low cost best telescope for astrophotography

If you're after the best telescope for astrophotography and serious stargazing, we recommend the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ, which offers a great package for the slightly more experienced amateur astronomer – especially given that it comes with a CG-3 equatorial mount, which requires more practice and patience to use over the basic alt-azimuth.

Meanwhile, the kind of mount you use will determine whether long-exposure astrophotography is possible. The focal ratio is also an essential number to consider – fast telescopes with ratios of f/4 or f/5 are great for wide-field and deep-sky imaging, while slow instruments with ratios of f/11 to f/15 will offer dazzling high-power images of the Moon and planets. The aperture (or objective lens) of the telescope will be your guide on whether it's capable of capturing 'faint fuzzies' or just enough to make the planets and lunar surface pop. If your needs are slightly more advanced, you should consider whether you're a deep-sky or Solar System imager. These instruments often come with a tripod, mount, eyepieces, finderscope and, often, a smartphone adapter. If you're a beginner, we recommend setting your sights on an inclusive package that lets you try a bit of everything, from general observing to afocal astrophotography. So which model should you buy? Well, that depends a lot on your level of experience.

Low cost best telescope for astrophotography