Telescopes on Amazon: The best deals and discounts available online

Telescopes on Amazon: Image shows amateur astronomer pointing telescope at sky
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It can be a little challenging picking out the best telescopes on Amazon, given the sheer volume of models available from the retailer. Despite this, we've scoped out the top telescopes on Amazon and included something to suit every astronomer and every budget. 

Amazon is a great place to look for telescope deals as you can grab some of the best telescopes on the market as well as a number of great budget telescopes under $500. While this is true, we always recommend that you understand what you're buying before purchasing as deals can sometimes seem too good to be true and often, that's because they are. We also recommend choosing a recognized name too, as we can't vouch for the quality of unknown brands. 

With that in mind, we do also have brand-specific guides for the best Celestron telescope deals, Sky-Watcher telescope deals, Meade telescope deals, Orion telescope deals. A lot of these deals are also for telescopes on Amazon too.

Below all the deals you'll see, we've included some buying advice for you too. So, if you're in the market to inspire a budding astronomer or you want to get into stargazing with the best telescopes for beginners, we'll give you a helping hand. However, with all of that being said, all you have to do is read on below to check out the best telescopes on Amazon and their discounts. 


Unistellar eVscope eQuinox: was

Unistellar eVscope eQuinox: was $2999 now $1999

The Unistellar eVScope eQuinox offers enhanced vision, citizen science projects, 35 hours of storage, a motorized mount and is 100 times more powerful than your standard telescope, the eQuinox is able to pick out faint deep-sky targets, from galaxies to nebulas in exquisite contrast and clarity within moments — whether you're observing from a dark-sky location or from the inner city. Get $1000 off today!

Note: You can claim a free backpack when purchasing this telescope but stock is running low so you should act soon.


Telescopes on Amazon: Today's best deals

Was 119.95

Celestron 70mm Travel Scope DX - Portable Refractor Telescope  Was 119.95 now $89.95

Save 25% on this lightweight, portable Celestron telescope which is perfect for beginners. It comes with a large 70mm objective lens as well as a bonus bag, tripod, moon filter, Bluetooth shutter release and a smartphone adaptor.

Was 159.95

Celestron AstroMaster LT 70AZ  Was 159.95 now $82 on Amazon. 

Save 49% on this excellent scope that features in our budget telescopes under $500 buying guide thanks to its build quality and versatility and gives good views of the solar system.

Celestron 70mm Travel Scope Now $105.92

Celestron 70mm Travel Scope Now $105.92
Save $15
when you apply the coupon on an ideal bit of kit for stargazers, this is a 'grab and go' model that requires minimum setup. The lightweight telescope comes with a handy backpack, so you can port the telescope around easily too. 

Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian:  Was $319.95

Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian: Was $319.95 $239.95 on Amazon

You can save $80 when you apply the coupon at checkout on this 114mm push-to German Equatorial Newtonian telescope for a good 22% off its original price. The telescope ships with a fully adjustable steel tripod, finderscope, 20mm and 10mm eyepieces.

| Now: $144.99

Celestron PowerSeeker 70EQ | MSRP: $169.95 | Now: $144.99
Save 15%
on a great compact beginner's refractor telescope, this model comes with two eyepieces, an erect image diagonal, a Finderscope, plus a 3x Barlow lens. 

Celestron AstroMaster 50AZ Telescope Was 63.95

Celestron AstroMaster 50AZ Telescope Was 63.95 Now $59.99
You can save 6% on this lightweight telescope, which is well-suited to beginner astronomers. It comes with plenty of accessories: four eyepieces, a finderscope and a 3x Barlow lens. It also boasts an easy-to-use alt-azimuth mount, which allows for a quick and fuss-free set up. 

Note: There is a coupon you can apply to save a further $5 on this telescope. 

Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ Was 299.95

Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ Was 299.95 Now $256.47
The price on this model has just dropped by over $40 as it was previously $299.95. It’s a great refractor telescope for beginners that works in tandem with the StarSense app.

Orion StarMax 90mm TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope Was $279.99

Orion StarMax 90mm TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope Was $279.99 Now $249.99 

Save $30 on a telescope that's at its lowest price for quite some time on Amazon. This tabletop telescope is easy to use and provides powerful views of the night sky. Weighing just 6.5 lbs it's easy to transport and features a 90mm aperture and comes with two eyepieces. 

Orion SpaceProbe 130ST Equatorial Reflector Telescope was $309.99

Orion SpaceProbe 130ST Equatorial Reflector Telescope was $309.99 now $269.99.

Save $40 on a telescope that offers a 5.1 inch aperture for bright views of the moon and planets, as well as a wide field of view for star clusters. It also comes with accessories including eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), camera adaptors, moon maps and more. 

Celestron NexStar 4SE Computerized Telescope was $679

Celestron NexStar 4SE Computerized Telescope was $679 now $499

Save $180 on an excellent computerized telescope from Celestron. It features a 4 inch aperture as well as a sturdy tripod and an automatic mount which GoTo mount that can locate and track 40,000+ targets within its database. 

Buying advice

When purchasing one of the telescopes on Amazon, or any telescope for that matter, you need to consider what you want to achieve from your stargazing experience. There are three main types of telescope and each have different advantages, so we've explained each one below - so you know what to look out for in your next scope. Alternatively, you can check out our best telescopes guide for more information. 

Refractors
These telescopes are usually best for providing high-magnification views of targets like planets and the moon. They're also very easy to set up and maintain. Combine this with the fact that they usually retail for a lower price point and you can see why this is a popular option with beginners. They do tend to suffer from a visual problem called ‘chromatic aberration’, where bright objects in the sky appear to be surrounded by a halo. However, this shouldn’t dampen the experience for any viewers.

Reflectors
With wider apertures, these types of telescopes are able to take in more light and therefore better suited for spotting fainter objects. They tend to be useful for views of low-magnification targets like galaxies and nebulas. Unfortunately, these types of telescopes can suffer from something called the ‘coma’ effect, where objects appear elongated instead of spherical/ circular. Again, though, this is a minor issue - and probably something you can get used to at this low price point.

Catadioptric
There are two main catadioptric designs: the Maksutov-Cassegrain and Schmidt-Cassegrain. Both types often come with a computerized GoTo system, which can work out your position and location - and align with night sky targets that you program into the device. They also usually fix the problems mentioned above (coma and chromatic aberration.) As such, they're also usually more expensive. Typically, you'll find that the Schmidt-Cassegrain designs have bigger apertures, and the Maksutov-Cassegrain sport smaller apertures, so the former is better for fainter deep sky targets and the latter will offer high magnification views. 

Deals you missed

When a deal has expired, we'll move it below. That way, you can compare current prices to those in the past. You'll also get a sense of what to look for when you're seeking out telescopes on Amazon.

Was $439.95

Celestron 114LCM Computerized Newtonian Telescope Was $439.95 Now $349.95

Save 20% on a computerized telescope bundle that comes with everything you need for stargazing like an adjustable tripod, a finderscope, two eyepieces and it can automatically find 4000 celestial objects. It's also available at B&H Photo for a similar price.

Now $139.79

Celestron PowerSeeker 80AZS Telescope | Was $149.94 | Now $139.79
There’s $10 off this short refractor telescope, which comes with eyepieces and a Barlow lens. In recent months, this telescope has been seen on sale for as much as $349 - which is a reflection of how a lack of stock is ramping up prices. 

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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.