Telescopes at Best Buy: Deals in stock 2024

Telescopes at Best Buy: Image shows telescope against countryside backdrop
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Searching for telescopes at Best buy is a good way to discover top deals so you can view the stars and beyond, without breaking the bank. 

You'll find some some decent telescopes deals at Best Buy as the retailer also stocks some of the best telescopes. In this guide, we've tried to include something suitable for every astronomer out there, regardless of budgets, viewing needs and experience. There's some handy buying advice too, which can be found underneath the deals below.

More sky-watching deals

Not ready for a telescope? Read our best binoculars guide  More top deals: Telescopes on Amazon  See the latest discounts: Telescopes at Walmart  

We keep this page updated year-round, so we'll always add new deals when we find them. Equally, we'll remove offers when they expire. If you don't find what you're looking for below, but you're hoping to either inspire a budding astronomer or try your hand at stargazing, it could be worth taking a look at our guides for the best budget telescopes for under $500, best telescopes for beginners and best telescopes for kids.

If you do know exactly what you're looking for, or there's a particular manufacturer that you trust, our specific round-ups of the best Celestron, Sky-Watcher, Meade and Orion telescope deals are worth checking out. But, for the best deals on telescopes at Walmart today, read on below. 

Best telescope deals at Best Buy March 2024

Celestron Travel Scope 70 was $109.95 now $99.99.

Celestron Travel Scope 70 <a href="https://shop-links.co/link?skuId=3244721&publisher_slug=future&exclusive=1&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fcelestron-travel-scope-70-portable-telescope-black%2F3244721.p%3FskuId%3D3244721&article_name=hawk-article-name&article_url=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="bestbuy.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">was $109.95 now $99.99.

Save $10 on a telescope that features fully coated glass optics, a 70mm aperture, a 400mm focal length, correctly oriented views and a backpack for you to transport your telescope with ease. It's better suited for viewing stars and for those without much previous astronomy experience. 

Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ Was $469.95 Now $388.99.&nbsp;

Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ <a href="https://shop-links.co/link?skuId=6398030&publisher_slug=future&exclusive=1&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fcelestron-starsense-explorer-102mm-refractor-telescope-silver-black%2F6398030.p%3FskuId%3D6398030&article_name=hawk-article-name&article_url=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="bestbuy.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Was $469.95 Now $388.99

Save over $80 on an excellent telescope that features in our guide for the best budget telescopes. In that guide we rate it as the best budget option for under $500. 

Celestron NexStar 4SE was $679 now $579.99.

Celestron NexStar 4SE <a href="https://shop-links.co/link?skuId=9209304&publisher_slug=future&exclusive=1&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fcelestron-nexstar-4-se-maksutov-cassegrain-computerized-telescope-orange%2F9209304.p%3FskuId%3D9209304&article_name=hawk-article-name&article_url=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="bestbuy.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">was $679 now $579.99.

Save $100 on this computerized telescope that's easy-to-use and offers clear views of night sky targets. It has a 4-inch aperture so plenty of light passes through and it features a fully automated GOTO mount with a database of over 40,000 celestial objects that the telescope can locate and track for you. It features in our best telescopes guide too. 

Buying advice

There are three basic types of telescopes: refractors, reflectors and catadioptrics. Refractors are great for highly magnified views of planets and moons, while reflectors offer better views of deep-sky objects, star clusters and galaxies. Catadioptric telescopes correct some of the visual problems found in these older styles – such as chromatic aberration – but they tend to be a little more expensive. 

Reflectors

Reflectors are usually either Newtonian or Dobsonian in design. Newtonian telescopes are good for a wide range of viewing targets and are often useful for astrophotography – however, they require a lot of maintenance and can be complicated to set up, whereas Dobsonians are more straightforward. 

Refractors

This type of telescope is ideal for beginners, offering a straight-forward assembly and a lower price point. They do, however, tend to suffer from chromatic aberration, where bright objects appear to have a kind of halo. This doesn't ruin the viewing experience, so don't let this put you off too much.

Catadioptric

Catadioptric telescopes fall into two broad categories: Maksutov-Cassegrain and Schmidt-Cassegrain. Schmidt-Cassegrains traditionally have bigger apertures, while Maksutov-Cassegrains usually have small apertures. As such, the Schmidt-Cassegrain is usually better for astrophotography and for broader views, while the Maksutov-Cassegrain is great for sharp views of planets and moons. Both types often come with a computerized GoTo system, which can work out which way the telescope is pointing and automatically adjust it to align with chosen targets.

Choosing a telescope

With all these variations, it can be tricky to figure out which telescope is best for you. We recommend taking two main things into consideration: personal budget and what you’d prefer to view in the night sky.

Lower budget models will usually be reflector or refractor telescopes, while catadioptrics are more expensive. If you’d prefer high magnification views of planets and moons, go for either a refractor or a Maksutov-Cassegrain design. For views of deep-sky objects, star clusters and galaxies, opt for a reflector or a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. And if you need more detailed guidance, have a look through our piece on the best telescopes, which goes into more detail on all of the above.

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Ruth Gaukrodger

Ruth has worked across both print and online media for five years, contributing to national newspaper titles and popular tech sites. She has held a number of journalist roles alongside more senior editorial positions, and was formerly acting as a commissioning editor for Space.com until 2022.

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