Telescopes on Amazon: The best deals and discounts available online

If you’ve ever looked for telescopes on Amazon, you’ll know that the online retailer has a very wide range to choose from. That makes picking out the right one for you a little tricky, especially as not all of them are top quality. But fear not, we’ve scoped out the top models from reputable brands and put the biggest discounts in this handy guide.

There are some pretty good deals for telescopes on Amazon at the minute and you can save big money on top brands, Like the Orion StarMax 70mm tabletop (opens in new tab) (now $279. 99 which is Amazon’s lowest price for a while). If you know what make of telescope you’re after however, you can always check out our brand-specific guides for Celestron telescope deals , Sky-Watcher telescope deals , Meade telescope deals , Orion telescope deals .

Everyone wants an out-of-this-world deal when looking for telescopes on Amazon, but we recommend sticking to the tried and trusted manufacturers mentioned above such as Celestron, Meade and Sky-Watcher. We know they’re tried and trusted because we’ve done a number of reviews on each of their models but there are a number of brands on Amazon which we cannot vouch for. Generally speaking, if you don’t recognize the brand name then you should be wary of the product, no matter how tempting the deal is.

If you are wanting the best models and some bargains then you can check out our guides to the best telescopes and budget telescopes under $500 . Otherwise, if you want to check out the best telescopes on Amazon, read our round-up below. Celestron 70mm Travel Scope | MSRP: $109.

95 | Now $96. 32 (opens in new tab) 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.

Note: While this is on sale, we have seen a lower asking price in recent times, although the price you would pay is still lower than previous mark-down prices. Celestron 70mm Travel Scope DX – Portable Refractor Telescope $119. 95 $98.

95 (opens in new tab) Save 18% 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. Orion StarMax 90mm TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope $319.

99 now $279. 99 (opens in new tab) Save $40 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. Celestron 114LCM Computerized Newtonian Telescope $439.

99 now $364. 00 (opens in new tab) Save over $75 on a telescope that’s at its lowest price we’ve seen for a while. This computerized telescope bundle comes with everything you need for stargazing like an adjustable tripod, a finderscope, two eyepieces and it can automatically find 4000 celestial objects.

There are three main types of telescope: refractors, reflectors and catadioptrics. Below, we’ve gone into the benefits and drawbacks of each design. If you want a full breakdown, have a look through the guidance in our article on the best telescopes .

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. 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. Unistellar eVscope eQuinox: (opens in new tab) $2999 $2699 (opens in new tab) 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 $300 off today! Celestron Cometron 114AZ: $199. 95 $184. 95 (opens in new tab) With a stunning white finish, the Cometron 114AZ has been specifically designed for observing comets, but — given its 114mm aperture — is an excellent companion for observers who enjoy observing the Moon, Milky Way and Saturn’s rings.

Supplied with two eyepieces, mount and tripod. Celestron PowerSeeker 80AZS Telescope | Was $149. 94 | Now $139.

79 (opens in new tab) 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. Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ | Was $319.

95 | Now $199. 99 (opens in new tab) The price on this model has just dropped by 37% . It was previously $319.

95 – although this price is a little higher than the RRP, reflecting how prices have been hiked in recent months as stock has dwindled. It’s a great refractor telescope for beginners that works in tandem with the StarSense app. .