to detect in other wavelengths. It's expected to be operational by 2029.

"The DSA is unprecedented. It's an order of magnitude more service speed than any telescope, current or planned," Gregg Hallinan of the California Institute of Technology said during the conference. "To put it in context, every radio telescope ever built has detected about 10 million radio sources. We'll double that in the first 24 hours."

And finally, the LFAST telescope was described during the conference as "the telescope made out of many more telescopes." It's made of 20 modules with a combined collecting area equal to a telescope with a 3.5-meter (11.5 feet) mirror, according to the Schmidt Sciences website.

"We just heard about two facilities that are mostly designed to do surveys. And LFAST is a facility that we are building to do follow-up," Chad Bender of the University of Arizona said during the conference. "Because it's scalable, we can build it out as needed to support the science."

Another unique feature of LFAST is that it's an optical telescope without any large domes. "Domes are very expensive," Bender said. "But we still have to protect the mirrors — they're optical quality mirrors. So, we're building little mini domes — little cylinders, or canisters — around each telescope that fit within the frame."

"The questions that we're trying to answer are: How do we get bigger apertures, and how do we do it cheaper, and how do we do it faster?" Bender said.

Those questions seem to apply to the entire principle of Schmidt Sciences' observatory system project.

"This is an experiment in accelerating astrophysics discovery: What happens when we get technology into the hands of astronomers more quickly?" Arpita Roy, lead of the Astrophysics & Space Institute at Schmidt Sciences, said during the conference. "Our mandate, as we see it, is to build the enabling layer and open it up to all of you, to populate it with the science that will bring us into the next decade."

Long before space travel, we looked up and wondered. Telescopes became our first spacecraft — tools that let us explore the universe without leaving the ground.

Today, observatories span the globe, perched on remote peaks and buried underground, each one designed to peel back the layers of cosmic mystery.

But Earth isn't the only place we've set up shop. Space-based telescopes like Hubble, James Webb, and Chandra orbit far above the atmosphere, capturing images and data that ground-based scopes could only dream of. Together, these instruments have revealed black holes, distant galaxies and the birthplaces of stars.

Whether you're a casual stargazer or a full-blown astrophile, this quiz will challenge your cosmic curiosity and maybe even expand your mental field of view.

Try it out below and see how well you score!

Prime Day in October is coming to a close but these deals are still active, for now! We have rounded up the best deals across skywatching gear, cameras, Lego and drones for you to choose from. Some of these deals may last longer than Prime Day, which is ending tonight at midnight, but we would advise securing them now before they jump up in price.

Using the sidebar, you can jump straight to deals that are of interest to you. Whether that is a fancy new pair of Celestron binoculars, a Unistellar smart telescope or the infinitely cute Lego Grogu!

Best telescope deals

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Best camera deals

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Best star projector deals

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Amazon Prime Day in October is almost over, but these hot telescope deals are still active. There is something for everyone here, whether you are a beginner stargazer or a more seasoned astronomer. There is even a great deal on the brilliant Unistellar Odyssey Pro, which was one of the best smart telescopes for beating light pollution in a city.

Telescopes help us see objects in the night sky by gathering much more light than our eyes alone can manage. They allow us to see the moon in more detail, star clusters in high contrast and even glimpse rare sights like comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon). Check out the best telescope deals for Prime Day in October and grab one of these amazing optical instruments for less.

Best Prime Day in October telescope deals

Night after night in the dry air of Chile's Atacama Desert, fine dust and pollutants settle on the aluminum coating of the mirrors belonging to the Very Large Telescope, part of the European Southern Observatory (ESO). This process degrades the mirrors' reflectivity and clarity over time, so technicians regularly recoat and polish them to ensure the best precision.

What is it?

Keeping a 25-ton (23 metric tons) mirror in perfect condition is a delicate process. For light cleaning, technicians sometimes spray frozen carbon monoxide across the surface to dislodge the dust. Eventually, however, the thin aluminum coating has to be replaced.

After the mirror is painstakingly removed from its mount, engineers check for particles and chemically strip away the old layer of aluminum before adding a shiny new layer just 80 nanometers thick, a thousand times thinner than a human hair.

Where is it?

This image was taken at the VLT basecamp at the foot of Cerro Paranal.

Why is it amazing?

The VLT has delivered some of the most detailed observations of our universe. From imaging exoplanets to probing the environments around supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, the VLT has pushed the limits of what ground-based telescopes can achieve.

Want to learn more?

You can read more about the Very Large Telescope and other telescopes in Chile.

A hidden population of asteroids sharing Venus' orbit could threaten Earth in a few thousand years, and we might not even see them coming without better telescopes.

These so-called Venus co-orbital asteroids are currently undetected because of their alignment in the sky but could one day drift into Earth’s path, at least according to simulations combining analytical models and long-term orbital integration.

"Our study shows that there’s a population of potentially dangerous asteroids that we can’t detect with current telescopes," Valerio Carruba, first author and professor at São Paulo State University (UNESP), said in a statement.

Unlike asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter, these objects orbit the sun near Venus in a one-to-one resonance, completing one solar circuit in the same time as Venus. As such, these asteroids are only in the line-of-sight of a telescope when the telescope is pointed sunward, making it very difficult to see anything else but the bright yellow ball in the sky.

However, though 20 known Venus co-orbitals exist, nearly all of them exhibit eccentricities greater than 0.38, placing them partly outside the sunward observational blind spots, making them easier to detect during dawn and dusk observation windows. Models suggest a far larger cohort of low-eccentricity bodies orbit too tightly around the sun to be detected by ground telescopes — except under very specific conditions.

The newly operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory, for example, may only catch the brightest of these asteroids if they happen to stray more than 20 degrees above the horizon. The unstable nature of these objects' orbits, however, means there's no way to predict when that will happen, and Rubin can't just stare at the sun all year and wait for them to show up.

As such, the researchers propose using space-based instruments like NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor to better monitor the region to identify and track these co-orbitals.

This sounds like Venus' problem. Why are we concerned?

Researchers say their simulations show that asteroids up to 328 yards (300 meters) wide could be among these hidden co-orbitals, and that the push and pull of gravity in the region makes the eccentricities of these orbits unstable.

One orbit could see an asteroid keeping fairly close to Venus, while later orbits could put it dangerously close to Earth's, possibly every few thousand years or so. "During these transition phases, the asteroids can reach extremely small distances from Earth’s orbit, potentially crossing it," Carruba says.

If one of these particular asteroids ever gets pushed into Earth's path, an impact event could carve a crater 1.9 to 2.8 miles (3 to 4.5 kilometers) across and unleash energy on the order of hundreds of megatons.

"An impact in a densely populated area would cause large-scale devastation," Carruba says, adding "Planetary defense needs to consider not only what we can see, but also what we can’t yet see."

The study is described in a paper published in the July edition of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics

The Atacama desert is a hotspot for astronomy. With its dry thin air and lack of light pollution, it's a perfect place for some of the world's largest and most accurate telescopes.

Several of these telescopes are located atop mountains like Cerro Pachón and Cerro Tololo where the altitude allows for darker skies and less interference for astronomical measurements.

What is it?

Telescopes found at those two sites are part of the US National Science Foundations' NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), which is the national center for ground-based optical and infrared astronomy. Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Aastronomy (AURA) NOIRLab manages world-class observatories in both hemispheres.

NOIRLAb's mission is to enable breakthrough science with cutting-edge telescopes and instruments, as well as highlighting the human effort and infrastructure that make these discoveries possible.

Where is it?

According to NOIRLab, this image was taken from atop Cerro Pachón of the nearby Cerro Tololo.

Why is it amazing?

This long exposure image shows the bustle around Cerro Tololo, as headlights of cars illuminate a winding road across the mountain. On Cerro Tololo, nearly 40 telescopes at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) scan the skies.

Similarly, Cerro Pachón, where this photo was taken hosts major instruments like the Gemini South telescope and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

The glowing road between peaks shows the partnerships between facilities who work together to advance astronomy by looking at things from near-Earth objects to distant galaxies to dark matter.

Want to learn more?

You can read more about telescopes at Chile and NOIRLab.

Remote, freezing, and wrapped in mystery, Antarctica was the last continent to be explored and remains one of the most difficult environments on Earth to access. Its landscape of endless white, broken only by rocky outcrops and ice ridges, covers nearly 5.275 million square miles (14 million square kilometers), an area almost twice the size of Australia.

Yet this stark environment is far more than a frozen wasteland. Antarctica is one of Earth's most important natural laboratories. Its ice cores preserve climate records stretching back hundreds of thousands of years. Its skies, free from light pollution and featuring thin, dry air, give the perfect viewing conditions for astronomers.

What is it?

Rising out of the frozen plateau is the South Pole Telescope, a key tool for radio astronomy. Completed in 2007, the 33-ft (10 meters) radio telescope was designed to study faint microwave signals from the early universe, including the cosmic microwave background, the afterglow of the Big Bang.

Where is it?

The South Pole Telescope is located near the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

Why is it amazing?

Studying the cosmic microwave background helps answer fundamental questions about how the universe began, what it is made of and how it is evolving.

The South Pole Telescope has also helped astronomers probe the nature of dark energy, map galaxy clusters and help look at large-scale structures of the cosmos.

Want to learn more?

You can read more about the South Pole Telescope and radio telescopes.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Outdoor lighting for buildings, roads and advertising can help people see in the dark of night, but many astronomers are growing increasingly concerned that these lights could be blinding us to the rest of the universe.

An estimate from 2023 showed that the rate of human-produced light is increasing in the night sky by as much as 10% per year.

I'm an astronomer who has chaired a standing commission on astronomical site protection for the International Astronomical Union-sponsored working groups studying ground-based light pollution.

My work with these groups has centered around the idea that lights from human activities are now affecting astronomical observatories on what used to be distant mountaintops.

Hot science in the cold, dark night

While orbiting telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope or the James Webb Space Telescope give researchers a unique view of the cosmos – particularly because they can see light blocked by the Earth’s atmosphere – ground-based telescopes also continue to drive cutting-edge discovery.

Telescopes on the ground capture light with gigantic and precise focusing mirrors that can be 20 to 35 feet (6 to 10 meters) wide. Moving all astronomical observations to space to escape light pollution would not be possible, because space missions have a much greater cost and so many large ground-based telescopes are already in operation or under construction.

Around the world, there are 17 ground-based telescopes with primary mirrors as big or bigger than Webb's 20-foot (6-meter) mirror, and three more under construction with mirrors planned to span 80 to 130 feet (24 to 40 meters).

The newest telescope starting its scientific mission right now, the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile, has a mirror with a 28-foot diameter and a 3-gigapixel camera. One of its missions is to map the distribution of dark matter in the universe.

To do that, it will collect a sample of 2.6 billion galaxies. The typical galaxy in that sample is 100 times fainter than the natural glow in the nighttime air in the Earth's atmosphere, so this Rubin Observatory program depends on near-total natural darkness.

Any light scattered at night – road lighting, building illumination, billboards – would add glare and noise to the scene, greatly reducing the number of galaxies Rubin can reliably measure in the same time, or greatly increasing the total exposure time required to get the same result.

The LED revolution

Astronomers care specifically about artificial light in the blue-green range of the electromagnetic spectrum, as that used to be the darkest part of the night sky. A decade ago, the most common outdoor lighting was from sodium vapor discharge lamps. They produced an orange-pink glow, which meant that they put out very little blue and green light.

Even observatories relatively close to growing urban areas had skies that were naturally dark in the blue and green part of the spectrum, enabling all kinds of new observations.

Then came the solid-state LED lighting revolution. Those lights put out a broad rainbow of color with very high efficiency – meaning they produce lots of light per watt of electricity. The earliest versions of LEDs put out a large fraction of their energy in the blue and green, but advancing technology now gets the same efficiency with "warmer" lights that have much less blue and green.

Nevertheless, the formerly pristine darkness of the night sky now has much more light, particularly in the blue and green, from LEDs in cities and towns, lighting roads, public spaces and advertising.

The broad output of color from LEDs affects the whole spectrum, from ultraviolet through deep red.

The U.S. Department of Energy commissioned a study in 2019 which predicted that the higher energy efficiency of LEDs would mean that the amount of power used for lights at night would go down, with the amount of light emitted staying roughly the same.

But satellites looking down at the Earth reveal that just isn't the case. The amount of light is going steadily up, meaning that cities and businesses were willing to keep their electricity bills about the same as energy efficiency improved, and just get more light.

Natural darkness in retreat

As human activity spreads out over time, many of the remote areas that host observatories are becoming less remote. Light domes from large urban areas slightly brighten the dark sky at mountaintop observatories up to 200 miles (320 kilometers) away. When these urban areas are adjacent to an observatory, the addition to the skyglow is much stronger, making detection of the faintest galaxies and stars that much harder.

When the Mt. Wilson Observatory was constructed in the Angeles National Forest near Pasadena, California, in the early 1900s, it was a very dark site, considerably far from the 500,000 people living in Greater Los Angeles. Today, 18.6 million people live in the LA area, and urban sprawl has brought civilization much closer to Mt. Wilson.

When Kitt Peak National Observatory was first under construction in the late 1950s, it was far from metro Tucson, Arizona, with its population of 230,000. Today, that area houses 1 million people, and Kitt Peak faces much more light pollution.

Even telescopes in darker, more secluded regions – like northern Chile or western Texas – experience light pollution from industrial activities like open-pit mining or oil and gas facilities.

The case of the European Southern Observatory

An interesting modern challenge is facing the European Southern Observatory, which operates four of the world's largest optical telescopes. Their site in northern Chile is very remote, and it is nominally covered by strict national regulations protecting the dark sky.

AES Chile, an energy provider with strong U.S. investor backing, announced a plan in December 2024 for the development of a large industrial plant and transport hub close to the observatory. The plant would produce liquid hydrogen and ammonia for green energy.

Even though formally compliant with the national lighting norm, the fully built operation could scatter enough artificial light into the night sky to turn the current observatory’s pristine darkness into a state similar to some of the legacy observatories now near large urban areas.

This light pollution could mean the facility won't have the same ability to detect and measure the faintest galaxies and stars.

Light pollution doesn't only affect observatories. Today, around 80% of the world’s population cannot see the Milky Way at night. Some Asian cities are so bright that the eyes of people walking outdoors cannot become visually dark-adapted.

In 2009, the International Astronomical Union declared that there is a universal right to starlight. The dark night sky belongs to all people – its awe-inspiring beauty is something that you don’t have to be an astronomer to appreciate.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

If you happen to find yourself in the Southern Hemisphere with binoculars and a good view of the night sky on a dark and clear summer night, you might just be able to spot the Sculptor galaxy. And if your eyes were prisms that could separate light into the thousands of colors making it up, then congratulations: After hours of staring, you could have recreated the newest image of one of the nearest neighbors to our Milky Way galaxy.

This is not just another stunningly gorgeous picture of a nearby galaxy. Because it reveals the type of light coming from each location in the galaxy, this image of the Sculptor galaxy is a treasure trove of information that astronomers around the world cannot wait to pick apart.

As an astronomy Ph.D. student at Ohio State University, I (Rebecca) am one of the lucky people who gets to stare at this image for hours every day, alongside my adviser (Adam), discovering meaning behind the beauty everyone can appreciate.

Creating the image

The Sculptor galaxy lies 11 million light-years from the Milky Way. This may sound unfathomably far, but it actually makes Sculptor one of the closest galaxies to Earth.

For this reason, Sculptor has been the primary target for many observations. In 2022, an international team of scientists observed Sculptor with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, MUSE, on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, and publicly released the data this June.

Most astronomical observations obtain either an image of a single color of light – for example, red or blue – or a spectrum, which splits the light coming from the whole galaxy into many different colors.

MUSE, conveniently, does both, producing a spectrum at every location it observes. One observation creates thousands of images in thousands of colors, each tracing the critical components that make up the galaxy: stars, dust and gas.

It may look like only one picture, but this image of Sculptor is actually over 100 individual observations and 8 million individual spectra, painstakingly stitched together to reveal millions of stars all in one cohesive galaxy.

Scientific significance

The light associated with the stars in Sculptor is colored white, and gas made up of charged particles is colored red. The largest concentration of both is found in the spiral arms. At the very center of the galaxy is a nuclear starburst: a region of extreme star formation that is blowing material out of the galaxy.

There is even information in the absence of light. Dust obscures light emitted from behind it, creating a shadow effect called dust lanes. Tracing these dust lanes reveals the cold, dense material that exists between stars. Scientists believe this dark material is the fuel that will form the next generation of stars.

There is a lot to look at in this image, but the subject of my work and what I find most interesting is the gas illuminated in red. In these star-forming regions, young and massive stars excite the gas around them, which then glows with a specific color to reveal the chemical makeup and physical conditions of the gas.

This image represents one of the first times that astronomers have obtained images of thousands of star-forming regions at this impressive level of detail. A component of our team’s research uses the data from MUSE to understand how these regions are structured and how they interact with the surrounding galaxy.

By meticulously piecing all of this information together, astronomers can use this image to learn more about the formation and evolution of stars across the universe.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

This buying guide highlights the best tabletop telescopes for 2025, focusing on compact, portable models that deliver stellar performance without bulky setups.

Whether you're a beginner, a parent seeking a kid-friendly scope, or an astrophotographer chasing crisp deep-sky images, our curated list has you covered. We’ve scoured company websites and expert reviews to recommend top picks like the Vaonis Vespera II for unmatched smart imaging and the Celestron FirstScope 76 for young explorers.

From smart scopes to traditional Dobsonians, we’ll break down specifications, pros, and cons to help you choose the perfect model for your stargazing needs, ensuring portability and ease of use for all skill levels. But if you're looking to play the field, telescope-wise, then take a look at our guide to the best telescopes overall for a wider view of the telescope market. We also have a guide to the best small telescopes that are perfect for taking to dark sky sites and getting crystal clear stellar views.

The quick list

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Best tabletop telescopes we recommend in 2025

Best overall

The Vaonis Vespera II, priced at $1,590, redefines tabletop telescopes with its smart, automated design. Its 50mm aperture and 250mm focal length, paired with an 8.3-megapixel Sony IMX585 sensor, produce crisp images of deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula (M42).

The CovalENS mosaic mode boosts resolution to 24MP, expanding the field of view to 2.5 x 1.4 degrees—ideal for wide-field astrophotography. Controlled via the Singularity app, it auto-aligns, tracks, and stacks images, making it beginner-friendly yet powerful for veterans. Its 25GB storage holds thousands of images, but the 4-hour battery life may require a power bank for extended sessions.

Weighing 11 lbs, it’s portable but lacks a standard tripod, an extra $100-$149 cost. Light pollution filters enhance performance in urban areas, capturing pin-sharp galaxies despite streetlights. While excellent for nebulae and galaxies, its aperture and focal length limits planetary detail, making it less suited for that task.

• Read our full Vaonis Vespera II review

Best for kids

Priced at just $70, the Celestron FirstScope 76 is a Dobsonian-style Newtonian reflector designed for young astronomers. Its 76mm aperture and 300mm focal length deliver clear views of bright celestial objects.

Weighing just 4.3 lbs, it’s easy for kids to handle and set up without tools. A variety of tube exterior designs are available such as a lunar themed tube assembly. Two eyepieces (20mm and 4mm) provide 15x and 75x magnification, respectively, which is enough to show the lunar craters or Saturn’s rings. Its simplicity suits ages 8 and up, but don’t expect impressive views of fainter galaxies or nebulae.

• Read our full Celestron FirstScope 76 review

Best intermediate

The Celestron StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian, priced around $799, is a robust choice for intermediate astronomers. Its large 203mm aperture and 1200mm focal length deliver impressive views of galaxies, nebulae, and the moon & planets.

The StarSense app uses smartphone plate-solving to guide users to 40,000+ celestial objects, ideal for those with limited knowledge of find their way around the night sky. Weighing a rather hefty 44 lbs, it’s much less portable than others listed here but offers significantly more aperture.

Two eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) offer 48x and 120x magnification. While it excels for visual observing, its size and weight mean it’s far from being a ‘grab and go’ telescope.

• Read our full Celestron StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian review

Best for beginners

At $479, the Celestron StarSense Explorer 130mm Tabletop Dobsonian is tailored for beginners. Its 130mm aperture and 650mm focal length provide clear views of the moon, planets, and bright deep-sky objects like the Andromeda Galaxy, with a 1.5-degree field of view.

Weighing 15.2 lbs, it’s portable and sets up quickly on a tabletop. The StarSense app, using smartphone plate-solving accurately guides users to thousands of objects, making navigation intuitive.

Two supplied eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) deliver 26x and 65x magnification. While excellent for visual observation, its manual operation and smaller aperture limit its astrophotography potential.

Best smart telescope

Priced at an attractive $499, the ZWO Seestar S50 is a game-changer for budget-conscious astrophotographers. Its 50mm aperture and 250mm focal length, combined with a 2-megapixel Sony IMX462 sensor, capture decent images of nebulae and galaxies, with a 1.8 x 1.0-degree field of view.

The Seestar app enables Wi-Fi control, auto-centering, and image stacking, ideal for beginners. Its 64GB storage holds ample data, and the 6-hour battery supports long imaging sessions.

Weighing just 5.5 lbs, it includes a tripod and solar filter, enhancing portability and versatility. However, the 2MP sensor produces somewhat lower resolution images compared to premium models, and planetary details are underwhelming.

• Read our full ZWO Seestar S50 review

Best for image capture

The ZWO Seestar S30, retailing at a remarkable $399, is the smallest smart telescope in this guide and the lowest cost such telescope available on the current market. Its 30mm aperture and 150mm focal length, paired with a 2-megapixel Sony IMX462 sensor, offer a wide 2.9 x 1.6-degree field of view, ideal for capturing large deep-sky objects like the Pleiades.

At 3.6 lbs, it’s highly portable, fitting easily into a backpack. The Seestar app provides Wi-Fi control, auto-tracking, and image stacking, with 64GB storage and a 6-hour battery life.

While its affordability and portability shine, the smaller aperture and low-resolution sensor produce less detailed images than the S50 or Vespera II, and planets appear tiny, though reasonable detail is visible when imaging the moon.

Best tabletop telescopes: Comparison

The best tabletop telescopes for stargazing: Frequently Asked Questions

How we test

Our telescope evaluations combine hands-on testing, online research, and expert level experience. We assess key features like aperture, focal ratio, mount stability, and optical quality to give a well-rounded view. The author’s extensive use of countless different telescopes including some of the models in this review also helps forms our insights. We also analyze user reviews from various platforms and retail sites to gauge real-world user experience. This rigorous approach ensures our recommendations meet diverse needs, from beginners to advanced imagers.

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Astrophotography transforms distant celestial wonders into stunning images, and choosing the right telescope is key to success. This guide highlights the best telescopes for astrophotography in 2025, tailored for beginners to seasoned imagers.

We’ve curated a list based on performance, versatility, and value, drawing from company specifications and expert insights. From planetary detail to sprawling nebulas, our selections cover diverse needs. Whether you’re chasing sharp star clusters or vibrant deep-sky objects, our recommendations ensure quality results.

Veteran Astro-imager Damian Peach, our contributing expert, shares why each model excels: “These telescopes balance precision optics with user-friendly features, empowering astrophotographers to capture the universe’s beauty with clarity and ease.”

If imaging isn't your thing, or you just want to take a look at a variety of telescopes before taking the plunge, then be sure to read our full guide to the best telescopes overall. Some smart telescopes offer easy astrophotography ability so you may want to check out our best smart telescopes guide too.

The quick list

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Best telescopes for astrophotography in 2025

Best overall

The Celestron Advanced VX 8-inch EdgeHD is a powerhouse for astrophotography, blending advanced optics with a sturdy computerized mount. Its 203.2mm aperture captures ample light, ideal for detailed images of galaxies, nebulas, and planets. The 2032mm focal length at f/10 provides high magnification for small objects, while optional focal reducers (f/7) or Fastar (f/2) configurations broaden its scope for wide-field imaging.

StarBright XLT coatings enhance light transmission to 97.4%, ensuring vibrant, high-contrast images. The German equatorial mount, equipped with All-Star Polar Alignment and Celestron PWI software, offers precise tracking for long exposures, crucial for deep-sky work.

At 47 pounds, it’s less portable but excels in permanent setups. Users praise its flat field, free of coma, delivering pinpoint stars across large sensors. Setup takes about 20 minutes, with SkyAlign technology simplifying alignment by targeting three bright objects.

For astrophotographers seeking a balance of power and versatility, this telescope is a top contender, though beginners may find its complexity a little daunting.

• Read our full Celestron Advanced VX 8-inch HD review

Best smart telescope

The Celestron Origin Intelligent Home Observatory redefines astrophotography with its all-in-one design. Its 152mm Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph (RASA) at f/2.2 captures vast swaths of the night sky, ideal for nebulas and galaxies.

The 335mm focal length ensures a wide field, perfect for large targets like the North America Nebula. Controlled via a smartphone app, it automates alignment, target selection, and image stacking, delivering polished results without manual tweaking. StarBright XLT coatings boost light transmission, yielding bright, detailed images in relatively short exposures.

At 41.6 pounds, it’s portable for a smart telescope, though its $3,999 price tag reflects its advanced tech. The alt-azimuth mount tracks smoothly for up to 30-minute exposures, but it’s not suited for high-magnification planetary work.

Users report setup times under 10 minutes, with the app guiding novices through the process. For those prioritizing convenience and speed, the Origin is a game-changer, though traditionalists may prefer more hands-on systems.

• Read our full Celestron Nexstar 8SE review

Best classic astro

The Sky-Watcher Quattro 150P is a favorite among budget-conscious astrophotographers for its super-fast f/4 optics with high-quality ED Coma Corrector and 150mm aperture, delivering bright, detailed images of nebulas and galaxies.

Its 600mm focal length provides a wide field, capturing large targets in a single frame. The included high-quality Coma Corrector gives sharp stars across wide fields and an even faster F/3.45 system.

Weighing just 12.6 pounds, it’s easy to transport, but as an optical tube assembly (OTA), it requires a separate equatorial mount, such as the Sky-Watcher EQ6-R, for tracking. The dual-speed focuser, while functional, may need upgrading for heavy imaging setups.

Users report excellent color correction and tight stars, with exposures as short as 30 seconds yielding impressive results. Setup is straightforward and its affordability—often under $500—makes it accessible, though beginners may need to invest in additional gear. For deep-sky enthusiasts, the Quattro 150P punches above its weight, rivaling pricier models.

Best for planets

The Celestron C11 EdgeHD is a planetary imaging titan, boasting a large 280mm aperture and 2800mm focal length for jaw-dropping detail within Jupiter’s belts, Saturn’s rings, and lunar craters. Its f/10 focal ratio delivers high magnification, while StarBright XLT coatings maximize light transmission for crisp, vibrant images.

The aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain design ensures a flat field, free of coma or curvature, ideal for larger sensors. At 28 pounds, it’s hefty, requiring a robust mount like the Celestron CGX for stable tracking during long exposures.

Fastar compatibility allows f/2 imaging with an optional lens system, adding versatility. Users report setup times of 15-20 minutes, with precise focusing critical for planetary work. Priced around $4,000, it’s a premium OTA, but its light-gathering power—four times that of a 5-inch scope—makes it unmatched for small, bright targets.

Beginners may find its cost and weight prohibitive, but for dedicated planetary imagers, the C11 EdgeHD is a dream instrument that will provide a lifetime of enjoyment.

Best for nebulas

The William Optics RedCat 51 is a compact apochromatic refractor designed for wide-field astrophotography, excelling at capturing sprawling nebulas like the Veil or North America Nebula. Its 51mm f/4.9 Petzval lens, with a 250mm focal length, produces sharp, color-corrected images across a 45mm image circle, compatible with full-frame sensors.

Top-quality optics eliminate chromatic aberration, delivering pinpoint stars and vibrant colors. At just 3.9 pounds, it pairs well with lightweight mounts like the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer, making it ideal for travel. The internal focus design (WIFD) ensures smooth, sag-free focusing, even with heavy cameras. Priced around $1,500, it’s a premium choice, but users rave about its no-fuss setup and exceptional sharpness.

The small aperture does limit light-gathering for faint objects somewhat, requiring longer exposures for pleasing results. For astrophotographers chasing wide-field masterpieces, the RedCat 51’s portability and optical quality are hard to beat, though it’s less well suited for planetary or high-magnification work.

Best for smartphone astrophotography

The Celestron NexStar 8SE is a beginner-friendly telescope optimized for smartphone astrophotography, particularly for bright targets like the moon and planets. Its 203.2mm aperture and 2032mm focal length at f/10 deliver detailed, high-magnification images, enhanced by StarBright XLT coatings for 97.4% light transmission.

The computerized alt-azimuth mount, with a 40,000-object database and SkyAlign technology, locates targets in seconds. Pair it with the Celestron NexYZ smartphone adapter for easy smartphone astro-shots, though the alt-az mount limits deep-sky exposures without a wedge.

At 33 pounds, it’s portable but requires eight AA batteries, lasting around 2-4 hours, or an optional power tank. Users praise its sharp images and ease of use, with Jupiter’s belts and Saturn’s rings easily captured.

Priced around $1,600, it’s a solid investment for casual imagers, but serious deep-sky photographers may need an equatorial mount.

• Read our full Celestron NexStar 8SE review

Best for stars

The William Optics ZenithStar 73 is a high-performance apochromatic refractor tailored for astrophotographers chasing sharp, colorful star clusters and wide-field targets. Its 73mm aperture and 430mm focal length at f/5.9, paired with a Flat 73A field flattener, deliver pinpoint stars across a wide field, ideal for objects like the Pleiades or Andromeda Galaxy.

Fully multi-coated optics ensure excellent color correction, eliminating chromatic aberration for vibrant images. At 5.5 pounds, it’s perfect for portable mounts like the Sky-Watcher HEQ5, with setup taking under 10 minutes. Priced around $1,000, it’s a mid-range investment, but users laud its crisp, flat-field images, even with short exposures.

The moderate aperture limits light-gathering/resolution for faint galaxies or planetary details. Its compact design suits travel, but it’s an OTA-only purchase, so a mount is needed.

For star-focused astrophotographers, the ZenithStar 73 offers premium optics in a lightweight package, though it’s less suited for high-magnification planetary work.

Best telescopes for astrophotography

The best telescopes for astrophotography frequently asked questions

How we test

Our telescope evaluations combine hands-on testing, online research, and expert level experience. We assess key features like aperture, focal ratio, mount stability, and optical quality to give a well-rounded view. The author’s extensive use of countless different telescopes including some of the models in this review also helps forms our insights. We also analyze user reviews from various platforms and retail sites to gauge real-world user experience. This rigorous approach ensures our recommendations meet diverse needs, from beginners to advanced imagers.

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Amazon Prime Day ends tonight and there are still huge savings on cameras on Amazon and competing retailers like Walmart and BH Photo and Video. We expect these deals to end soon but there are some absolute scorchers on offer here. Our best for autofocus, the Sony A7R V is on sale for $3200, a massive $1000 reduction from Amazon's listing price.

Now is a great time to invest in a new camera with the Perseid meteor shower starting on July 14 and peaking on August 11, so be prepared! We have reviewed most of these models so you can trust that we are only recommending the best cameras. We have a bigger roundup on our Amazon Prime Day hub which has the best current deals across cameras, skywatching gear, drones and entertainment.

Sony Deals

Canon Deals

OM System deals

Nikon deals

Amazon Prime Day ends tonight and Prime Day deals will be ending. Certain discounts are tagged with a red Prime Day Deal tag and those are the deals that will definitely be ending tonight, like the Celestron Starsense Explorer 102AZ, on sale for $385.

Other prices are hard to predict when they will increase again but we expect them to rise soon after Prime Day ends. Lock in your purchases now to make sure that you are getting the best optics for the best price in time for viewing Saturn's return or dim celestial objects like the Ring nebula.

We have all of the best Prime Day deals on skywatching gear, cameras, drones and entertainment on our Amazon Prime Day hub.

Prime Deals ending today

Prime Day Telescope deals

Prime Day Binocular deals

It's the last day of Amazon Prime Day and prices on the best telescopes could jump up at any moment. We would advise getting your purchases in sooner rather than later as many of these deals are expiring over the next few days. Now is a great time to invest in a new telescope with the new moon on July 24, the perfect opportunity to spot dim celestial objects like nebulas and galaxies.

One of the best deals we have spotted is $600 off the Unistellar eQuinox 2and it's our best overall telescope in our best smart telescopes guide. It even features in five of our other telescope guides so you know that we really love it for easy stargazing to getting rare views of deep-space objects. Smart telescopes also make it easier to spot Saturn's return to the night sky.

Amazon Prime Day ends today so if you are after any skywatching or astrophotography gear, we have you covered. If you want super portable optics for stargazing, check out our best Prime Day binoculars round-up but for all the deals we have found across optics, tech and entertainment, check our Amazon Prime Day hub.

Amazon Prime Day 2025 telescope deals

Best US Prime Day telescope deals

Best UK Prime Day telescope deals

What kind of telescope do I need?

While it's easy to get caught up in Prime Day savings and focus on the biggest discount, you need to consider what you want your telescope for and whether the model will be the best fit for the job. A whopping great Dobsonian reflector might have the best savings but if you don't plan on looking at distant nebulas then it would be overkill.

There are many options to consider when buying a telescope and the best place to look if you are considering buying one would be one of our telescope guides. We have guides to the best telescopes, the best beginner telescopes, the best telescopes for seeing planets and more.

The table below will help you choose the right kind of telescope for certain celestial targets but you should also consider other factors like portability, ease-of-use and size constraints. The best smart telescopes are the easiest to use and operate with smartphones while the best small telescopes are the best option for taking with you to dark sky sites.

Vermont-based astrophotographer Michele Hernandez Bayliss has captured stunning views of Messier 94 - also known as the Croc's Eye galaxy - and the famous Whirlpool galaxy (M 51), both of which are embedded in the constellation Canes Venatici.

The Croc's Eye galaxy was captured over the nights of April 20 and 21 using a Takahashi TOA-130NFB Refractor in concert with a Stellarvue SVX140T-R telescope, along with the host of peripherals needed to stably capture the deep sky images.

Over the course of 20 hours Hernandez Bayliss used the scopes to capture M94 with a series of luminance, red, green and blue (LRGB) filters, before combining the data using computer software to create a stunning view of the spiral galaxy, which exists 34 million light-years from our solar system.

"The tricky part about galaxies is the processing — for the Croc eye, the challenge was that it was a lot smaller than I thought in my 990mm scope but I was able to crop in a bit," explained Hernandez Bayliss In an email to Space.com. "Also, it's very bright in the core so I had to do a bit of HDR compression to bring out the core and do a careful job with the Synthetic Luminance I created from the LRGB," she continued, referring to the filters used to capture the data.

Hernandez Bayliss was a long time visual astronomer before taking up astrophotography fairly recently, and has spent the last two years building a backyard observatory at her home in Weybridge, Vermont.

"The other challenge is getting dark nights with no moon for galaxies and clear nights as we don't get that many clear nights in Vermont — so it was awesome to get two nights in quick succession with no clouds, no moon and clear skies — a miracle!"

Back in February, Hernandez Bayliss took aim at the Whirlpool galaxy using a set of RGB and hydrogen-alpha (Ha) filters to capture the fine structural detail of Messier 51, pictured above.

It took a grand total of 16 hours to capture data on the vast cosmic structure, which the amateur astronomer later compiled into a colorful portrait.

The image captures many of the sweeping features that one would hope to find in a 'grand-design' spiral galaxy, complete with a bright central core, dark dust lanes, and intense star forming regions.

As noted by NASA, some astronomers believe that the prominence of the M51's spiral arms is likely the result of a close pass by the smaller galaxy NGC 5195, which can be seen in close proximity to the tip of the Whirlpool galaxy's upper spiral arm in Hernandez Bayliss's portrait.

If you're looking for a telescope or binoculars to observe the solar system and beyond, our guides for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals now can help. Our guides on the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography can also help you prepare to capture the next skywatching sight.

Editor's note: If you want to share your astronomy photographs with our readers at Space.com, please email them to spacephotos@space.com

A small town in New York is about to become stargazing central for thousands of space fans hoping to check out the latest telescopes and more. And this year may be the event's biggest yet.

The Northeast Astronomy Forum 2025 (NEAF) is billed as the "world's largest astronomy and space expo," and runs this weekend from April 5-6 at the State University of New York Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York.

"We are expecting record turnout as gauged by the advance ticket sales," NEAF exhibit coordinator Sarah Colker, a club board member, told me. The Rockland Astronomy Club, which puts on NEAF, is expecting nearly 4,000 people this year, the biggest crowd since it began 34 years ago. NEAF runs concurrently with an astrophotography-focused show, the Northeast Astro-imaging Conference, also based at SUNY Rockland.

As Space.com's editor-in-chief, I try to attend NEAF every year to see the latest telescopes from manufacturers like Celestron, Explore Scientific, Unistellar and others. NEAF is like a comic-con for astronomy fans, where you can get hands-on with new telescope tech (or maybe an entire personal observatory), meet an astronaut or hear the latest research on the search for life beyond Earth from pioneering scientists.

Eileen Collins, NASA's first female space shuttle pilot and commander, to discuss her career this weekend, as will astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson. Famed Apollo flight director Gerry Griffin and next-gen counterpart Zebulon Scoville, a flight director with NASA's Artemis moon program, will discuss the state of moon exploration.

If you read Space.com regularly, you may recognize one of the speakers at NEAF, our own skywatching columnist Joe Rao, who will help open ceremonies on Saturday. My favorite highlight is the solar viewing on the college lawn, where safely filtered telescopes let you gaze at sunspots and prominences (if it's not cloudy).

The event is open to the public, but there is a ticket fee ($38 per day or $70 for the weekend), with student discounts available. Children under 12 are free.

Engineers and astronomers at the University of Utah have designed a unique new kind of telescope lens: a flat lens with microscopic etchings to refract light. If the concept can be scaled up, these lenses could one day replace the heavier, bulkier lenses and mirrors typically used in telescopes, particularly those of professional observatories on the ground and in space. Down the line, they could also be implemented on amateur telescopes, the team says.

"Our computational techniques suggested we could design multi-level diffractive flat lenses with large apertures that could focus light across the visible spectrum," Rajesh Menon, a Utah professor of engineering, said in a statement.

There are two basic types of telescope: refractors and reflectors. A refractor uses lenses to refract light and bring it to a focus. Reflectors utilize at least two mirrors to reflect the light to a focal point. Because large lenses are heavy and expensive to make, larger telescopes tend to use mirrors (sometimes in combination with smaller lenses). Lenses can also suffer from a malaise known as chromatic aberration, in which different wavelengths of light are refracted to slightly different degrees so that different colors come to focus at different points, resulting in color fringing around objects. Optical technicians can alleviate this through the complex use of glass coatings and multiple lenses — though that adds cost and expense.

However, the days of bulky, expensive telescope lenses could soon be coming to an end thanks to the team's new flat lens measuring less than a millimeter thick. that has been developed by a team led by Apratim Majumder, who is a member of Menon's lab at Utah.

"Our demonstration is a stepping stone towards creating very large aperture, lightweight flat lenses with the capability of capturing full-color images for use in air- and space-based telescopes,” Apratim Majumder, a member of Menon's lab at Utah and leader of the crew behind the new lens prototype, said in the statement.

Majumder, Menon and their team designed a 100mm (4-inch) flat lens, where microscopic concentric rings are etched onto a glass substrate using a technique called "grayscale optical lithography," which is a variation of a method typically used for etching electronics onto a silicon wafer. Most of the half-millimeter thickness of the flat lens is the glass — the ringed grooves are just 2.4 microns deep.

The use of concentric rings on a flat lens isn't new — a precursor, called a Fresnel zone plate, tries to do the same trick but is unable to eradicate chromatic aberration. However, the Utah team's multilevel diffractive lens (MDL) is able to bring all the wavelengths of light for which it was designed to detect (400–800 nanometers, covering the range of visible light and into the near-infrared) to a focus at the same point, thanks to how the size of the rings and the spacing between affect how the incoming light is refracted. Because all the colors come to focus at the same point, there is no chromatic aberration.

Back when the telescope was invented by Hans Lippershey in 1608, it was done so by experimenting with putting lenses together. Today, a telescope's optical design involves complex computer modelling and large amounts of data.

"Simulating the performance of these lenses over a very large bandwidth, from visible to near-infrared, involved solving complex computational problems involving very large datasets," said Majumder. "Once we optimized the design of the lens’ microstructures, the manufacturing process involved required very stringent process control and environmental stability."

The resulting 100mm lens, which has a focal length of 200mm, was then tested on both the sun and the moon, successfully showing sunspots and (in an artificially color-enhanced image) accurate geological features on the lunar surface. The 100mm MDL weighs just 25 grams (0.88 oz), compared to the 211 grams (7.44 oz) of a similarly sized, commercially available 100mm lens that is 17mm thick at its curved center.

The Hubble Space Telescope uses a 2.4-meter primary mirror with a total mass of 1,825 pounds (828 kilograms), and the James Webb Space Telescope incorporates 18 segments in its primary 21-foot (6.5-meter) mirror in total weighing (on Earth) 1,555 pounds (705 kilograms). On Earth, individual telescope mirrors have an upper size limit of 26-33 feet (8–10 meters), beyond which gravity starts to cause them to sag. The development of a flat, lightweight lens could therefore transform telescopes, particularly for space launches where mass is a key limiting factor for getting off the Earth.

A description of the flat MDL lens was published on Feb. 3 in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

Skywatchers who purchased telescopes from leading suppliers may be entitled to a payment from a $32 million class action settlement.

The settlement is a result of a lengthy legal saga involving telescope manufacturers controlled by Chinese family firms Synta Technologies and Ningbo Sunny, which, according to allegations in available documents, actively conspired to monopolize and divide up the U.S. amateur telescope market to fix prices and push out competitors.

The brands covered in the class action include the popular Celestron, Meade, Olivon and Sky-Watcher telescopes, which have for years been a mainstay of the U.S. amateur astronomer essential toolkit. Users have until May 20, 2025, to claim compensation from the settlement, which has been approved by the U.S. District Court in San Jose in November.

Telescopes bought between Jan. 1, 2005, and Sept. 6, 2023, are covered by the settlement including those made by Suzhou Synta Optical Technology, Nantong Schmidt Opto-Electrical Technology, Synta Canada International Enterprises, Pacific Telescope Corp, SW Technology Corporation, Sunny Optical Technology and Sunny Optics, in addition to the above-mentioned brands.

The alleged illegal conduct of companies addressed in this class action was first exposed by the 2016 lawsuit brought forward by the now defunct California-based telescope maker Orion Technologies.

The lawsuit, ultimately won by Orion in 2019, accused Taiwan-headquartered telescope manufacturer Synta Technology of conspiring with its main competitor — China-headquartered Ningbo Sunny — to monopolize the U.S. amateur telescope market and push Orion out of competition.

The class action documents describe close connections between the companies, directly or indirectly controlled by Synta Technologies owner David Shen and his family.

According to the available documents, Synta Technology helped Ningbo Sunny acquire the popular U.S. telescope maker Meade in 2013, having itself acquired America's most popular telescope distributor Celestron in 2005. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission blocked previous attempts by Celestron and other telescope producers to acquire Meade due to antitrust concerns, stating such mergers would have created monopoly conditions in the market for telescopes. Ningbo Sunny, however, managed to circumvent the rules by concealing its links to Synta.

Following the acquisition, Synta and Ningbo Sunny agreed to divide the telescope market and not compete against each other with Synta focusing on the higher-end amateur telescope market through Celestron and Ningbo Sunny targeting the lower-cost market through Meade products, the documents state.

In the absence of competition, American astronomy enthusiasts have paid hundreds of millions of dollars for overpriced products during the two decades, in which the conspirators controlled the market, the documents allege.

The class action complaint, available online via the Telescopes Antitrust Litigation Indirect Purchaser Actions Settlement website, states that "several former competitors of Synta and Ningbo Sunny have sold off or shut down their telescope businesses" as they were "unable to achieve needed sales volumes and margins."

The latest victim in the telescope manufacturer extinction wave is Orion, which, despite its successful lawsuit against Synta and Ningbo, abruptly ceased operations in July 2024. The Meade brand hadn't survived either, having been bought by Orion from Ningbo Sunny in 2021. The website of Olivon is also no longer accessible.

The Telescopes Antitrust Litigation Settlement Administrator hasn't responded to Space.com's repeated emails and neither has Celestron. Sky-Watcher, which sells telescopes made by Synta Technologies, said the firm "continues to dispute all the claims and deny any wrongdoing."

The spokesperson said, however, that the firm wanted to "put the issue behind us" and considered the settlement to be a business decision "in the best interest of the company, the industry and our customers."

Because the parties reached a settlement, the court will not be deciding whether the alleged conspirators have breached U.S. anti-trust laws. However, in the earlier Orion case, the United States District Court in the Northern District of California found the Chinese firms in breach of the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act, which prohibit anti-competitive business practices. The judge ordered Ningbo Sunny to pay $50.4 million to Orion while Synta settled for just $500,000 before the case went in front of the jury.

The class action settlement final approval hearing is set for early April, after which class members will be able to access compensation.

The U.S. amateur telescope market was worth some $1.21 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $1.37 billion by 2032, according to SkyQuest.

The moon performed a cosmic ballet with Mars this week.

On Monday evening (Jan. 13), the Full Wolf Moon passed in front of Mars in what's known as a lunar occultation, during which another celestial object appears to disappear behind the moon from our vantage point on Earth. Mars is approaching opposition on Wednesday (Jan. 15), the moment when it is situated directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth, which means it's at its brightest in our night sky right now. Additionally, Mars recently passed perigee on Jan. 12, its closest point to Earth in its orbit around the sun, which makes it slightly larger in the sky.

The result? A stunning lunar occultation of Mars that was seen by large parts of North America and western Africa. Luckily, plenty of skywatchers, photographers and Space.com readers caught the spectacle on camera in the gorgeous photos below.

Photographer Peter Jay caught the Red Planet lurking just above the northern limb of the moon as seen from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jay caught the lunar occultation of Mars at several different points throughout the event, which lasted for just under an hour as the Red Planet passed behind the moon before reappearing again on the other side.

Lisa Shislowski of Plantation, Florida sent us the image of the occultation below.

"This evening was filled with so many exciting things happening with the first full moon of 2025/Wolf Moon and the lunar occultation of Mars 2025," Shislowski told Space.com via email.

"The city view from Vista View Park in Davie, Broward County, Florida, gave way to a clear shot of the Wolf Moon rising through the clouds on the horizon. It was more vibrant and bright as it continued to rise. A little later in the evening, the lunar occultation of Mars was getting closer to occurring, and the tiny dot was the incredible planet of Mars that had just peeked right beside the Wolf Moon."

Josh Dagenais photographed the moon and Mars from Hanover Park, Illinois.

"This was a shot from my driveway. I was really excited to start seeing Mars hours before it was crossing paths tonight. Biggest challenge was staying warm as it was 13F (-10C). First time seeing something like this, and a first for shooting it too," Dagenais told Space.com via email. "Lucked out on viewing conditions, looking forward to the eclipse in March,"

Reader Michael Tyo caught the occultation of Mars underway from Marlboro, Massachusetts using an 800mm prime lens and Canon R7 body.

David J. Kim saw Mars peeking from behind the moon from Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Kim shot the scene with a Fuji X-T5 and Fujinon XF 150-600mm lens, captured at f8/600mm and f11/840mm with 1.4x TC.

Other photographers outside of the viewing area of the lunar occultation of Mars caught the full moon shining alone in the night sky.

Robbie Pesiwarissa of Sydney, Australia saw the Full Wolf Moon appearing massive in the sky above Sydney Airport thanks to the moon illusion.

"As the twilight deepened, the Qantas Jet gracefully ascended from Sydney Airport in Mascot, while the mesmerizing Wolf Moon rose above the iconic buildings of the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The evening was warm and humid, a typical summer's embrace that lent a certain magic to the air," Pesiwarissa wrote via email.

"With only a fleeting few minutes at my disposal, I seized the opportunity to capture the moon in all its ethereal beauty while it lingered near the horizon. Alas, the clouds soon gathered, casting their veil over the moon, obscuring it from sight."

Photographer Yasuyoshi Chiba saw the full moon shining brightly above South Korean flags in Seoul.

Storied NASA photographer Bill Ingalls saw the Full Wolf Moon rising above the Lincoln Memorial and Memorial Bridge on Monday (Jan. 13) from Arlington, Virginia near NASA headquarters in Washington.

If you're looking for binoculars or a telescope to observe Mars or the moon, our guides for the best binoculars and the best telescopes can help you find what you need. Be sure to also check out our guides for tips on how to photograph the planets ahead of Mars reaching opposition this week.

Editor's Note: If you snap a good photo of Mars and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

In living things, structures are built from simple, repeatable patterns. These often come in the form of a disorganized lattice. Large structures, like bones or coral, emerge from repeated rounds of growth of a fundamental pattern that builds off of itself in a haphazard way.

Despite this apparent disorganization, the resulting structures can acquire a variety of shapes and have surprising strengths, versatility and other useful properties. Most importantly, the resulting structure often has properties that the underlying lattice unit doesn't possess. For example, individual bone cells or coral polyp skeletons aren't very strong, but when they work together, they can support huge animals or gigantic underwater colonies.

Related: Origami-inspired material could soften spacecraft landings

Drawing inspiration from nature, engineers have sought to repeat this flexibility with human-designed materials. The goal is to make useful materials that can be built from the repeated growth of an underlying pattern, where the new structure acquires properties that the underlying pattern doesn't have alone. An advance beyond that is the study of metamaterials, which are structures that can change their shape or properties through the application of a simple external force, like an electric field or compression.

These kinds of materials are especially interesting for applications in space. We would love to launch a payload of simple materials and then have those materials assemble — and reassemble — themselves in space. This would avoid the challenges of testing and launch-proofing large, complex structures, like habitats and telescopes, and give us the flexibility to change those structures if mission needs are updated.

One promising kind of metamaterial is known as a totimorphic lattice. The basic component of this lattice is a triangular structure. On one side is a fixed beam with a ball joint in the center. An arm attaches to that ball joint, and the other end of the arm is attached to the ends of the fixed beam with two springs. When many of these shapes are attached together, the resulting structure can morph into a wide variety of shapes and structures, all with very minimal input. This gives the totimorphic lattice incredible flexibility.

In a recent paper, scientists with the European Space Agency's Advanced Concepts Team took a major leap in advancing totimorphic lattices from a hypothetical idea to practical applications. One major question with these lattices was how to reconfigure a large structure into another shape without the lattice getting tangled and how to accomplish that transformation as efficiently as possible.

The researchers developed a computer simulation of totimorphic lattices and figured out how to optimize the transformation of one shape into another.

They showcased their new technique with two examples. In the first, they designed a simple habitat structure that could change its shape and stiffness. Future space explorers could deploy the same kind of material to build a variety of habitat modules. These modules would hold their shape until they were reprogrammed to change their form and fulfill some other need.

In the second example, the researchers designed a flexible space telescope. With totimorphic lattices, the telescope could change its focal length by adapting the curvature of its lens. This would enable the launch of a single, multipurpose telescope that could adapt and readapt to provide the optimal observation strategies for various targets.

This work is still preliminary, however. Totimorphic lattices are still hypothetical; we don't actually have any of these materials that you could hold in your hands, let alone build into space telescopes. But this research is crucial for advancing humanity into space. The cost and difficulty of launching materials into space mean that we need flexible, adaptable structures that are cheap to launch and easy to deploy.

By drawing inspiration from nature and investigating the surprising properties of metamaterials, we may be getting closer to achieving our futuristic space goals.

After 69 years of gliding through the depths of our solar system, a comet will grace our skies close enough it can be seen with binoculars or a small telescope.

The space rock, Comet 13P/Olbers, is currently in the constellation Leo Minor, and zipping through space fast. At its closest, the comet was 176 million miles (283 million kilometers) from Earth on July 20.

While its magnitude of 7.1 means it is not visible with an unaided eye, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere can still view it easily as a fuzzy ball about 20 to 30 degrees above the horizon roughly two hours after sunset, according to Universe Today. Its altitude and brightness mean you'll need a fairly unobstructed view of the horizon and binoculars or a telescope to see it as it passes close to galaxy NGC 3219 in Leo Minor, whose location can be used as a reference for computerized telescopes, EarthSky reported.

Comet 13P/Olbers is named after German astronomer Heinrich Olbers, who first identified the space rock in 1815. The letter P means the comet Olbers is periodic, a designation given to space rocks with orbits of less than 200 years; the number 13 means it was the 13th comet to be cataloged as periodic.

Comet Olbers was last seen from Earth in September 1956. After this summer, its next close approach will be in 2094.  

Related: How to make a comet

During its 69-year-long orbit around our sun, the comet ventures from just outside Earth's orbit to all the way to Neptune and slightly beyond. Because it approaches fairly close to Earth, NASA classifies comet Olbers as a near-Earth asteroid. However, there is no risk of it striking Earth.

If you want to get a closer look at comets like 13P/Olbers, take a look at our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars. 

And if you want to photograph comets, we have tips for how to photograph comets, as well as guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

Editor's Note: If you get an awesome photo of 13P/Olbers this summer and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

New research offers the most precise measurements yet of pulsating Cepheid stars, which may hold clues about the immense size and scale of our universe.

Cepheids are a type of variable star that brighten and dim within a short period of time, exhibiting specific luminosity patterns. However, while this rhythmic behavior allows astronomers to calculate distances across space based on changes, or pulses, in the stars' brightnesses, it can also make the stars challenging to observe in general. 

Using advanced spectrography observations collected between 2010 and 2022 from the Swiss Euler telescope in Chile and the Flemish Mercator telescope on La Palma in Spain, researchers with the Velocities of Cepheids (VELOCE) project studied hundreds of Cepheids with great precision and consistency. 

"Understanding the nature and physics of Cepheids is important because they tell us about how stars evolve in general, and because we rely on them for determining distances and the expansion rate of the Universe," Richard I. Anderson, an astrophysicist and lead author of the study from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), said in a statement announcing the new study. 

Related: 'Hubble trouble' could deepen with new measurement of the universe's expansion 

The high-resolution spectrographs on both telescopes allowed astronomers to separate and measure wavelengths of starlight and capture shifts in brightness. Then, referring to the Doppler effect, the team measured the speed at which the stars expand and contract along the telescopes' line of sight, known as radial velocity. 

The pulsations lead to changes in the line-of-sight velocity of up to 70 kilometers per second, or about 250,000 kilometers per hour (43 miles per second, or 155,344 miles per hour), Giordano Viviani, a Ph.D. student at the EPFL and co-author of the study explained in the statement. "We have measured these variations with a typical precision of 130 km/h (37 m/s), and in some cases as good as 7 km/h (2 m/s), which is roughly the speed of a fast walking human," Viviani said.

The VELOCE team collected more than 18,000 high-precision radial velocity measurements of 258 Cepheids, revealing additional, unexpected variations in the stars' pulsations, as well as a number of Cepheid stars belonging to a binary system in which two stars orbit each other.

"This suggests that there are more intricate processes occurring within these stars, such as interactions between different layers of the star, or additional (non-radial) pulsation signals that may present an opportunity to determine the structure of Cepheid stars by asteroseismology," Henryka Netzel, a postdoctoral researcher at the EPFL and coauthor of the study, said in the statement. 

Thus, this new data will help astronomers untangle the complexities of observing pulsating Cepheids and understand whether the changes observed in the stars' brightness are a result of their individual structure or caused by potential interactions with companion stars, who occasionally eclipse the light of their stellar partners. 

"This dataset will serve as an anchor to link Cepheid observations from different telescopes across time and hopefully inspire further study by the community," Anderson said in the statement. 

Their findings were published in this year's June issue of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics 

An illuminating new program has stargazers and science educators aglow with inspiration.

That program, called Stellar Dreams, is run by the nonprofit organization The Science Haven. It will give away 100 telescopes, with the goal of spurring interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in underrepresented and underprivileged families.

Founded by molecular biologist Raven Baxter, The Science Haven supports a vision to create an inclusive arena for all shades of science dialogue and impactful connections between disparate communities. Via its expanding platform of events, educational programs, web series, workshops and public discussions, The Science Haven is dedicated to promoting science accessibility and building inclusive environments where perspectives, ideas and opinions can be voiced.

Stellar Dreams is the nonprofit’s latest focus, a curiosity-inciting project that provides 100 beginner-friendly Celestron telescopes to 100 disadvantaged grade 5-12 students and their families across America, beginning with a recent rollout in Buffalo, New York. Besides donating telescopes, Stellar Dreams also offers recipients the chance to become members of a junior astronomer training program, teaching them how to use their new astronomical tools and providing information about free citizen science research in the field of astronomy.

Related: Best telescopes 2024: For stargazing galaxies, nebulas and more

Led by executive director Baxter and Gamble, a NASA astrophysicist, Stellar Dreams has caught the world’s attention with its innovative outreach endeavor. The duo were recently chosen for an Astronaut Rock Star Award by Uniphi Good on National Astronaut Day for being pillars of support and pioneering voices in space exploration and STEM/STEAM education. (The "A" in STEAM stands for "art.")

"The genesis of the Stellar Dreams Program was really a small seed that just grew and grew," Baxter told Space.com. "To grow from a simple idea last July to being a successful and award-winning project within six to nine months is a huge accomplishment. I’m extremely honored and so grateful for the support that we've been able to rally behind Stellar Dreams.

"STEM programs do a good job, but I see a lot of repetition and duplication. As someone who’s participated as a facilitator or participant or an evaluator, I believe that STEM programs deserve more innovation. Today's children need bigger challenges, better opportunities and innovative people driving them. I thought about my own childhood and what were some of the things I was exposed to that cultivated an interest in STEM and remembered my grandparents' telescope. They had it in their sunroom, and I'd take the telescope out during the day trying to look at things but couldn’t since their house was forested and I couldn’t look past the trees.  

"So I used it inside trying to look at things very closely, and that's how I got an interest in molecules. When I got a Ph.D in science education, I learned about all the literature that supports telescopes, and that early access to tools and resources really does have a measurable impact on whether or not someone will pursue a STEM career."

Gamble is Stellar Dreams' director of programs. He came aboard as an active stakeholder, feeling this project was aligned with his own career initiatives.

"Raven is really good at putting up a Bat Signal," he told Space.com. "She was telling me this idea and I thought it was fantastic. Stellar Dreams was very close to home for me. Being a black astrophysicist myself, I know the numbers. I was one of those kids. Now I can put my expertise to good use. I know they want these types of telescopes and they want to be able to look at these things in the night sky and have access to the local astronomy community. 

"I put some of my artistic talents to use and designed them little junior astronomy cards and posters through our sponsors and partnerships, so they have tangible things, and I was able to bring in NASA swag and stickers. They got a big grab bag of stuff along with the telescopes. The Buffalo Astronomical Association helped to give telescope tutorials and ran a planetarium show, and we were able to get kids inducted right into the association as junior members.” 

This ambitious project has fulfilled its goal of obtaining 100 telescopes, but they’re still fundraising for programming costs after kicking it off with 25 Buffalo students. 

"We're looking to continue this program in other cities in the D.C area and North Carolina," Baxter said. "I'm sort of a hometown hero, and it felt really good to give back to the community that invested so much into me. Those kids' faces were so bright and so happy, and their families were deeply involved in our program as well. I've been getting updates from the families, and they're just grateful for the opportunity. A telescope is sort of a status symbol for them that's also a luxury. These families are having something special, and I totally resonate with them."

Stellar Dreams' recipients are gifted a solid mid-range Celestron Travel Scope 80 telescope. The scope also offers a phone mount that allows students to take pictures on their smartphones. The comprehensive kit even comes with a startracker app and a small laser starfinder tool.

"For some of these kids, they've never touched a telescope before," Gamble said. "They didn't know there were lenses and mirrors inside of one. So they got to put their own telescope together and then go outside and use it alongside larger telescopes other people brought in, and ask questions to the subject matter experts like myself about what they're seeing. It was a full circle moment for me, growing up being one of those kids and now being able to give them a telescope. It was truly amazing. Based on my involvement in the Stellar Dreams initiative, it helped me get a NASA agency medal, one of the tippy-top ones, so I'm forever grateful, too."

For more information on the Stellar Dreams Project, partnership opportunities, and how to donate to this worthy cause, visit them at their online headquarters.

An innovative telescope design has proven successful for daytime skywatching, opening new doors for uninterrupted observation of the cosmos. 

Astronomers at Macquarie University in Australia have developed a new technique using light filters on the school's multi-lens Huntsman Telescope. Originally designed for ultra-sensitive night sky observations, the telescope has demonstrated an ability to accurately measure stars, satellites and other targets in broad daylight. 

"People have tried observing stars and satellites in optical wavelengths during the day for centuries, but it has been very difficult to do," Sarah Caddy, who helped design and build the Huntsman Telescope, said in a statement from the university. "Our tests show the Huntsman can achieve remarkable results in daylight hours."

Related: The 15 must-see skywatching events of 2024

The Huntsman Telescope, located at Siding Springs Observatory in the New South Wales town of Coonabarabran, combines an astronomy camera and astro-mechanical focusing equipment with a unique array of 10 highly sensitive 400mm Canon lenses. The lenses are oriented to work in parallel to monitor the same area of sky and capture thousands of short-exposure images per second, which are then processed by an attached camera, according to the statement. 

Generally, sunlight drowns out dim planets, stars and galaxies, so ground-based observatories are limited to nighttime viewing. However, using special broadband filters with the Huntsman Telescope, the astronomers were able to block most daylight while still allowing specific wavelengths from celestial objects to pass through. 

The researchers tested their filter method on a mini-Huntsman single-lens pathfinder telescope for months to study optimal exposure times, observation timing and precise tracking of targets through atmospheric turbulence.

One of the researchers' targets was the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, located about 650 light-years from Earth. This star has been the focus of recent interest since it exhibited a sudden change in brightness in 2019. This activity, believed to be the result of a mass ejection of material into space that formed a dust cloud that temporarily obscured the star's light, suggests the star is getting ready to explode in a supernova. 

"This breakthrough paves the way for uninterrupted, long-term studies of stars like Betelgeuse as they undergo powerful eruptions near their end of life, expelling massive amounts of stellar material in the final stages of the cosmic cycle of rebirth," Lee Spitler, co-author of the recent study and associate professor at Macquarie University, said in the statement. "Astronomers love when stars in the Milky Way go supernova because it can tell us so much about how elements are created in the universe." 

Daytime observations also allow for continuous monitoring of satellites, space debris and other artificial objects orbiting Earth and to help prevent potentially harmful collisions. 

"With around 10,000 active satellites already circulating the planet and plans to launch a further 50,000 low Earth orbit satellites in the next decade, there's a clear need for dedicated day and night telescope networks to continually detect and track satellites," said Caddy, lead author of the recent study using Huntsman for daytime observations. "Daytime astronomy is an exciting field, and with advances in camera sensors, filters and other technologies, we saw dramatic improvements in the sensitivity and precision achievable under bright-sky conditions."

Their findings were published May 20 in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. 

We've reviewed several of the best power stations over the past few years, and we frequently receive requests from brands to review their products. The Outkitel BP2000 (aka FF power BP2000) caught our attention for a specific reason, which might sound insignificant at first but it's the first power station we've tested that has a storage compartment for its cables. Although it may seem trivial, the fact that all the necessary cables remain inside the unit and travel with it ensured that we didn't forget or misplace them.

In addition to that, the Oukitel, on paper, has almost everything we'd want from a power station. A huge capacity (640,000mAh) LiFePO4 battery (3,500 Life Cycles up to 10 years lifespan), six charging methods and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

We have experienced a lot of cloudy weather during our review period, which is understandable as it is winter in the UK. We have not attempted to charge the Oukitel power station using solar panels yet, and have instead used on our mains AC supply. As we are based in the UK, the model we have has UK 3-pin plugs, but it's important to note that the US models come with 2-pin sockets. Please also note that Oikitel also sells this model under the name FF power, they are the same BP2000 (and B2000) model.

Oukitel BP2000 power station review

Oukitel BP2000 power station: Design

• Integrated carrying handles
• Cable storage compartment
• Smart, functional design

Like most of the power stations we've reviewed, the Oukitel BP2000 is black and gray. It's ultimately a rectangular box with an LCD panel at the top, with output ports on the front and input ports on the right-hand side. Nothing too flashy, just functional.

The two handles (required for lifting the 23kg unit) are integrated into the top of the power station, so don't add any width to the dimensions overall; we prefer this to the likes of those on the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max that add a significant amount to the width.

The top of the unit isn't completely flat, but you can still stack other items on top of it in your trunk.

The unit is sturdy enough to sit on, useful as an extra place to perch at a campsite, festival or similar.

The buttons and ports all sit flush to the unit so it's unlikely you'll break anything important during transit. One minor niggle is that Oukitel has chosen to put covers on the DC and AC ports, and we question their longevity if they are used a lot or if you're moving the unit from A to B often —  they protrude a little and the 'hinges' don't inspire too much confidence. We'd probably prefer Oukitel to have omitted these 'flaps'.

The power station comes with three cables — an AC, a car lighter and a solar charging cable. There's a comprehensive user guide and a quick start guide with a QR code to contact the after-sales support team (who are very helpful, we might add). The Oukitel B2000 comes with a three-year warranty.

Oukitel BP2000 power station: Performance

• Very quick to charge, over 1% a minute in real life
• LCD screen data is accurate
• Fan noise is fairly typical for a power station of this size

The unit arrived with some charge, so we drained it completely before plugging it in to charge it so we knew exactly how long a full charge would take. We won't lie — draining it even from 30% was a mission — several laptop, phone, headtorch, flashlight and power bank charges, and lots of kettle boils! When the power station gets down to 10%, the LCD percentage indicator flashes green.

So, how long did it take? Well, from 0% to 100% (it's not recommended to continually charge to 100%; 80% is better), it took 90 minutes. More than 1% a minute. That's impressive.

In terms of noise, the six cooling fans will automatically start running when the power station is charging or under heavy load with multiple devices connected to it. The noise is not offensively loud and is relatively normal for a power station of this size, though the low humming sound would probably disturb sleep if used in a bedroom or an RV.

Oukitel BP2000 power station: Functionality

• Wheels would be helpful for transportation
• No app functionality for control
• Expandable capacity with up to seven expansion batteries

Unlike some of the power stations we have reviewed (such as the Zendure SuperBase Pro, Ugreen PowerRoam 1200, and the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max), there isn't an app for 'in-app energy management'. We don't mind this; we've typically found that after connecting with apps on the other models, they don't offer anything other than fulfilling your curiosity about what power is going where or coming from where. Instead, the LCD screen has 23 different display icons that should tell you all you'd want to know — what charging mode it's in, the power status, whether it's in UPS mode, total input and output levels and so on.

We think we were spoilt when we tested the Zendure SuperBase Pro, as the all-terrain wheels and telescopic handle made it easy to drag the unit around. The new Ugreen Power Roam 2200 that we are also reviewing in conjunction with the Oukitel B2000 also comes with wheels, so perhaps this is something Oukitel could consider in the future too.

The Oukitel BP2000 can be expanded with up to seven extra batteries (BP2000) that all stack neatly on top of each other, meaning you could store up to a whopping 16 kWh of battery storage. The batteries can also be used as independent power stations, and they are equipped with their own LCD screens and integrated handles. 

The unit has UPS which takes less than 10ms. This means, when in UPS mode, if there's a power outage, the power station will switch to supplying electricity within 10 milliseconds — peace of mind if it's time-critical to get your devices (like servers, routers, medical equipment) up and running.

Should you buy the Oukitel BP2000 power station?

There's no doubt that having a power storage system at home gives you some added peace of mind in case of power cuts, and the Oukitel is a perfectly good choice if you don't have to move it around too often or don't mind doing so. It's best used as an emergency backup supply, or for power in your RV while you're awake. It's quite a large and heavy unit to use as your portable power station. 

This power station will usually cost you around $1600-$1700, though there are options to bundle the B2000 with a BP2000 expansion battery, too, which is more cost-effective if you know you're going to want to expand in the future. It also comes with a three-year warranty.

If the Oukitel BP2000 power station isn't for you

Out of all of the power stations we've tested, the Oukitel is most like the EcoFlow 2 Max in terms of, capacity, size and expandability. There's not much between them in terms of performance, and they cost a similar amount too.

We like Ugreen's power stations. We've reviewed the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200, and we have the Ugreen PowerRoam 2200 to review next. We expect the same excellent performance, with the added portability of a detachable 4-wheel trolley.

Another model with UPS and (all-terrain) wheels is the Zendure SuperBase Pro. Two sizes are available — 1440Wh or 2096Wh, and the app is useful for keeping tabs on your device, though it isn't expendable.

If you don't need a 'power station' as such but need a useful device to top up the charge in your phone or headlamp, we have rounded up our favorites in our best power banks guide.

Smart telescopes can find whatever you are looking for: stars, galaxies, planets and nebulas. With a smartphone, you can view your night sky target as the telescope does the imaging for you. They work by imaging the night sky, meaning you get to see and keep amazing astrophotographs of your chosen celestial object!

This technology is one of the hottest areas in amateur stargazing and astrophotography at the moment, with exciting new announcements coming fairly frequently. Recently, Vaonis has released the Vespera III and the Vespera Pro 2, which add upgraded optics to their already popular Vespera line. Unistellar is still running their Father's Day sale with a 15% discount site-wide until Jul. 2. This comes in the run up to Amazon Prime Day, which lands on June 23, so get ready for discounts across a range of skywatching gear, cameras and technology. Our Prime Day hub has all the best up-to-date prices on our favorite products that we have reviewed.

These scopes tend to be more expensive than other telescopes but we've selected smart telescopes to suit a range of budgets. If you want some ideas for what to set your smart telescope to observe, we have a detailed breakdown of skywatching for the whole month on our night sky guide. If you have a smart telescope and want to use it for safely observing the upcoming solar eclipse on Aug. 12, you will need to buy a solar filter for it. Unistellar has two different filters available, one for the Odyssey and one for their expert models, and Vaonis has its own filter for the Vespera line, too.

The best smart telescopes we recommend in 2026

Best overall

Like most smart telescopes, the Unistellar Equinox 2 has an incredibly sleek and stylish design. It's almost identical to its predecessor, the Equinox. The simple design with a single button on the telescope itself makes this scope very easy to use, a dream for beginners who might not have any experience with telescopes.

In our Unistellar eQuinox 2 review, we noted that the app is well laid out, really fast and intuitive to use. It is divided into three distinct sections, allowing you to switch between telescope operation, engage with the astronomy community and monitor/change settings.

Overall, this telescope performs extremely well, making it easy to move around and search for different things in the night sky. One great feature is the Smart Light Pollution Reduction, perfect for people in cities and urban areas who want to stargaze in their back yard. We were blown away by the images it produced: We observed breathtaking galaxies like M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy), M82 (the Cigar Galaxy), and several star clusters. However, we weren't too impressed with the lunar views, which seemed lacklustre in comparison.

If you plan to take the Unistellar eQuinox 2 out and about, we'd highly recommend buying the dedicated backpack, as it's a bit of a struggle to carry otherwise. Our only other quibble is that it doesn't orientate until it's already dark, so if you like to get set up in advance before the sun sets, you might have to rethink your schedule. In the winter months, however, and when you're in areas with a very dark sky, the eQuinox 2's GoTo function works wonderfully.

• Read our full Unistellar eQuinox 2 review

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Best for larger budgets

The Unistellar eVscope 2 is a beautifully designed telescope with a minimalist feel and solid quality all around.

As we noted in our Unistellar eVscope 2 telescope review, it's easy to tell that every aspect of the telescope has been carefully designed. The Nikon eyepiece is comfortable to use and gives it more of a traditional feel, although the soft rubber surrounding does tend to trap dust and fibers.

If it wasn't for the eVscope 2's eye-watering price tag — $5,000 — we'd recommend it as one of the best smart telescopes for beginners. In theory, it absolutely is thanks to its easy set up and intuitive controls, but very few astronomy beginners will have such a large budget to spend. If you do? Look no further.

One thing to note is that this telescope is solely operated through an app, so with just a tap of your phone screen. Since you'll need to rely on your phone for Unistellar's compatible app, make sure you come prepared with a fully-charged battery, or bring one of the best power banks out with you.

Although the image can sometimes lag, the Explore mode is really helpful for astronomers of any skill level. It accurately shows you all the objects visible in the night sky based on the date and time you're using it, which greatly reduces the guesswork.

The 7.7MP camera isn't as good as a regular telescope with an eyepiece, but it's definitely on par with if not even better than many specialized astrocams on the market. We think it's as close to perfect as you can get right now for beginner astrophotographers.

Overall, there's no denying that the $5,000 price tag will make it inaccessible to many users. But when you think about the technology it packs, it's akin to one of the best mirrorless cameras on the market, so we think it's worth the money if you can afford it.

• Read our full Unistellar eVscope 2 telescope review

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Best mid-range value

We liked the original Vespera, but our main complaint was the underwhelming 2MP images it produced, lacking clarity and detail. Thankfully, with the release of the Vespera II, Vaonis has boosted the megapixel count to 8.3MP, which delivers way more detail on the deep sky objects. Better yet, Vaonis' patented Live Mosaic Capture can boost the resolution up to a massive 24MP.

The Vespera II features live autofocus and image enhancement which automatically gets rid of bad images and uses image-stacking to enhance clarity in real-time. Extra-low dispersion glass is used to ensure fantastic image quality across the field of view, and the telescope saves images as RAW files which you can edit in one of the best photo editing apps. It produces fantastic images of nebulas with incredible detail and clarity, although it isn't any good for planetary viewing.

It does have one drawback, however, which is its short battery life. It's super portable and easy to carry around, so it's a shame that the battery only lasts for 4 hours, especially when you compare it to the original Vespera which had an 8-hour battery life. Technically, you can take it out to remote dark sky spots thanks to its portability, but you'll only have 4 hours of use (without a power bank) once you're there. Plus, it doesn't include a tripod, so you'll have to spend extra money on top of the $1,590 price tag, which is disappointing.

On the other hand, it is $900 cheaper than the newly released Vespera III, so if you are looking to get a solid model on a medium budget, we would highly recommend the Vespera II.

• Read our full Vaonis Vespera II review

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Best for resolution

The Vaonis Vespera Pro is aimed at those users who want some of the sharpest wide-field images they can take with a smart telescope. The 12.5MP Sony IMX676 sensor allows users to take individual images of star clusters, galaxies and nebulas with the highest resolution on the market. Following on from that, if astrophotographers use the patented CovalENS mosaic mode, they are able to photograph a huge swathe of the sky, which is then stitched together into a huge 50MP photograph.

Due to the wide field-of-view, the Vespera Pro is mainly suited to capturing deep-sky objects that appear larger in the sky, as well as the sun and the moon. We got some good images of the great Hercules cluster (M13), the Cigar galaxy (M82) and Bode's galaxy (M81). Astrophotographers who focus on planetary nebulas or planets will be disappointed as the Vespera Pro does not do well for these 'smaller' targets.

It is controlled by Vaonis' smart device Singularity app, which allows you to select your night sky target and start imaging. 'Expert' mode lets you customise exposure and image settings, while a separate 'plan my night' mode allows you to program the telescope to perform imaging on a chosen sequence of targets. This is good for when you want to sit back and relax while your telescope does the work of trawling through the stars and hunting down the treasures of the night sky.

The battery life of the Pro version is a huge 11 hours, which is double that of the Vespera II with its meagre 4 hours. It will charge you for the privilege though, with the model still retailing for $2,990.

• Read our full Vaonis Vespera Pro review

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Best for versatility

If you've been reading this guide and wishing there was a telescope combining the optical prowess of Unistellar scopes with the portability of the Vespera, then you're in luck. The Odyssey Pro is the newest offering from Unistellar, and it hits that sweet spot.

While it doesn't quite match the resolution of the Equinox 2 or the eVscope 2, the Odyssey Pro stands out for its portability. Weighing just 14.3 lbs (6.5kg) for the complete kit, it's noticeably lighter and easier to handle than these two scopes, which weigh 19.8 lbs (9kg) each. This makes it a better choice if you want to take it along with you to remote dark sky locations.

One thing to note is that the Odyssey Pro has a shorter battery life compared to the other Unistellar telescopes in this guide. It'll last around five hours after a full charge, so if you're planning a long night of stargazing, you'll want to pack a power bank into your kit.

In our Unistellar Odyssey Pro review, we noted its smaller form factor which makes for easier portability during travelling. This aligned with what we thought about the model prior to testing. Whilst able to deliver quiet operation and stunning images of nebulas and star clusters, we found that it was still rather poor at planetary imaging. It is a lighter model than the eQuinox 2 and the eVscope 2, whilst also being a more beginner model with complete autofocus and no need for mirror alignment.

• Read our full Unistellar Odyssey Pro review

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Best for portability

The Seestar S30 is a lightweight portable smart telescope that allows you to get stargazing in minutes. Weighing only 1.65 kg, you really can take this smart telescope anywhere with you whether that's a friend's garden or out into the sticks to a dark sky site. Being a smart telescope also means it's easy to use, allowing anyone of any age to start experiencing the night sky.

While the telescope itself is compact, the tripod it sits on is also small. And there's no need to be concerned about the lack of extendable legs on the tripod as you control this smart telescope via the accompanying smartphone app. You don't need to look through a viewfinder and crank your neck as you view the night sky objects via your phone screen. Plus, the alt-azimuth mount means the aperture arm can move in all directions so you won't miss any part of the night sky. We were impressed by how quiet the telescope was when searching for night sky objects.

In our review of the Seestar S30, our reviewer said, "it's so quiet that in the dark, we had to double-check that it had really moved as commanded." Our reviewer was also impressed with the speed in which it found objects, with the S30 taking between 10-20 seconds to locate the desired object. With this telescope being so lightweight, it's easy to move around from surface to surface and comes with its own carry case.

While the telescope was good at locating night sky objects and giving good views of them, some deep-sky objects did appear small in the field which was a little disappointing. However, this is to be expected from a telescope of this size.

• Read our full ZWO Seestar S30 review

Best for light pollution

The Vaonis Stellina is the Vespera's older sister, featuring more megapixels and magnification. On the flipside, it's also heavier and more expensive.

As we noted in our Vaonis Stellina review, it does have a couple of small design niggles, but none of them are dealbreakers. Overall, we thought it was sleek, compact and robust.

While it's quite easy to carry with the backpack, it's important to note that the Vaonis Stellina is the heaviest smart telescope in this lineup, weighing in at 24.25 lbs /11kg. As a result, we'd recommend this scope if if you live in a city and intend on stargazing from your backyard, as its CLS (City Light Suppression) effectively removes any traces of light pollution from the images. We found that the stars and nebulas were accurately represented, although the star quality wasn't as sharp as we hoped.

One complaint we found with the Stellina, however, is that its instructions are rather poor (actually, they're practically non-existent). If you're not well-versed in smart telescopes, its set-up and functionality might well leave you scratching your head. Thankfully, it's fairly straightforward to understand, but a simple quick set-up guide included in the box could make a world of difference.

What's neat is that once the Stellina is set up, you can leave it outside doing its thing while you go indoors in the warmth. Thanks to its app functionality, you can keep viewing the results from your phone while choosing new targets to capture. The only caveat is you need to be within 10 yards of it, but if you're using it in your own backyard, that shouldn't be a problem.

• Read our full Vaonis Stellina review

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Best for deep sky images

The Celestron Origin Intelligent Observatory Mark II is heavy, coming in at 41.6 lb (18.87 kg), but that weight means that you are getting quality optics from one of the biggest names in the industry.

The only difference from the original Origin model is the upgraded Sony IMX67 sensor, which boasts better low-light performance, finer pixels and a bigger 8.3 MP resolution. This is also good news for owners of the original Celestron Origin model because they can simply purchase the new sensor for a fraction of the priceand just replace it on their older model.

We tested it in a Bortle 4 area and got some incredibly sharp results of Bode's galaxy (M81), the Whirlpool galaxy (M51) and the Needle galaxy (NGC 4565). The clarity and detail on our images of these deep space wonders really is a cut above the rest in terms of smart telescope astrophotography. The results were helped by a Celestron Origin nebula filter (sold separately), which helps to block out artificial light and boost light coming from star forming regions.

It is effectively the same telescope as the original model but with an upgraded sensor, but it does make a world of difference. It retails for $4,200, so it is on the more expensive end of smart telescopes, but it is worth it if you are serious about getting the best deep-space images with a Go-To telescope.

• Read our full Celestron Origin Intelligent Observatory Mark II review

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Best smart telescopes: Comparison

Smart telescope FAQs

Update Log

How we test the best smart telescopes

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

Our expert staff and knowledgeable freelance contributors thoroughly test each smart telescope. This ensures honest reviewing based on the smart telescope's price, category, and intended use.

With complete editorial independence, Space.com are here to ensure you get the best buying advice on smart telescopes, whether you should purchase an instrument or not, making our buying guides and reviews reliable and transparent.

Aside from this comprehensive list, we do also have brand-specific telescope guides for Celestron and Skywatcher deals for those loyal to their favorite brands. Like this guide, we also keep those updated year-round, so they're always worth checking out. There are plenty of stores out there that dabble in skywatching equipment as well. Do Best Buy sell telescopes? They sure do, and we have a guide on Telescopes at Best Buy.

Still wondering 'what telescope should I buy'? We have also selected our favorite budget telescopes under $500, best beginner telescopes and best telescopes for kids and not just what the best telescope to buy for adults is, in case you're looking for those specifically.

A peek into the future of exoplanet science suggests the forthcoming European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is going to give us our best chance in the next two decades of detecting biosignatures on nearby rocky worlds orbiting other stars. Such is the conclusion of a new study that simulated what it will take to characterize worlds outside our solar system with the tantalizing prospect of hosting life, such as Proxima Centauri b. 

This study will allow astronomers to set their sights on key exoplanetary targets during the 2030s and beyond.

Besides measuring exoplanetary bulk properties — mass, radius and orbital period — astronomers learn about these extrasolar worlds  by studying their atmospheres. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) does this via transit spectroscopy, for instance. As a planet transits (in other words, moves in front of) its star per the telescope's vantage point, some of the star's light filters through the planet's atmosphere. Any atmospheric molecules present in that atmosphere can absorb the starlight. Importantly, different molecules absorb at certain wavelengths, making each wavelength the signature of a specific molecule. This is how the JWST recently detected hints of methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the exoplanet K2-18b, for example.

Related: Machine learning could help track down alien technology. Here's how

However, our machines only manage to see a small fraction of planets transiting their stars, meaning scientists have to use another means of characterizing exoplanetary atmospheres. That goes for worlds that don't transit at all, as well as worlds that may transit without us noticing.

One option is direct imaging, but directly imaging exoplanets is a tough proposition. 

While dozens of exoplanets have been imaged so far, such as HD 950086b, they are all young, large worlds still hot from their formation processes. They  therefore shine brightly in infrared light while at large angular separations from their parent star. In other words, we cannot see any details of these worlds — the planets appear as just pinpricks of light — but within their light patterns are hidden absorption lines related to atmospheric molecules. To tease out these spectral details, however, a very large telescope is required to get a high enough signal-to-noise ratio of the planet's light against background data.

So, with a trio of giant ground-based observatories set to see first light by the next decade, astronomers Huihao Zhang, Ji Wang and Michael Plummer, all of Ohio State University, wanted to test how well these upcoming eyes on the universe would characterize exoplanets via direct imaging. The goal was to see how much better they perform the task when, compared to transit spectroscopy performed through the JWST's 6.5-meter (21 feet) mirror.

Those three next-generation ground-based telescopes are the 39-meter (128-feet) European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), the 98-foot Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Mauna Kea and the 24-meter (79 feet) Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). The ELT and GMT are being constructed at separate locations in Chile's Atacama Desert; just last December the first mirror segments for the ELT were shipped to South America.

"It's hard to say whether space telescopes are better than ground-based telescopes, because they're different," said Zhang in a press statement. "They have different environments, different locations, and their observations have different influences."

Zhang, Wang and Plummer simulated the performance of two instruments on the ELT — the Mid-Infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (METIS) and the High Angular Resolution Monolithic Optical and Near-infrared Integral field spectrograph (HARMONI). They modeled these instruments on 10 real-life exoplanets orbiting nearby red dwarf stars, testing how well they can detect potential biosignatures such as molecular oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane and water through direct imaging.

"Not every planet is suitable for direct imaging," said Zhang. "But that's why simulations give us a rough idea of what the ELT would have delivered and the promises they’re meant to hold when they are built."

The results were mixed. A world called GJ 887b, which is a super-Earth four times more massive than our planet that orbits the brightest red dwarf in our sky some 11 light years away from us, performed best in the simulations. METIS in particular proved capable of detecting the aforementioned biosignature gases in its atmosphere. In the simulations, METIS also could detect the same biosignatures on exoplanets Proxima b and Wolf 1061c, while HARMONI was able to make the same detections but required longer exposure times to do so.

However, the ELT will likely  struggle when trying to directly image and characterize the seven worlds of the TRAPPIST-1 system, the team says, because of "atmospheric seeing limitations" hindering attempts to resolve key tiny angular separation measurements of the planets from their star. In this case, the JWST's transit spectroscopy performs better here, but even the $10 billion dollar observatory is finding it tough. 

Preliminary results from the JWST suggest TRAPPIST-1's innermost planets, worlds b and c, do not have an atmosphere. It may take years for the JWST to gather enough data to draw conclusions about the other five TRAPPIST-1 worlds, including planets d, e and f that reside in the habitable zone.

The capabilities and limitations of the ELT and the JWST will not represent the final word on characterizing exoplanets. The most recent decadal survey for astronomy from the National Academy of Science has recommended that development for a new, giant space telescope with an eight-meter mirror at minimum be accelerated towards a launch date in the 2040s. Such a telescope would be optimized to detect, image and characterize rocky worlds in habitable zones around nearby stars, including Proxima b. 

Until then, Zhang, Wang and Plummer believe the next generation of large ground-based telescopes, and the JWST, can rally astronomers to begin probing exoplanets and start learning whether some of them really could support life — as we know it, at least.

Their results were published in December 2023 in The Astronomical Journal.

Acefast was founded relatively recently in 2020, with headquarters in Shenzhen. The company focuses on the development, design and sales of small electronics such as chargers, headphones, cables and audio equipment.

The Acefast Fast Charge Power Bank M1 is a pocketable and stylish power bank with a 10000mAh capacity and 30W fast charging output. It features a unique transparent design that allows you to see the internal components of the device and a digital LED display that shows the remaining battery life percentage.

We've reviewed multiple power banks for our best power banks guide so far, so even if this model isn't for you, we're sure there will be one on the list that fits your search criteria. At the time of writing, the Acefast Powerbank M1 is only available in the UK but it should be available in the US imminently, so we'll be sure to update this page once it is.

Acefast Fast Charge Power Bank M1 review

Acefast Fast Charge Power Bank M1: Design

• Palm-sized
• Unique transparent window
• A range of color options

You can pick up the Acefast M1 in one of four colors, each featuring a unique transparent 'window' into the device inside. The packaging is flashy and certainly has shelf appeal.

It's lighter and smaller than a regular smartphone, and we found we could hold both the power bank and our smartphone comfortably in one hand. Something that's not possible with the likes of the much more sizable Zendure SuperTank Pro. We found this especially useful when charging up on a walk while navigating with Google Maps. We could also charge our phone in a jacket pocket without noticing any difference in the weight we were carrying.

It's made from fire-resistant polycarbonate that gives it a smooth, shiny finish, and the corners are rounded. If power banks could look 'friendly' — this is how we'd describe it. Though it's made from tough material, we wouldn't want to drop it on anything sharp, like gravel, as we think it would scratch fairly easily, but this isn't something we've tested.

Acefast Fast Charge Power Bank M1: Performance

• Just under two hours to charge
• 30W input/output

The power bank arrived with a 46% charge. We drained it completely before charging it back up with an AC charger (not supplied, which is fairly typical of new electronic products). It took just under two hours to charge from 0% to 100%, there is a small green indicator light on the display that shows you when the device itself is charging, and the numbers blink to show progress.

We drained our Google Pixel 7 Pro phone completely to see how well the Acefast M1 performed. The Google Pixel 7 Pro has a 5000 mAh battery, whereas the Acefast has a 1000 mAh capacity, so in theory, we should be able to charge our phone from flat twice. After one full charge of our test phone, there was 36% juice left in the power bank, so we wouldn't quite get another full charge out of it. Remember though, it's unlikely you'll be charging your phone from flat each time, you are more likely to use this power bank to 'keep you topped up' while out and about.

Acefast Fast Charge Power Bank M1: Functionality

• 12-month warranty
• USB-A and USB-C port
• LED numerical percentage indicator

The Acefast power bank features 30W fast charging and is compatible with PD, QC and Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging. There is one USB-C output and one USB-A output, and you can use both at once.

It doesn't offer much more functionality than charging up your devices. There's no flashlight, handwarmer, exact input and output measurements, but it does what it needs to.

The device features various 'protection' to ensure your devices are safe; these range from over-voltage protection, over-charge protection, temperature control technology and more. We tested the power bank with various devices including phones, earbuds, smart watches, headlamps and so on, and didn't encounter any problems.

Should you come across a problem with the device, you have a 12-month warranty, and from our experience, Acefast are easy to communicate with and very happy to assist.

Like most power banks, the Acefast M1 isn't waterproof; for that, you'd need something like the Otterbox Fast Charge Power Pack that is featured in our best powerbanks guide.

Should you buy the Acefast Fast Charge Power Bank M1?

We think the primary use for this power bank is to keep your phone or devices like earbuds topped up for a couple of days. We like that you can hold it in your palm next to your phone comfortably and it doesn't feel like you're holding anything extra at all.

It is also available as a 20000mAh (Acefast M2), which would be more appropriate for longer stints away from home. There isn't a reason we wouldn't recommend it for this type of use, as long as you can find it at a reasonable price, we'd expect to pay around $40.

If the Acefast Fast Charge Power Bank M1 isn't for you:

We've tested a heap of power banks to date and we like different models for different reasons.

For charging multiple devices at once, over a long weekend away, for example, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Zendure SuperTank Pro. Though it is obviously much physically bigger, it also has a huge 26,800 mAh  — just under the maximum limit of what you are allowed to carry as hand luggage on a flight.

We also like the Ugreen 25000mAh power bank, another higher-capacity device that looks professional and has a total output of 145W.

To see other models that we like, check out our best power banks guide where we have categorized them according to what we think their best use is. We also have reviewed various power stations for those looking for enough power to keep them charged up off grid for long periods of time. 

A rosy red nebula takes center stage in a new photo from the European Southern Observatory (ESO). 

The expansive cloud of dust and gas, known as IC1284, is an emission nebula, a bright, diffuse cloud of ionized gas that emits its own light. This particular emission nebula, found at the center of the image, glows red from active star formation and the fusion of hydrogen in the region. 

"Its rosy glow comes from electrons within the hydrogen atoms: they're excited by the radiation from young stars, but then they lose energy and emit a specific color or wavelength of light," ESO officials said in a statement. 

Related: Amazing space views of ESO's Very Large Telescope (photos)

Astronomers photographed IC1284 using ESO's wide-field camera, called OmegaCAM, on the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. (VLT stands for "Very Large Telescope.") Nebulae are made up of enormous clouds of dust and gas, which fuel new star formation. In the new image, the warm red glow of IC1284 is dotted with bright twinkling stars all around it. 

IC1284 is joined by two blue reflection nebulae, known as NGC6589 and NGC6590, located in the lower right corner of the new VST image. Compared to emission nebulae, the clouds of interstellar dust in reflection nebulae reflect the light of a nearby star or stars, creating the distinct blue color observed.

"The dust in a reflection nebula preferentially scatters shorter, bluer wavelengths of light from nearby stars, which is what gives these nebulae their eerie glow," ESO officials explained in the statement. "It's the same reason why the sky is blue!" 

The new image, released on Tuesday (Oct. 2), was captured as part of a larger initiative organized by ESO, called the VST Photometric H alpha Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge (VPHAS+). The survey is aimed at observing nebulae and stars in visible light to help astronomers understand how stars are born, live and die, according to the statement. 

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) shared a beautiful new image of stars trailing across the night sky. It was taken at the ESO's Paranal Observatory, located in the Chilean Atacama Desert. The observatory is home to the Very Large Telescope (VLT), which consists of four Unit Telescopes and four smaller, movable Auxiliary Telescopes, like the one in the foreground of the image on the right. 

Astronomers used a long exposure technique in which the night sky is photographed over several hours, capturing the movements of stars as they travel overhead. This creates a dazzling trailing effect, where  starlight appears to arc over the observatory’s ground-based telescopes. 

Two bright orange lasers are also seen beaming out of one of the Unit Telescopes. These laser beams, known as laser guide stars, are used to correct the distortion of starlight caused by Earth's turbulent atmosphere, according to a statement from the ESO. The beams are pointed in opposite directions because the long exposure technique took several hours to complete, during which the telescope moved to observe different targets in the sky, ESO officials said. 

Related: Amazing space views of ESO's Very Large Telescope (photos)

A laser guide star creates an artificial star by shooting a laser beam into the sky, which excites sodium atoms in the upper layer of the atmosphere and causes them to glow like stars. This, in turn, provides a reference point for ground-based telescopes, enabling them to cancel out the effects of atmospheric turbulence and create a sharper image of the sky. 

"Each laser delivers 22 watts of power — about 4000 times the maximum allowed for a laser pointer — in a beam that’s about 30 centimeters in diameter," ESO officials said in the statement. "This remarkable display doesn’t just look pretty: the twinkling of these artificial stars is measured in real time and used by the adaptive optics system to correct for the blurring caused by the Earth's atmosphere so that the telescope can create sharp images." 

When we look up at the night sky, we see stars as individual points of twinkling light. However, the new image of the star trails over ESO's Paranal Observatory remind us of Earth's constant rotation, or spin, around its axis. Long exposure images such as this capture the beautiful motion of the sky as the Earth rotates relative to the backdrop of stars.  

This EcoFlow's newest power station, the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max. It boasts impressive specifications, such as super-fast charging and expandable capacity, has slick marketing, and an LFP (LiFePO4) battery, not to mention good review ratings on sites such as Amazon — all things that made this particular power station catch our eye and deem it worthy of putting through its paces in a review. But is it worth a place in our Best power banks guide?

During our review, there has been substantial cloud cover for the whole month, so we haven't tried charging this power station using solar panels yet and have only used the mains AC supply. Because we are currently in the UK, this model takes UK 3-pin plugs, but US models have 2-pin sockets.

EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max power station review

EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max power station: Design

• Carrying handles
• Flat surface on the top
• Minimalist design

The EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max is the first power station we've reviewed which doesn't have any buttons or a screen on what we would call the 'front' of the device. The top is clear from ports and buttons too; everything can be found at either end of the device, with two extra ports on the back to allow you to add extra batteries to the power station.

The EcoFlow DELTA 2 is black and gray — colors typical of most power stations and despite its sheer size it is a discrete and neat-looking device. Styling-wise it's unassuming, especially when compared to the flashier-looking Zendure SuperBase Pro that we previously reviewed.

There isn't an integrated torch/light but the LED screen is plenty bright enough to see in the dark (or in bright sunlight).

Looking down at the top of the power station, you'll see integrated handles on either side, which are crucial for comfortably carrying the 50.7 lb load. Though the handles add a significant amount to the width of the power station, we like that EcoFlow has put them on the side rather than the top. It means we can still stack up other equipment or boxes on top; we were grateful for this as it does take up a lot of boot space in our little compact car.

We've also found ourselves using the flat top of the power station to put our laptop whilst sitting on the floor working. We've also used it as a seat. Neither are intended uses but handy nonetheless. 

The buttons and ports are all sunken, so nothing (apart from the handles) protrudes from the sides, minimizing the risk of causing damage to controls during transit — there's nothing that can fall off.

The power station comes with three cables — an AC, a car lighter and a DC5521 to DC5525 cable. There isn't a pouch supplied to keep them in which is a little disappointing. We can use another of course, but we were surprised not to find one in the box. There's a user guide, a couple of promotional leaflets and a five-year warranty card too.

EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max power station: Performance

• Fast to charge
• Charge more than 13 devices at once
• In-app energy management

The power station arrived with a 30% charge so we charged it from the mains with a 13 amp plug. It took almost exactly 40 minutes to reach 80%. This means it charged 50% of its overall capacity in 40 minutes. 

The specifications read that you should be able to charge from 0% to 80% using AC in 53 minutes, so some back-of-envelope calculations told us our charge was a little slower than it should have been, but it was still very fast. You should be able to get a full charge in 43 minutes when the combined solar and AC input is 2400W — you can't get much quicker than that.

For photographers, EcoFlow claims you can charge your camera battery 99 times, a drone 39 times, and a laptop 26 times. It would take us a while to test those numbers exactly, but given how much we've used it and how difficult we've found it to drain back to 0% once we've charged it up, we can believe every word.

Setting up the app was seamless. After creating an account, the app 'found' the power station straight away and connected the first time — something we've come to learn doesn't happen very often. We'll talk more about the app in the next section.

Noise-wise, the fans come on when the power station is charging or working hard with multiple devices plugged in. They are pretty loud but noticeably quieter than previous models we've looked at such as the the Zendure SuperBase Pro. You can feel the warm air being dispelled from the unit which is very reassuring as thermal build-up is a potential problem for power stations like these.

EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max power station: Functionality

• Wheels would be helpful
• The app is slick and responsive
• Can expand to 6144Wh capacity by adding two batteries

Maybe we were spoilt when we tested the Zendure SuperBase Pro, as the telescopic handles and all-terrain wheels made light work of transporting the power station from A to B. Something we think would be a very useful addition to this power station as lifting the 50.7 lbs (23kg) weight around is no mean feat. The integrated handles make lifting the station up safely easier, but we still want to move it around as little as possible, especially minimizing lifting it in and out of the trunk.

Within the app, you can see exactly what power is entering or leaving the power station in real-time. You can see the totals, but you can also see the input/output levels for each individual port.

You can customize all settings from the app, from changing the screen timeout level, turning on and off the AC/USB power and even upgrading the firmware. When the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max arrived with us, there were two firmware updates to download  —they took less than two minutes to install. Firmware upgrades future-proof the device to make sure it gets the most recent bug fixes and enhancements.

The app is stable and accurate, and the data matches that on the display on the LED screen. It is very responsive. The unit beeps when it has actioned an instruction (if you have sound turned on). You receive a notification on your phone if the power station is almost out of charge.

The EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max can be expanded with two extra batteries, though these cost almost as much as the device itself.

Another accessory/upgrade is the Power Stream Balcony System. In simple terms, this means any surplus energy generated from solar panels can be fed back into your house to cut your energy bills and reduce energy waste.

Should you buy the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max power station?

There's no doubt this unit gives you peace of mind to keep all of your devices powered up whilst away from home, or indeed at home during a power cut — we actually found it quite a challenge to drain it to check how quickly it was to charge back up from 1%! The only reason we'll continue to stick with our smaller power station for overnight trips or weekends away is the weight of the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max. It's manageable, but it feels like a bit of a chore making space for it and getting it from A to B rather than a smaller model or one with wheels. If storing in the attic we should note it would take two people to carry it up a ladder safely (which we did).

If you're not going to need to move it around too often, for example using the Powerstream Balcony Solar System, leaving it in your campervan, or for an extended bout of off-grid living it's a great choice. It also comes with a five-year warranty for extra peace of mind.

If the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max power station isn't for you:

For a similar size model that will keep you powered up for long weekends away, camping trips, at festivals or during power cuts, we really liked the Zendure SuperBase Pro that we reviewed previously. It's still heavy, but the telescopic handles and chunky wheels make it very easy to maneuver. 

For a more compact, lower-capacity mode, we were impressed with UGREEN's Power Roam 1200 — this is what we would consider our 'go-to' power station. We can forgo the extra capacity found in the bigger models for a more portable model. We just have to be a bit more mindful of topping up the charge with solar when the sun is out.

If you don't need a 'power station' as such but need a device that will give you an extra laptop charge or two or add a bit of juice to your GoTo telescope or headlamp, we have rounded up our favorites in our best power banks guide. There you will find models from Anker, Zendure, Celestron, Otterbox and more. 

Terence Dickinson's seminal stargazing guide, "NightWatch: A Practical Guide To Viewing The Universe," is enjoying its historic 40th anniversary this year and to celebrate the occasion for astronomers both amateur and professional, Firefly Books is releasing a freshly updated Fifth Edition of the essential spiral-bound tool on Sept. 7, 2023.

It's been 17 long years since "NightWatch's" Fourth Edition was published and since then there have been some astonishing technological leaps and discoveries in the field of astronomy thanks in part to multi-billion-dollar projects like the James Webb Space Telescope, which is marking its one-year anniversary of the observatory’s first startling images this summer. 

In preparation for the reworked volume, Dickinson teamed up with respected colleagues to conduct a thorough overhaul of this trusted reference that should keep it relevant deep into the 21st century. 

Related: Night sky, September 2023: What you can see tonight [maps]

With a makeover helmed by veteran astronomy scribe and sky observer Ken Hewitt-White, one major addition to this revamped edition is the improvement to the unique seasonal star charts that offer a 360-degree simulation of the night sky on one page and quick-reference identification charts of the stars and constellations on the opposite page.

Here's the official synopsis:

"Much has happened in this popular hobby since the revised Fourth Edition of 'NightWatch' was published in 2006. In response, the text has been substantially revised and updated throughout all 13 chapters. Moreover, the book has been completely redesigned and most of its many photographs have been replaced. A noted feature is the variety of superb astrophotos of star clusters, nebulas, galaxies and other celestial phenomena taken by accomplished amateur astronomers. Lavishly illustrated sections on the Moon and planets will inspire novice observers of the solar system. 

"To accommodate the extensive revisions, 'NightWatch' has grown from 192 pages to 208 pages With the release of the Fifth Edition, we are also launching a new website, NightWatchBook com, that will offer links to additional resources and will be regularly updated with information on new celestial events and equipment. Dickinson's clear, jargon-free language continues to inspire hundreds of thousands of people around the world to take up recreational astronomy."

This Fifth Edition from the folks at Firefly Books comes complete with a comprehensive, all-season guide to the night sky; constellation charts covering both northern and southern hemisphere skies; tips on choosing binoculars and telescopes and taking astrophotos; highlights of major features on the moon to guide the budding lunar explorer; exacting lists of solar and lunar eclipses, planet locations and the best lunar and planetary conjunctions to 2035.

"NightWatch: A Practical Guide To Viewing The Universe" arrives on Sept. 7.

Ugreen was founded over a decade ago and has since sold its high-quality, innovative products in over 100 countries. They sell power stations, a range of chargers, quick charging cables, power banks and more.

The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 Power Station is Ugreen's latest model. We have reviewed the UK version here, but you will receive the appropriate model depending on your region (the AC plug sockets will be different from the three-pin UK plug version you will see in our photos).

A power station is a portable means of powering up multiple devices at once, or using as a backup in your home should you have a power outage. We feature the very best in our best power banks buying guide.

For skywatchers, you can power up the best star trackers, charge your headlamps, keep your GoTo telescopes charged for long skywatching sessions, set up imaging stations and so on, even little heaters to keep you warm if you wish. Power stations can also be invaluable for festival-goers or off-grid camping or motorhome trips. We've spent several weeks with this power station; read on for our thoughts.

Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 power station review

Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 power station: Design

• Compact and portable
• Excellent build quality
• Discrete design

First and foremost, this is a very refined-looking power station; it will appeal to those who like discrete, minimalist, but practical products. It looks less intimidating and imposing than the much larger Zendure SuperBase Pro we reviewed just a few weeks ago. The edges are nicely rounded off to make it feel modern and sleek.

The handle is integrated into the body of the power station, eliminating the risk of it coming loose over time; it feels secure in the hand when carrying. The only downside is that you can't store hard things on top of it in a cupboard or trunk (with a fold-down handle, you could). There are four rubber feet on the bottom to protect the unit's base and work surfaces if you're using it for UPS (Unlimited Power Supply) purposes.

Most of the output ports are on the front panel, with the AC ports on the right-hand side and the input ports on the left. There are four buttons on the front, one to activate the light, one to turn the device on and off, one to activate the DC ports, and one to turn on IoT (Internet of Things) function. 

The LED indicators next to the buttons (e.g. to see if IoT is on) are tiny but not crucial. There's no need to read the instructions to get up and running quickly, but you will want to download the Ugreen app to unlock all its functionality.

Unlike the Zendure SuperBase Pro, there aren't wheels on this power station, but it is almost half the weight, so we don't think wheels are necessary. At a festival or when traveling as an astronomy group, it won't take up too much room if you have a long way to transport it to your base camp.

The LCD screen can show 16 different pieces of information. The main figure to take note of is in the large number in the middle — the remaining battery percentage, though next to this, are the current input and output levels and the remaining charge and discharge times respectively. This obviously changes depending on what you're charging and if you're using solar it will constantly adjust depending on how sunny it is. The screen is pretty hard to see in bright sunlight, but most screens are.  

Small symbols represent which functions are in operation at any given time. The same information can also be seen on the app, so you don't need to physically look at the device or even be in the same room to see what's happening.

The flashlight is handy for adding some light to your camping area/tent, and you can cycle between low, high, flash and SOS modes with one button.

One thing we would like to have seen is the use of recycled plastics for at least the external material, like on the Zendure SuperBase Pro. For a company with 'green' in its title, we hope to see them incorporating more environmentally friendly materials in future products.

Ugreeen PowerRoam 1200 power station: Performance

• Fast to charge
• LiFePO4 batteries
• Quiet fans

This power station is incredibly fast to power. On paper, it recharges to 80% in 50 minutes using AC charging, but we found it was much quicker than this during our tests. The batteries are LiFePO4 which have a longer life span and a more efficient discharge than other lithium-ion battery designs. They also weigh a lot less, which helps to keep this power station reasonably lightweight.

We tested charging it using two 200-watt Ugreen solar panels, and again, it's impressively quick to charge — depending on how sunny it is. When it's dull and overcast, we've found it takes in around 54 watts on average, changing as clouds pass over. On a bright day in full sun with the solar panels in the optimum position, we've seen it tip over 400 watts, more than what it's rated to do, and perfect for the summer festival season — especially if the weather is anything like it was this time in 2022.

When plugged into the mains, it accepts around 1030 watts; this is when it takes less than an hour to charge fully. It is satisfying watching the numbers going up so quickly. Ideal if you need a portable power source for a last-minute adventure.

One thing we were pleasantly surprised about was the quiet operation. You can only really hear the fans whirring when there's a lot of power being input or output at once (e.g. when boiling a kettle). It's barely noticeable when not under any real strain, so it would be okay to charge your headlamps, star trackers, GoTo telescopes overnight in your tent or van without causing a disturbance to your sleep.

Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 power station: Functionality

• Great App
• Very quick to charge
• 0% Battery Emergency mode

The Ugreen App is pretty impressive. Once up and running, you can see current power input and output levels and the estimated remaining recharge and discharge time. We had no problem getting the power station to communicate with the app on the first attempt.

You can manage all of the device's functionality from within the app — turning the individual power outlets on and off, adjusting the screen's brightness, turning on audio tones, turning on a child safety lock, quiet mode, putting it on standby and so on.

You also use the app to make sure your device has the most recent firmware installed. The data on the app reflects the data displayed on the power station almost instantaneously. You will notice the % change on the power station, then within half a second, the app updates to reflect the LCD screen. We found the Ugreen app more reliable and stable than the Zendure app.

One nifty point to mention is the 0% Battery Emergency Mode. Even when displaying 0%, the PowerRoam still provides up to seven hours of light and will have enough 'juice' left to ensure you have time to charge your phone for emergency use, you won't be left without comms in the dark.

The Ugreen PowerRoam is equipped with Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS). If the power in your house goes off, the power station will kick in — your essential household electronics can continue to be used.

Should you buy the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 power station?

We think this power station is great and we will continue to use it in the coming months for outdoor adventures and off-grid overnight stays. We prefer it to the much larger (generally higher capacity models) as it is very easy to transport and store. We think it's a happy medium of size vs capacity, and it's so quick to charge using mains or solar we're not too concerned about 'missing out' on the capacity found in bigger models.

We would also like to comment on the customer service from Ugreen. We always try and talk to the service department to ensure they are helpful when needed, and we can honestly say we're pleased with all the communication we've received from them.

If the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 power station isn't for you:

We've mentioned it a few times throughout this review as we've recently put it through its paces — the Zendure SuperBase Pro (1500W/2000W). It is one of the quickest charging power stations and has an impressive 13 output ports. It also has a telescopic handle and chunky wheels, which are necessary as it weighs a whopping 21 kilograms. Despite the weight, the handles and wheels are useful for putting other items of gear on top of it and dragging it along all at once, so weight isn't too much of a problem. It's a great choice for festivals, backup power at home, or off-grid living as long as you have a decent amount of space to store it.

If you're looking for the best small and pocketable power banks, you can find our favorites in our best power banks guide. As we liked this power station so much, we also reviewed the Ugreen 25000mAh power bank to see if deserved a place in our best power banks guide.

There's also the SuperTank Pro, another Zendure product — it has the largest mAh capacity you can take with you as hand luggage on a flight. You can charge four devices simultaneously via USB-C or using an adaptor (included) for USB-A legacy devices. Like a power station, the LCD screen shows you exactly what power is entering or leaving the device at any given time.

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which visited Pluto in 2015, is embarking on an observing campaign of the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune – and scientists need your help.

Although New Horizons is now far beyond both Uranus and Neptune, throughout September it will be turning its Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) back to look at both planets from a vantage point more than 5 billion miles from Earth. In doing so, it will be seeing these worlds from the opposite direction to how we see them from Earth.

To ensure wide coverage of the two planets from a variety of angles, New Horizons will be joined in this endeavor not only by the Hubble Space Telescope, but also by amateur astronomers all over the world who are being asked to contribute observations throughout the month.

Of all the planets in our solar system, Uranus and Neptune are the least understood. They've only been visited once before, by Voyager 2 in 1986 and 1989 respectively, and their sheer distances mean they can't be seen in great detail from Earth. So, there's still lots to learn about them, which is the incentive behind New Horizons' observing program.

Related: New Horizons: Exploring Pluto and Beyond

New Horizons' primary science objective for these observations is to learn more about how the atmospheres of the two worlds absorb and emit heat energy as well as how thermal energy is transported from the planets' presumably rocky cores toward their outer atmospheres. Uranus, in particular, is odd in this regard because it appears to have hardly any heat flowing from its interior into space. Neptune, despite being a similar planet at first glance, radiates over two and a half times more energy into space than Uranus does.

There are several possible explanations for why hardly any heat seeps out of Uranus. One is that an impact may have knocked Uranus onto its side billions of years ago, causing the planet's core to lose all its heat at once. Another explanation is that some kind of layer deep within Uranus' atmosphere blocks heat from escaping.

New Horizons' observations intend to get us closer to an answer.

"By combining the information New Horizons collects in space with data from telescopes on Earth, we can supplement and even strengthen our models to uncover the mysteries swirling in the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune," Alan Stern, New Horizons' principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said in a statement. "Even from amateur astronomer telescopes as small as 16 inches, these complementary observations can be extremely important."

Telescopes with apertures of 16 inches are technically considered quite large for amateur astronomers. With a telescope of this size, observers will be able to image and track activity in the atmospheres of both planets. This activity is driven by the flow of thermal energy, both from inside the planet and from the sun, and comes in the form of huge, swirling storms that appear as bright spots in the atmosphere.

The upcoming coverage from New Horizons, the Hubble Space Telescope and hundreds of amateur astronomers worldwide is planned to be the most complete survey of Uranus and Neptune ever completed.

Given the placement of Uranus and Neptune in our sky during September, New Horizons' observing campaign also comes at just the right time for amateur astronomers.

Neptune is at opposition on Sept. 19, with Uranus following two months later on Nov. 13. Opposition occurs when a planet is directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth, which means the planet is invariably at its best and brightest.

Neptune will appear to reside in the constellation of Aquarius during September, shining at magnitude +7.8. It'll be modestly high in the southern sky for northern hemisphere observers, sitting just two degrees south of the celestial equator. Uranus is expected to be brighter at magnitude +5.7 and much better placed in the constellation of Aries. 

Although resolving atmospheric details through the eyepiece will require telescopes with larger apertures, you can also pick out both planets with 10x50 binoculars and resolve them as tiny disks through an 8-inch telescope. So even if you can't contribute to NASA's atmospheric monitoring endeavor, you can still join in and observe the planets from your backyard, or better yet, local dark site.

Observers are encouraged to post their images with supporting info to social media using the hashtag #NHIceGiants, where the New Horizons team will collate them all and select the best for inclusion in the study.

We recently reviewed China-based UGreen's Power Roam Power Station and thought it was very impressive — it has quickly become our 'go-to' power station for trips away from home. 

With over 850k Facebook followers, 740k on TikTok, and over 50k on Instagram, it's clear UGreen has quite the fanbase, and we can happily say we're part of it. Because of how impressed we were with the power station and our friendly and helpful interactions with their customer service team, we wanted to put the Ugreen 25000mAh Power Bank to the test too, for times when we don't need quite so much juice.

The sophisticated-looking 25000mAh 145W power bank promises fast charging, trickle charging 145W output, two-way charging, an accurate digital display and more. All things that lend themselves well for any time you're out on the road and need to top up your electronics or if you're looking for a one-stop charging solution for your home.

We've reviewed multiple power banks for our best power banks guide so far, so even if this model isn't for you, we're sure there will be one on the list that fits your search criteria.

 Ugreen 25000mAh power bank review

Ugreen 25000mAh power bank: Design

• Fuss-free design
• One-button operation
• Digital power indicator

The Ugreen 25000mAh Power Bank is a simple 'no-frills' power bank. It doesn't look particularly striking; there are no particularly unique features to shout about, but it's an inoffensive black and grey design and looks smart and sophisticated.

The product specs state that the power bank weighs 18.1 oz, but it was just over 20 oz when we weighed it. This is on the heavy end of the scale for power banks, even ones with a capacity of around 25000mAh. Something to consider and avoid if you're looking for something that won't add too much weight to your trail or kit bag, but not a dealbreaker if you're keeping in your car, tent or camper.

There is just one button to activate the small digital display that shows, in numbers, how much charge the power bank has left. This display stays on when you're charging up your devices, so you can keep watch without lifting a finger. We prefer seeing an actual number rather than just a four-light indicator. When a four-light indicator blinks down to the last light, it could mean it has 25% power left, but it could mean 1%; we like that the ambiguity is removed. When there is less than 1% charge left, the LED screen blinks to alert you that it's about to turn off.

The packaging, like the device itself, is fuss free — it is a simple green and white box that displays the pertinent details of the power bank. It looks professional rather than fancy.

Ugreen 25000mAh power bank: Performance

• Incredibly fast to charge
• Capable of nine phone charges
• Real-time information is accurate 

To check the charging time, we drained the power bank entirely and recorded how long it took to charge back up to 100%. We plugged it in at 17:30, and almost to the minute, 19:00 it was full, impressive. Of course, various factors such as the charging cable, the power source and the charger used will influence the time it takes to charge any power bank.

For the next test, we let our 15-inch Samsung Galaxy Book i3 (69.7Wh battery with 65W USB-C fast charging) drain to 0% and used the full Ugreen power bank to charge it back to 100%. We were still using the laptop fairly heavily for work, including resizing photos, researching the best travel tripods with (too) many tabs open, streaming Spotify and more. One complete charge from empty took one and a half hours and used up the entire power bank. Had we turned the laptop off to charge (or completed less work!), it's very likely there would have been some charge left over.

The Ugreen 25000mAh Power Bank charged our OnePlus 5T phone from 0% to 100% in less than an hour and only used 10% of its own charge, indicating we could charge our phone from 'dead' to full nine times before it needed plugging in itself!

Regarding the output levels, a total output of 145W is possible when you use the 100W USB-C and the other USB-C port simultaneously. If you use all three ports (both USB-Cs and USB-A) at once, the maximum output is 115W, so your devices will charge slower.

Ugreen 25000mAh power bank: Functionality

• USB-C and USB-A ports
• High Capacity
• Two-way charging

The 25000 capacity of this power bank is under the maximum limit of what you are allowed to carry as hand luggage on a flight, so you won't have any problems passing security. It offers great device protection thanks to its built-in surge protector and short circuit protection.

Two-way charging means it can both charge and give charge at once, so you can use it as a charging hub for multiple devices. When a device is plugged in, the power transfer starts immediately — there are no buttons to press, which is great if you're wearing gloves or have cold fingers. It also supports trickle charging to provide safe charging to low-power devices such as Bluetooth earphones and Smart Watches.

One thing we would have liked to have seen on this power bank would be the inclusion of wireless charging, the power bank is physically large and flat enough to lie a phone on top, and there are other Ugreen (smaller capacity) models that do have this feature.

In the box is a USB-C to USB-C cable and a soft carry case. The case will protect the plastic coating from getting surface scratches but wouldn't add much protection if you were to drop it. It's a little on the snug side too; we ended up not using it and just carrying the power bank around 'naked.'

Should you buy the Ugreen 25000mAh power bank?

It's a high-capacity, carry-on compliant power bank with pass-through charging — it does what it needs to and looks the part. It sits in a price bracket typical of power banks of a similar capacity. We've found it most helpful for keeping in the car to charge multiple devices up when we're on the move.

If the Ugreen 25000mAh power bank isn't for you:

There are plenty of models to choose from on our best power banks list, but one recommendation would be the Zendure Super Tank Pro which has even more capacity but in a lighter and smaller body overall (although it looks chunkier!). It also shows the exact input and output levels in real-time, so you can be sure your cables are all working as they should for maximum charging efficiency. 

The BioLite Charge PD is another no-frills model (available with three different capacities) that will charge your devices up to three times faster than a standard 5W charger. By purchasing from BioLite, you're also contributing to their clean energy mission. Read more about that in our hands-on review. 

Both of these models also feature in our best power banks guide so have a look there if you'd like more advice or alternative models.

We were impressed with the SuperTank Pro power bank from Zendure, so we couldn't wait to get our hands on this massive-capacity power station. If the quality and functionality of the power bank were anything to go by, we were in for a treat.

While we don't yet have a standalone power station buying guide, we chose to review this product given our previous positive impression of Zendure products that sit in our Best power banks guide, and it might be just what you're looking for if you run group sky-watching sessions or astrophotography workshops.

Note that there are two versions of the Zendure SuperBase Pro — 1500W and 2000W; We have reviewed the 1500W version. The models also vary depending on which part of the world you are in — ours took UK 3-pin AC plugs but the US models accept 2-pin plugs.

A power station is aptly named for it is a portable means of powering up multiple devices at once; Whether that's the best star trackers, handy headlamps, sophisticated Computerized GoTo telescopes or dedicated astro cameras such as the ZWO ASI533MC Pro.

Zendure Superbase Pro Power Station review

Zendure SuperBase Pro: Design

• Telescopic handle
• Chunky all-terrain wheels
• No two devices are the same

 This Zendure PowerBase Pro looks modern and sophisticated, yet rugged and menacing all at the same time.

 The telescopic handle and all-terrain wheels make it resemble a small suitcase, or as one of our colleagues described it, a 'cool box on wheels'. Zendure highlights this design in their marketing, saying that it can be used to help you carry kit (put your gear on top and pull the whole lot with the handle). This is especially handy when taking the power station to festivals where you usually have to lug your kit a long way.

You could also transport your camera backpack on top by securing it to the telescopic handle. Stylish bags like the Billingham Hadley Pro have a strap precisely for this purpose. Without the handle and wheels, it would be near impossible to transport this 41.5 lbs/18.8 kg monster comfortably. 

 The 6.1-inch LCD panel shows all the information you could need to know about the device's present state — current input and output, recharge time, remaining power and whether any modes like 'quiet charging' are active. 

An ambient light shines when the device charges or distributes power, giving the same feel as the LED tubes you find under fast cars. You can modify the color and brightness in the app. The light seems superfluous, but some may love its futuristic vibe.

The main body is made from recycled plastic, giving each device its own unique pattern; No two will ever be the same. Again, this doesn't add to the functionality of the device, but it's a neat little fact. 

Zendure SuperBase Pro: Performance

• Very loud fans when charging or distributing AC power
• Exceptionally quick to recharge
• Charge all the devices you need simultaneously

On receiving and plugging in the Zendure SuperBase Pro, we thought it was just the initial charge that would be noisy — and by noisy, we mean fans whirring like in an old PC that's being put to heavy use.

Unfortunately, we were treated to this same noise each time it charged via mains power, with only a small decrease in noise when it wasn't charging and was just performing its duty as a power station. There is a 'quiet charging' option in the app which limits the input/charging speed, but getting to sleep with it whirring away in the background would be tricky.

We would have expected the fans to only kick in if the unit started to get too hot, but they seem to be on all the time. We began reviewing this model in the UK when it was winter and the inside temperature was sitting at about 62.6°F / 17°C, so there should have been no need for the fans unless we were pushing it to its maximum output limits.

Despite the noise, there's no denying this thing is exceptionally fast to recharge. It's recommended that you only charge it to 80%, but it only takes 1.5 hours for a full charge with AC. Ideal for last-minute trips, it's quicker to charge than a lot of pocketable power banks.

Zendure SuperTank Pro: Functionality

• App for additional control, customization & monitoring
• A multitude of ports to charge/power many devices at once
• Super quick charging

The Zendure app unlocks more customization options and features over and above what you can control via the buttons on the device's main body. Once you've registered for an account (be sure to check your junk folder for the verification email), you're walked through the setup process. Initially, we had lots of niggles with the app, which were resolved after talking to Zendure customer service (who were very good). Long story short, it needed a few complete reboots and upgrades before the power station would 'talk' to the app and vice versa.

Within the app, you have more visibility and control. You can see exactly how much charge is left in the power station and, if you have things plugged in, you can view how many watts are going in and out, as well as how much time is left until empty. This is especially handy if you're not near the device. We currently have it hooked up to solar panels in another room (the solar panels are outside), but we can see exactly how many watts are being fed into the SuperBase Pro at any given time, which changes constantly depending on the sunlight levels.

You can also turn on quiet(er) charging, change the color of the ambient light, turn AC/DC charging on or off, see how much energy you have used through the power station (and where that energy came from — the grid or solar) and how much carbon has been saved. You can compare your green energy use with other people who are using the power station.

The SuperBase Pro is equipped with a household-grade Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). If the power in your house goes off, it will switch over to the battery, keeping all of your essential household electronics powered up in the event of power outages.

The data on the app is displayed in real-time and matches the display on the LCD screen on the unit most of the time, with a few blips where they don't seem to be quite in sync. Generally, though, it's spot on.

One thing we haven't managed to get to work yet is the 'location' function. The app continuously tells us we're in the middle of the ocean, which we can assure you, we aren't. This is not a deal breaker for us, so we haven't tried too hard to fix this, though we can definitely see the benefit if you're going to be leaving the power station unattended (e.g., at a music festival) as in theory the app will show you exactly where the power station is. 

You can also share the device's location with friends. If you're going 'off-grid' or out at sea, they can check in to see where it is (and hopefully you'll be with it). The SuperBase Pro is upgradeable by firmware so it will only improve over time.

Should you buy the Zendure SuperBase Pro?

There's no denying the impressive capabilities of this thing. It has six AC plug sockets, four USB-C ports (two 100W and two 20W) and three 13.6V DC outputs. It charges ridiculously quickly with AC, and with solar in the right conditions and with decent solar panels (though it's still impressively quick even when it's overcast).

If you're someone who is going to be running sky-watching sessions with groups of people out in the field for nights on end waiting for the perfect dark sky, or simply wanting to go 'off-grid' for a couple of nights, the Zendure SuperBase Pro will keep you powered up, no problem. Just remember a pair of noise-canceling earplugs if you're sleeping in close proximity to it (like in a campervan) and charging devices using AC at the same time.

If the Zendure SuperBase Pro isn't for you:

If you came here from our best power banks guide, you'd have seen that this is currently the only 'power station' on the list, so perhaps you were looking for something smaller and more portable for day-to-day use instead.

For that, there's the SuperTank Pro (also from Zendure) which provides the ability to charge four devices simultaneously via USB-C or using an adaptor (included) for USB-A legacy devices.

The BioLite Charge PD range is a no-frills, rugged and easily portable option, but if you need something that is lightweight, waterproof and practical (perhaps if you are hiking a long way or camping overnight) the Celestron Elements FireCel Mega 6, which also acts as a torch and handwarmer, might be just what you're looking for. 

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Lunar exploration is undergoing a renaissance. Dozens of missions, organized by multiple space agencies – and increasingly by commercial companies – are set to visit the moon by the end of this decade. Most of these will involve small robotic spacecraft, but NASA's ambitious Artemis program, aims to return humans to the lunar surface by the middle of the decade.

There are various reasons for all this activity, including geopolitical posturing and the search for lunar resources, such as water-ice at the lunar poles, which can be extracted and turned into hydrogen and oxygen propellant for rockets. However, science is also sure to be a major beneficiary.

The moon still has much to tell us about the origin and evolution of the solar system. It also has scientific value as a platform for observational astronomy.

The potential role for astronomy of Earth's natural satellite was discussed at a Royal Society meeting earlier this year. The meeting itself had, in part, been sparked by the enhanced access to the lunar surface now in prospect.

Far side benefits

Several types of astronomy would benefit. The most obvious is radio astronomy, which can be conducted from the side of the moon that always faces away from Earth – the far side.

The lunar far side is permanently shielded from the radio signals generated by humans on Earth. During the lunar night, it is also protected from the sun. These characteristics make it probably the most "radio-quiet" location in the whole solar system as no other planet or moon has a side that permanently faces away from the Earth. It is therefore ideally suited for radio astronomy.

Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic energy – as are, for example, infrared, ultraviolet and visible-light waves. They are defined by having different wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Radio waves with wavelengths longer than about 15m are blocked by Earth's ionosphere. But radio waves at these wavelengths reach the moon's surface unimpeded. For astronomy, this is the last unexplored region of the electromagnetic spectrum, and it is best studied from the lunar far side.

Observations of the cosmos at these wavelengths come under the umbrella of "low frequency radio astronomy." These wavelengths are uniquely able to probe the structure of the early universe, especially the cosmic "dark ages" – an era before the first galaxies formed.

At that time, most of the matter in the universe, excluding the mysterious dark matter, was in the form of neutral hydrogen atoms. These emit and absorb radiation with a characteristic wavelength of 21cm. Radio astronomers have been using this property to study hydrogen clouds in our own galaxy – the Milky Way – since the 1950s.

Because the universe is constantly expanding, the 21cm signal generated by hydrogen in the early universe has been shifted to much longer wavelengths. As a result, hydrogen from the cosmic "dark ages" will appear to us with wavelengths greater than 10m. The lunar far side may be the only place where we can study this.

The astronomer Jack Burns provided a good summary of the relevant science background at the recent Royal Society meeting, calling the far side of the moon a "pristine, quiet platform to conduct low radio frequency observations of the early universe's dark ages, as well as space weather and magnetospheres associated with habitable exoplanets."

Signals from other stars

As Burns says, another potential application of far side radio astronomy is trying to detect radio waves from charged particles trapped by magnetic fields – magnetospheres – of planets orbiting other stars.

This would help to assess how capable these exoplanets are of hosting life. Radio waves from exoplanet magnetospheres would probably have wavelengths greater than 100m, so they would require a radio-quiet environment in space. Again, the far side of the Moon will be the best location.

A similar argument can be made for attempts to detect signals from intelligent aliens. And, by opening up an unexplored part of the radio spectrum, there is also the possibility of making serendipitous discoveries of new phenomena.

We should get an indication of the potential of these observations when NASA's LuSEE-Night mission lands on the lunar far side in 2025 or 2026.

Crater depths

The moon also offers opportunities for other types of astronomy as well. Astronomers have lots of experience with optical and infrared telescopes operating in free space, such as the Hubble telescope and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). However, the stability of the lunar surface may confer advantages for these types of instrument.

Moreover, there are craters at the lunar poles that receive no sunlight. Telescopes that observe the universe at infrared wavelengths are very sensitive to heat and therefore have to operate at low temperatures. JWST, for example, needs a huge sunshield to protect it from the sun’s rays. On the moon, a natural crater rim could provide this shielding for free.

The moon's low gravity may also enable the construction of much larger telescopes than is feasible for free-flying satellites. These considerations have led the astronomer Jean-Pierre Maillard to suggest that the Moon may be the future of infrared astronomy.

The cold, stable environment of permanently shadowed craters may also have advantages for the next generation of instruments to detect gravitational waves – "ripples" in space-time caused by processes such as exploding stars and colliding black holes.

Moreover, for billions of years the moon has been bombarded by charged particles from the sun – solar wind – and galactic cosmic rays. The lunar surface may contain a rich record of these processes. Studying them could yield insights into the evolution of both the sun and the Milky Way.

For all these reasons, astronomy stands to benefit from the current renaissance in lunar exploration. In particular, astronomy is likely to benefit from the infrastructure built up on the moon as lunar exploration proceeds. This will include both transportation infrastructure – rockets, landers and other vehicles – to access the surface, as well as humans and robots on-site to construct and maintain astronomical instruments.

But there is also a tension here: human activities on the lunar far side may create unwanted radio interference, and plans to extract water-ice from shadowed craters might make it difficult for those same craters to be used for astronomy. As my colleagues and I recently argued, we will need to ensure that lunar locations that are uniquely valuable for astronomy are protected in this new age of lunar exploration.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates — and become part of the discussion — on Facebook and Twitter. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.

A scientist says it may be possible to create low-cost foldable telescope mirrors that are more than twice the size of those onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), whose giant iconic golden honeycomb mirror is the largest ever sent to space.

JWST's network of 18 gold-coated segments make up a primary mirror that's 21 feet, 4 inches (6.5 meters) in diameter. Now, a scientist has come up with a new method to produce extremely large telescope mirrors that he thinks will be thinner, lighter and more affordable than many of the optics currently in orbit.

This new way "could help solve weight and packaging issues for telescope mirrors, enabling much larger, and thus more sensitive, telescopes to be placed in orbit," Sebastian Rabien, a scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany and the sole author of a new study detailing the tech, said in a statement. 

Related: Giant next-generation space telescopes could be built off Earth 

Using his new method, Rabien built a mirror 0.9 feet (30 centimeters) wide. He created what is called a membrane mirror by placing an evaporated material, the identity of which is not disclosed in the statement, into a vacuum chamber. Soon after, a lightweight polymer membrane, likely as thin as household plastic wrap, began to form.

Next, to mold this membrane into a parabola — a necessity for space telescopes, as the shape allows better focus by directing incoming light into one spot — Rabien added a "rotating container filled with a small amount of liquid" to the inside of the vacuum chamber. This allowed the polymer to grow and form the base of the mirror. Coating the mirror with a reflecting surface like aluminum would make it telescope-worthy, according to the statement.

Rabien proposes using his new method to create massive telescope mirrors, which are usually complicated and expensive to put together. (For example, it took the JWST team eight years to build the telescope's mirrors.) The method has the potential to create mirrors that scale beyond the sizes of those onboard current space telescopes, the statement notes. 

"Although this work only demonstrated the feasibility of the methods, it lays the groundwork for larger packable mirror systems that are less expensive," Rabien said in the same statement. "It could make lightweight mirrors that are 15 or 20 meters [49 to 66 feet] in diameter a reality, enabling space-based telescopes that are orders of magnitude more sensitive than ones currently deployed or being planned."

These large mirrors could be "rolled up" to fit compactly onto rockets to ride safely to orbit, Rabien believes. Once aloft, Rabien envisions flawless deployment of the mirrors, thanks to another method he developed that would use heat to ease out any kinks that would form after the mirrors unfold. Such gigantic sizes would, in turn, make telescopes bigger and more sensitive, allowing astronomers to collect higher quality observations.

Rabien details his research in a study published this month in the journal Applied Optics.

A similar was undertaken in 2010 by the U.S. military’s advanced research wing, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which funded a project to explore replacing traditional telescope mirrors with a polymer membrane. The goal was to create a lightweight foldable space telescope that could capture real-time videos and images of Earth in high resolution. 

DARPA's funding for the project — known as the Membrane Optical Imager for Real-Time Exploitation, or MOIRE — was mostly intended for the country's warfighters, but the project's scope extended into planetary exploration too. MOIRE's prime contractor, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., said at the time that the "game-changing approach" would "dwarf" any telescope projects under development at the time, including JWST. 

However, there has been little news after the project prototype was tested in late 2013, and it has apparently not been used as a part of a space mission to date.

Follow Sharmila Kuthunur on Twitter @Sharmilakg. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. 

There are several excellent elements of the Zendure SuperTank Pro power bank that we love, and that's why it features on our best power banks list. We genuinely think it would be a perfect addition to any skywatchers kit bag — keep your telescopes, headlamps, star trackers, camera phones and even laptops charged away from home.

It is also good to have at home as a one-stop charging station or a good backup in case of a power outage. After all, this thing can charge four devices simultaneously, with a total output of 138W. It also has a 'pass through' feature which means you can charge the SuperTank Pro whilst it simultaneously charges your other devices.

Zendure SuperTank Pro power bank review

Zendure SuperTank Pro: Design

• Aluminum casing
• Packaging feels luxurious
• Appearance can be likened to a hard luggage case

If you're considering buying this for someone as a gift, you might like to know that the Zendure SuperTank Pro packaging is attractive and would be lovely to give or receive. It looks stylish and feels premium. The hard-sided protection case is also exceptionally well made and mimics the device's build quality, not that the tough anodized aluminum shell needs much protection.

On receiving the Zendure SuperTank pro and removing the postal courier packaging, we were wowed by the professional-looking finish of the external packaging. Every little detail has been thought about. It is stylish and informative. When we slid the cover off, the device lying inside is thoughtfully packaged and gave the feeling of being a premium, top-quality product.

Its aluminum shell denotes its tough and rugged demeanor, while still remaining elegant. There has been no expense spared in making this look and feel like a well-built, excellent-quality product. The design can be likened to a hard luggage case, which denotes the idea of being a handy travel companion. We would have liked some little rubber feet or strips to stop the power bank from sliding around on flat surfaces, especially when inside a vehicle that's in motion.

Like most power banks, there isn't any waterproofing so be careful not to leave it in the rain or dew. Despite this, Zendure claims the SuperTank Pro can be operated in temperatures 0 degrees C to 35 degrees C. We pushed it a little further and charged our mobile phone at -4 degrees C without problems.

Included in the hard shell case, where the SuperTank pro sits, is a USB-A adaptor, something which is still incredibly useful, but ignored by some brands. There is also a USB-C to USB-C cable, a little booklet giving warranty information, a small user manual and a range of stickers to stick on your kit bag or camper window. All the extra 'bits' also fit inside the case behind a netting, again, much like you'd find in a suitcase, to ensure you don't lose anything.

This power bank is, as the name suggests, tank-like. Its size and weight (567g) make it feel like you are carrying a small brick around with you. It's not a power bank for carrying on a long trek in your backpack, but something to keep in your car, with your other astro kit, in your motor home or in your house as a central power station for charging multiple devices at once.

Zendure SuperTank Pro: Performance

• Incredibly fast to charge
• Full capacity in one hour
• Real-time information is accurate 

When we received the Supertank Pro, it arrived with 41% charge. We were really impressed with how quickly it charges — on paper, it charges from 0% to 100% in less than two hours using the 100W USB-C Power Delivery Input, but when we plugged it in, within just over half an hour, we had 100% charge — excellent, and better than the stats suggest. 

The OLED screen has an accurate display, indicating exactly how much time remains to reach 100% charge. It also tells you exactly how much power is entering (or leaving) the device. To date, this is the fastest charging device we have reviewed.

To test the 100W output, we plugged into our Samsung Galaxy Book laptop which had 25% battery remaining. Within one hour of heavy laptop use, it had still gained 40% charge, while leaving 50% charge in the power bank.

Zendure SuperTank Pro: Functionality

• Charge four devices at the same time
• Supported by firmware upgrades
• Know exactly how much power you have left 

The Zendure SuperTank Pro has a massive 26,800 mAh capacity, just under the maximum limit of what you are allowed to carry as hand luggage on a flight. Handy if you're traveling by air to a dark sky area.

The OLED screen gives real-time power transfer information for each of the four ports. When power banks only have an LED indicator (e.g., four light-up bars) to show the remaining power, it is a bit of a guessing game whether you have 25% charge or 2% charge remaining. This ambiguity is completely removed thanks to the screen, so you'll never be left in the dark. Being able to see the power transfer into the SuperTank Pro and into your devices also gives you an indication of the efficiency of your charging cables.

You might be concerned that the Zendure SuperTank Pro only has USB-C outputs, but luckily, Zendure thought ahead and included a small adaptor so your USB-A cables can still be used to charge your legacy devices.

Finally, this thing is future-proof in the form of firmware upgrades — yes, firmware upgrades for a power bank!  Upgrading the firmware on the Zendure Power Bank is a relatively straightforward process and should take just a few minutes to complete. All you need to do is connect the power bank to your computer via a USB cable and then download and install the latest firmware from the official Zendure website.

Should you buy the Zendure SuperTank Pro?

We wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Zendure SuperTank Pro as part of your astronomy or photography kit bag, or for keeping in your car or camper as a reliable source of extra power if you find you need some juice in your devices. For overnighting at a festival or going off the grid for a couple of nights it should keep your devices topped up (obviously depending on how much you have to charge). It isn't cheap, but you're paying for excellent build quality, the biggest capacity allowed in your hand luggage and peace of mind knowing exactly where you stand in terms of how much power you have left.

The only time we would advise against this product is if you plan on using a power bank for trekking or a multi-day hike where you will be carrying it for a long time. At over half a kilo, that's a noticeable amount of weight added to your rucksack and it isn't waterproof.

If the Zendure SuperTank Pro isn't for you:

For a much lighter battery that would be suitable for long walks, and has the added bonus of being a handwarmer, give the Celestron Elements FireCel Mega 6 a try. While it has much less capacity (6000 mAh v 26,800 mAh), it might be just what you're looking for if you need something small and rugged (it's waterproof) for treks and hikes. 

Another option would be a BioLite Charge PD power bank, which is available with three different capacities, the biggest being 20,000 mAh and weighing much, much less than the Zendure. They are no-frills power banks that can charge devices up to 18W and up to three times faster than a standard 5W charger. 

Both of these also feature in our best power banks guide so have a look there if you'd like more advice or alternative models.

If you're looking for some festive savings on a stargazing gift then Amazon has what you could be looking for as the Celestron 70mm Travel Scope and Celestron 76mm FirstScope are both over 30% off. 

With the holiday season in full swing, now is a great time to bag some bargains on telescope deals and Celestron's 70mm Travel Scope (32% off) and 76mm FirstScope (31% off) are worth checking out. 

These two telescopes feature in our guide for the best budget telescopes under $500 and they're both perfectly suited for those without much or any previous stargazing experience. So while they may not compete with the power of some of the best telescopes on the market, they are affordable and good-quality telescopes for beginners.

Aside from the savings themselves, what is it about these telescopes that make them worth getting? Well if you're a veteran stargazer you might want something with higher specs, but if you're looking to try your hand at astronomy or inspire a budding scientist, the specs and the price point will be enough to catch your eye. 

Firstly, Celestron's 70mm Travel Scope is 32% off and it features fully coated optics, a 70mm aperture, and free access to software that will help you locate night sky targets and enhance your experience. You also get a tripod, eyepieces and a backpack, so there's a lot of value for money here. 

You can also save 31% on Celestron's FirstScope which is a compact and portable tabletop telescope, perfect for kids and those only interested in casual stargazing. It features a 76mm aperture and 300mm focal length so viewing the night sky and the stars are ideal here. It also comes in under $50 and you get Celestron's usual build quality as well as bonus software access, so what's not to like?

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Astronomy optics can be expensive, but we have found the best budget telescopes for under $500, allowing you to enjoy the night sky without worrying about your budget. They range from simple tabletop models to full-size telescopes mounted on tripods. They have been tested by our expert reviewers to ensure that, while they may be affordable, they're not lacking in quality.

Celestial objects can be enjoyed for longer in winter, thanks to the shorter days with darker skies. Now really is a great time to invest in a budget-friendly telescope to pique your interest. If you want to spend more on your telescope, take a look at the best models available now with our guide to the best telescopes.

Best budget telescopes under $500 we recommend in 2025

The quick list

This is a quick overview of what's in the best budget telescopes under $500 in the guide below. The links allow you to check out the detailed review quickly.