Do You want to deep dive into the Universe, but you are a bit short of money? Then No worries, Check out this list of Best Telescopes under $100. Telescopes are optical instruments that can help you see the stars and planets far out into the sky and track their movement. They will help you in finding the new celestial bodies or monitoring them.
If I had a time machine, I’d visit Marilyn Monroe in her prime or drop in on Galileo as he turned his telescope to the heavens. ~ Stephen Hawking
Well, of course, He is right, technically you can watch past using a telescope. The main objective of the telescope is to study the observable universe and to get immersed in the beauty of the sky.
Most of the telescopes cost a lot, And when I say a lot, It means a lot. So for 100 dollars, You have to understand that you will only get the basic type of telescope with much less power. The aperture will only be about 2 to 3 inches, and if you are into astronomy, then you should know that it is not enough to gather distant lights from the star.
This means that you can see nearby giant planets and moon, but not far away planets and stars. However, these beginner telescopes will be perfect for watching birds, buildings, wildlife, etc. Also, it can be an excellent gift to someone who wants to dive into the mysterious world of astronomy. So let us quickly move to our list.
Best Telescope Under $100
Let’s look at the list.
1. Celestron – PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope
If there is a company that you can think of when I say telescope, then the first name that will come will be Celestron. It is a very famous brand, and its telescopes are of the best quality in the industry. So no wonder we have included the Celestron 21037 PowerSeeker 70EQ Telescope in our list of Best Telescope under $100.
The unit is suitable for astronomy beginners, and you can get clear and close-up views of astronomical objects such as Moon. The Celestron 21037 PowerSeeker 70EQ is a refractor telescope with an aperture of 70mm and a focal length of 700mm. It comes with the slow-motion control that helps you in getting smoother tracking and erect image. You even get the app “The SkyX” in the pack.
Celestron’s PowerSeeker is designed to deliver excellent optics for a starter telescope. It also comes with a 3X Barlow lens, which triples the magnification power of lens that lets you get an even clearer view. Other features that enhance views through the PowerSeeker include fully-coated optics, meaning that at least one lens in the telescope has been coated with several layers of substances designed to absorb and concentrate the light passing through the lens.
Apart from spectacular pictures, the PowerSeeker is easy to use, particularly for astronomers starting out. For example, the scope comes with an equatorial mount that improves the user’s tracking capacity and stays centered on the object they wish to view. In addition to these awesome features, The 70 EQ also has a finderscope that helps beginners to locate celestial objects. It’s a perfect choice for someone who wants to find out more about the stars at night or wants to introduce their kids to astronomy.
Pros:
- Easy Assembly.
- Finderscope for locating celestial bodies.
- Equatorial mount.
- Compact and Portable.
Cons:
-
Many components are made from plastic.
2. Celestron – PowerSeeker 70AZ Telescope
The Celestron PowerSeeker Telescope 70AZ is the best choice for you if you’re looking for an entry-level telescope that has an excellent viewing range to view celestial bodies. It is a refractor telescope with an aperture of 70 mm on an alt/az mount and costs around 80 dollars.
You can easily watch the craters on the moon and also other planets in all their beauty. This is all possible due to the advanced perfect picture prism features. This results in the formation of a clear erect image.
Celestron PowerSeeker Telescope 70AZ has an eyepiece of 4 millimeters that can support up to 35X magnification, and if you need a good view then go for 20X magnification. It also features the Alt-Azimuth mount, which makes the unit lightweight and very easy to use.
It is lightweight and weighs only 8lbs after full assembly. So you can easily take it with you anywhere you go. As I have stated earlier, the components of the optical tube are somewhat better than the smaller aperture versions because of the completely coated glass optics with high transmission coating that provides enhanced images that are sharper and clearer.
It is a nice piece of fun and learning item, which helps you to know the basics of using and managing a telescope. Overall, one of the best telescopes under 100 dollars.
Pros:
- Easy to use.
- Lightweight and durable.
- Perfect picture prism.
- Fast Assembly.
Cons:
-
Does not features equatorial mount.
3. Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope
This is another entry from the same manufacturer at Celestron, which is a great choice for people in search of a user-friendly and handheld telescope. The Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope is well suited for intermediate level astronomers who want to enhance their ability to watch the sky.
The Celestron Travel Scope 70 is very lightweight and weighs only 3.3 Pounds. You can assemble it in seconds, and the good thing is that you do not need any tool for doing this. You can easily view the moon and other planets very clearly. All packs up into the convenient included traveling bag when your observing session is over.
As a bonus, this scope comes with full-color, comprehensive manuals, a sky X app that lets you know more about planets and stars, an aluminum tripod, and a sturdy backpack case where you can store it all. This refractor telescope is fitted with a large objective lens with a 70 mm aperture that offers improved, sharper views compared to the 50 mm model while adding very little extra weight.
It comes with all the necessary features to see the sky clearly and easily. This telescope is certainly a beautiful option. Available at just under $100, the product is affordable to most consumers without breaking their banks.
Pros:
- Powerful Eyepieces.
- Lightweight and durable.
- Large 70mm Objective Lens.
- Simple assembling
Cons:
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Few Plastic Parts.
4. Gskyer Telescope AZ70400
Stepping into the art of stargazing can be a daunting experience for the very first time. So it is better if you go for the beginner telescopes as the more advanced ones are more complicated. This Gskyer Telescope AZ70400 is a perfect telescope for kids and beginners. It has a simple design and very easy to use.
The AZ70400 Telescope of the Gskyer is a refractor type telescope of 70 mm short focal length mounted on a tripod type camera. You will get it with a 45 degree diagonal, finderscope, two eyepieces, a 3X Barlow lens, and a carry case. It is specifically aimed at first-time buyers who are looking to buy cheap telescopes. The Gskyer has an aperture of 70 mm and a focal length of 400 mm, which results in accurate and high-resolution images.
Gskyer telescope is a cost-effective one with high magnification power and good image quality. Both 25 mm and 10 mm eyepieces give different magnification rates. The 10 mm eyepiece will also give you a 40X magnification while the 25 mm magnification will give 16X. While these lenses won’t give you the view of distant planets and stars, additional supplementary lenses can still be purchased to watch distant stars and planets.
The 3X Barlow lens increases the magnification three times, which can add up to 120X. The optical lens is fully coated, which results in higher image quality in terms of brightness and clarity. It has a Fully coated optical all-glass lens creates high transmission coatings for enhanced image brightness and clarity. It is suitable for Exploring the sky, the moon, and the Earth by youngsters, beginners, and amateur astronomers. You can also use it to enjoy landscapes during the daytime. Overall one of the best telescope under $100.
Pros:
- Fully coated optics glass lens.
- It comes with two replaceable eyepieces.
- Compact and portable.
- 3X Barlow Lens.
Cons:
-
Need Additional lenses.
5. Meade Instruments 20900
Ideal for the observer who observes both celestial and terrestrial objects, the Meade Infinity Series incorporates an altazimuth mount and a superior value for standard optics. The Infinity 70AZ is a refractor type telescope of 70mm f/10 aperture. It has a Fraunhofer crown/flint objective arrangement. The focal ratio of f/10 makes the chromatic aberration tolerable and does not affect the views.
These refracting telescopes are a perfect way for enthusiasts and beginners alike to explore both the cosmos and the outdoors. You’ll find out more with the Meade Infinity Collection. This 70 mm aperture gives clear, bright images for both celestial and earth objects.
The telescope can send high-quality images when oriented correctly, enabling you to see the craters on the moon, Saturn’s rings, and Jupiter’s moons. Thanks to the AutoStar Suite Astronomy software, You will now be able to save the images without any effort. For getting more clear images, you will need to do focus correctly. So for getting focus, It comes with the 1.25-inch rack-and-pinion focuser, which is great for tracking celestial objects.
You also get a simple double-fork altazimuth mount with a metal rod that allows for fluid altitude motion. The 70 mm Meade Instruments Infinity is a perfect telescope when you don’t need the photos of professional quality. Whether you are a beginner astronomer or a nature-loving hobbyist, it is one of the Best Telescope under $100.
Pros:
- Focal Ratio: f/10.
- Altazimuth mount with a slow-motion control rod.
- Red dot viewfinder.
- 2X Barlow Lens.
Cons:
-
Small aperture.
6. BARSKA Starwatcher
The Barska 300 Starwatcher telescope is the best way to deep dive into the world of planets and stars. Setting it up is very easy, and it comes with all necessary pieces of equipment such as finderscope, eyepieces, Barlow lens, and erect image optics.
Its 70mm objective lens boasts of up to 300x, but in our testing, it was a bit less. It also features a Deepsky Software that is perfect for teaching any beginners how to use this telescope and find celestial objects. Although corners were obviously cut to lower the product’s price, It has a plastic body feels, But for this price, the optics very superb and gave higher quality images.
It also feels relatively solid, without giving off any noticeable wobbles or handling issues. It can also be conveniently used as a terrestrial telescope, due to its range and table-top tripod. The Deepsky Software contains a searchable database of over Ten Thousand celestial bodies that includes planets, nebulae, clusters, etc. You also get a soft carrying case with it, which allows you to take it with you anywhere you go.
This is an overall decent entry-level telescope capable of taking good pictures and should be a good choice for the occasional astronomer.
Pros:
- Good Optics.
- Portable.
- Deepsky Software.
- Table-top tripod.
Cons:
-
Movements are little difficult.
7. TELMU Telescope
The TELMU 70 mm Aperture Refracting Telescope is a budget entry that aims to differentiate itself by including a phone adapter that makes it easy for beginners. This model is ideal for nourishing the curiosity your child has in exploring outer space and getting them curious about the stars.
The optic provides a horizontal motion lock for the beginner that helps in giving more accuracy and better images. With the help of a phone adaptor, You can use your own phone screen to view the mysterious universe and will be able to take awesome photos.
It also comes with a backpack, making this telescope and the included tripod easy to transport. For 360-degree vision and diagonal mirrors, you can conveniently rotate the telescope for an outstanding view in both the right and left direction.
The 16x and 67x eyepieces have a better magnification power than most of the telescopes in a similar price range—overall, one of the Best Telescopes for Kids and Beginners.
Pros:
- Portable.
- Phone adapter.
- Two eyepieces.
- 5×24 finderscope.
Cons:
-
Shaky tripod.
We hope that in this buyer’s guide, we have finally answered your question on how to choose the best telescope under $100. Please comment with any of your questions and we will be happy to answer them.