What is the Best Telescope Under 200 Dollars?

There is nothing more spectacular than a close up view of the stars on a clear and inky dark night.  No matter whether you have tried astronomy before, or if you are a complete novice.  When the night time canvas of stars stretches across the sky, there is a sense of wonder like nothing else.  The wonder of the universe, the stars, and the faraway galaxies has an almost reverential awe.  If you want to appreciate that wonderful view in a little more detail, you will need a telescope.  What better way to explore the frontiers of space and beyond, than with a telescope in your own backyard!  Well, you might be surprised to learn that you don’t need to spend big money to see the stars.  In fact, you can buy the best telescope under 200 dollars, and be amazed at the incredible view.

The Best Telescope Under $200 will astound you

Yes that is correct, with the excellent telescope technology available on the market, you will be amazed.  With the best telescope under 200 dollars, you can achieve stunning levels of clarity and magnification.  It is a little known secret that in order to see all of the near field objects such as the moon and the planets, you don’t actually need the largest and most expensive telescope.  So this means that the best telescope under 200 dollars can provide excellent views of the solar system.  If you have ever been curious about the mysteries of Jupiter and its moons, then now you can go exploring.  If you want to see the rings around Saturn for yourself, well now you can.  With the best telescope under 200 dollars, you can have a ton of fun without leaving the  solar system!

Take it to the next level

The next level of astronomy is to search for deep space objects such as stars, galaxies, and the ethereal nebulae.  With the best telescope under 200 dollars, you will be able to find and locate these objects!  Don’t expect to be able to see distant objects in spectacular detail, but you will be able to see them.  The secret is that on a dark night, you never know what you might find!  With the best telescope under 200 dollars, you can certainly go a long way to exploring the universe.  No matter whether you are a beginner or want to take it to the next level, this is exciting.  Many astronomers are amazed at what you can see and experience for a relatively small amount of money.  Essentially you don’t need to spend a lot of money, to buy the best telescope under $200.  And you don’t need to buy a massive telescope that is too big and too heavy to use.

Best Telescope Under 200 Dollars

We are fortunate to be able to buy such excellent affordable telescopes due to the high quality optical components.  Some of the latest telescopes offer tremendous value in terms of quality and brilliant technology.  We are very fortunate to be able to choose from a wide range of the affordable telescopes.  Just because the best telescope under 200 dollars may cheap, it doesn’t mean that it is a toy!  The best telescopes are created with awesome internal optical design, and made from the best quality glass optical lenses. The latest technology Reflector telescopes with a huge front aperture gather large bright images which are simply stunning.  If you want to get started, we have provided a guide to help find the best telescope under 200 dollars. Take a look at our top 10 list of the best telescope under $200, and fin done that is just right for you.

Top 10 List of the Best Telescope Under 200 Dollars

1. Orion 10012 SkyScanner 100mm TableTop Reflector Telescope

With  a wide front aperture lens and a very compact and neat package, it is always hard to go past the Orion 10012 Table Top Telescope.  An excellent choice for best telescope under 200 dollars, the Orion Table Top Telescope is simply amazing.  The aperture lens is 100 mm which is very large for such a small and compact telescope.  Furthermore, it is constructed of high quality glass optical components, which provide clear and sharp images at the eyepiece.  The internal optics consists of a precision 100 mm parabolic mirror, and minimal internal reflections or scattering.

Additional features of the Orion 10012 SkyScanner TableTop Telescope

Despite the compact nature of the Orion Table Top Telescope, it still comes with high quality accessories.  Such as two eyepieces for awesome powers of magnification.  The 20mm eyepiece adds an additional 20 times magnification and the 10mm eyepiece adds an incredible 40 times magnification.  The Orion TableTop Telescope also comes with a very handy EZ Finder aiming scope, attached to the telescope tube. The EZ Finder makes aiming and alignment of the telescope much easier and is an invaluable tool.  To further help you get started, there is also an easy to read instruction manual.

What we like about the Orion 10012 TableTop Telescope:

Remember all of this is included under the same great price.  That is why the Orion 10012 TableTop Telescope is top of our list for best telescope under 200 dollars!  Because it is so small and compact, you can take it with you on vacation.  You might even find you choose to travel to destinations with a better view of the stars, just so that you can take this excellent telescope with you!  The Orion TableTop Telescope is a great way to learn about astronomy, for beginners and even children.  The best telescope under 200 dollars is also a great gift idea for kids.

Click here to see the price of the Orion 10012 TableTop Telescope at Amazon.

2. Celestron 21035 70mm Travel Scope

To ensure we bring you independent and unbiased telescope reviews, the Celestron Travel Scope is another great choice for best telescope under 200 dollars.  In fact, the Celestron 21035 70 mm Travel Scope is the best telescope under 100 dollars!  Although the aperture is slightly smaller than the Orion, both of these travel telescopes provide awesome clear images.  Designed and built for the traveling astronomer, the Celestron Travel Scope is more than just a toy!  It is truly one of the best affordable telescopes on the market.  That is why we recommend the Travel Scope for beginners, and those wanting to go to the next level.  Experienced astronomers will love the versatility of the Travel Scope and even kids will love using this telescope.

What we like about the Celestron Travel Scope:

Weighing in at only 3 pounds, and enclosed in a purpose built travel case, there is no excuse for not getting out there and exploring the universe!  And lots of people have already done exactly that, because this is the number one selling best telescope under 200 dollars on Amazon.  With high quality optics, and easy set up, the Celestron Travel Scope is surely the best telescope under 200 dollars!

Click here to see the price of the Celestron Travel Scope at Amazon.

3. Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope

But we haven’t finished with Celestron telescopes just yet!  Celestron is renowned as a high quality manufacturer of the best telescope under 200 dollars.  Yet another affordable, yet high quality telescope is the Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope.  This model is one of the best selling telescopes on Amazon, and we understand why!  This is a great pick for best telescope under 200 dollars, with high quality optics, and very easy to use.  The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker needs no specialist tools to set up.  The best part of owning the PowerSeeker is that you can be viewing the stars in next to no time!   The aperture lens is a very wide 127 mm or 5 inches, which is larger than most telescopes.  When you consider what you get with the Celestron PowerSeeker, it represents great value under $200.

Additional Features of the Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope

Included in this great price for best telescope under 200 dollars, you also get a range of eyepieces.  The high quality Barlow lens provides a factor of 3 times magnification.  Additionally, the Celestron PowerSeeker comes with a 20mm eyepiece with an incredible 50 times magnification.  If that doesn’t blow you away, then wait until you see the 4mm eyepiece, with the astounding 250 times magnification!  This is definitely one of the best telescopes under 200 dollars.

Click here to see the price of the Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope.

4. Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope

We live in fortunate times!  With the fluctuations in exchange rates, sometimes we find true bargains on the market.  When it comes to the Orion 10015 StarBlast Reflector Telescope, we believe this is an opportunity to go to pass up!  As exchange rates bring prices down, and the technology keeps going up, the StarBlast has come under our radar!  And it has also come under the list of the best telescope under 200 dollars!  So if you are looking for an affordable telescope around $200, then it is difficult to go past this one.

Additional Features of the Orion 10015 StarBlast Telescope

The Orion 10015 StarBlast Reflector Telescope offers a very nice 4.5 inch (115 mm) aperture for clear and bright images.  The Orion 10015 StarBlast comes with high quality optical components such as Kellner eyepieces.  Kellner eyepieces are renowned for their high magnification, and you get a 6 mm and 17 mm with this package.  These eyepieces can boost magnification powers out to more than 200 times.  This excellent magnification is why we rate the Orion StarBlast as one of the best telescopes under 200 dollars.  But wait there is more.  The Orion StarBlast also comes with a very handy Orion EZ Finder for aiming and sighting on the target.  These telescope accessories can be stored in the supplied eyepiece rack.  The packaged is finished off with a collimation cap which is useful to keep the telescope lens in perfect alignment.  If you are looking for the best telescope under 200 dollars, then here is a good contender!

Click here to see the price of the Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope at Amazon.

5. Meade Instruments 209005 Infinity 90 AZ Refractor Telescope

Meade Instruments is another manufacturer of the best telescope under 200 dollars.  As a contrast to the previous Reflector Telescopes, the Meade Instruments Infinity 90  AZ is a refractor telescope.  With a superb aperture lens of 90 mm, this is a very popular choice of best telescope under 200.  The most impressive aspect of this refractor telescope is the image quality and control.  The wide aperture of 90 mm is excellent quality in this price range.  Better still, the image has been corrected to an upright orientation, unlike most refractor telescopes where the image is flipped upside down.  This may well go unnoticed in the best telescope under 200 dollars.  But we feel this is an important feature in the Meade Instruments 90 AZ Telescope and makes it suitable for terrestrial viewing as well as astronomy.

What we like about the Meade Instruments 209005 Infinity 90 AZ Refractor Telescope

Mead Instruments are a renowned telescope manufacturer using quality optical components.  The quality of the product is underlined by the attention to detail with this telescope.  The fact that the image has been corrected to the upright orientation is a master step in this price range.  The Meade Instruments Infinity 90 AZ Refractor Telescope may well be the best telescope under 200 dollars and well worth the money!

6. Emarth 70 mm Refractor Telescope

Here is an option for those looking for a more affordable option than the best telescope for under 200 dollars.  The Emarth 70 mm Refractor Telescope is a good option for the best telescope under $100.  It certainly has made a lot of sales with the Amazon store, and users seem relatively happy with the performance.  Having said all of that, it is certainly a good option for a good quality cheap telescope.

What do you get for the money?

Be aware that for such a cheap telescope, you will not get a high power of magnification.  With an aperture of just 70 mm there are limitations in terms of light gathering potential and magnification.  But you will be impressed with the nice wide field of view, and the dual focus zoom.  The Emarth 70 mm Refractor Telescope is very lightweight, at less than three pounds, and is easy to pack for traveling.  Best telescope for under 100 dollars – hmmm not sure about this one – let me know what you think!

7. Meade Instruments 209003 Infinity 70 AZ Refractor Telescope

Yet another great product by Meade Instruments – the 209003 Infinity 70 AZ Refractor Telescope.  The Infinity 70 AZ is also a great pick for the best telescope under 100 dollars.  The Infinity is the smaller cousin of the Infinity 90 AZ, and is an excellent beginners telescope.  The Infinity 70 AZ is simple and easy to use.  You can start using it virtually as soon as you unpack it from the box.  True to the Meade Instruments brand, this Infinity 70 AZ might be affordable, but it is a serious telescope.

Additional features of the Meade 209003 Infinity 70 AZ Refractor Telescope

With a 70 mm aperture, and a total length of 57 inches, the Infinity 70 AZ is not simply a toy.  With quality optical components, this is an ideal telescope for beginners.  It comes with a complete range of optical eyepieces, so there is no skimping here.  The quality Meade eyepieces range from 26mm and 9mm which offers the highest magnification levels.  As this is a refracting telescope, the image is inverted, which is not a problem for viewing the stars and planets.  There is no problem with collimation or alignment, but you might experience some colorisation issues.  This is fairly typical of a refractor telescope and not a bad option for the best telescope under $100.

8. Orion 09843 SpaceProbe 3 Equatorial Reflector Telescope

So many to choose from, and now we go back to Orion, with the wonderful Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope.  The SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope is a high quality and serious contender for best telescope under 200 dollars.  Because it is a reflector telescope design, it is much shorter and more compact than the refractors.  We also like reflectors because they provide a good quality upright image.  It comes with a simple to operate Equatorial mount and tripod frame.  This mount provides a sturdy base with which to control and focus the telescope.

What we like about the Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope

With a nice wide 3 inch or 75 mm aperture, the SpaceProbe offers nice bright images at the eyepiece.  It is a little heavier than some of the other cheaper telescopes.  This is not all bad, as it can serve to make the telescope more steady while viewing faraway objects.  As we come to expect from Orion, this is a quality optical instrument, with lots of additional features.  Included in the package is a 25 mm explorer eyepiece offering 28 times magnification.  And don’t forget the 10 mm eyepiece for an very nice 70 times magnification factor.  We highly recommend the Orion 09843 SpaceProbe as one of the best telescope under 200 dollars.

9. Meade Instruments 209002 Infinity 80 AZ Refractor Telescope

Meade Instruments have yet another contender for the best telescope under $200.  The Meade Instruments 209002 Infinity 60 AZ refractor telescope is a great telescope at a great price.  Because it represents a great entry level price, it is perfect for the beginner who wants an introduction to astronomy.  Or it is also suitable as a second telescope or a spotter telescope because it offers such accurate optical components.  The best thing about the Meade Instruments Infinity telescope is the high quality product for a low price.

What are the features of the Meade Instruments 209002 Infinity 60 AS Telescope

This clever and affordable telescope comes with a red dot viewfinder which is used to assist with aiming the telescope.  It also comes with two different eyepieces to increase the magnification.  The 26 mm eyepiece is mostly applicable for when you need a wide angle view.  On the other hand, the 6 mm eyepiece allows for a much greater magnification level.  As we come to expect with Meade Instruments products, this best telescope under 200 dollars comes with a high quality Barlow lens which doubles the magnification at the eyepiece.

Click here to see the price of the Meade Instruments 209002 Infinity 60 AS Telescope.

10. Celestron 31042 AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope

Before we wrap up this discussion about the best telescope under 200 dollars, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to look at another fine telescope buy Celestron – the 31042 AstroMaster.   With a big aperture of 114 mm, and quality optical components, the images provided by this telescope are stunning.  Despite the small and compact size, the AstroMaster offers a total magnification of up to a factor of 100 times.  Such a high magnification represents great value at around the $200 dollar mark.

How does the Celestron 31042 AstroMaster offer such high performance

The wide aperture of the Celestron 31042 provides much brighter and clear images than other comparable telescopes.  It can achieve this feat using high quality optical components  and a precision reflecting internal mirror.  It also comes with a choice of two additional eyepieces for extra image clarity.  The 20 mm eyepiece provides excellent wide angle views with 50 times magnification.  For when you want to search even deeper, the 10 mm eyepiece magnifies up to a total of 100 times.  Added to the fact that Celestron telescopes are easy to set up and easy to use.  This one comes with a comprehensive set of instructions, to help get started.  The AstroMaster also comes with a very handy star finder to help aim and align the telescope at your target.

We highly recommend the Celestron 31042 AstroMaster and it is high on our list of the best telescope under 200 dollars.

Conclusion – can you find the best telescope under 200 dollars?

Here at the Telescope Hub, we found this an interesting challenge to find the best telescope under 200 dollars.  But now that we have done the research, we know that it is not all about size.  It can be tempting to go all out and buy the biggest telescope that you can afford.  But most people need to be careful not to waste money, and find the best telescope under 200 dollars.  The good news is that we found some very affordable telescopes, yet very capable telescopes at or under $200.  We have reviewed some excellent quality telescopes, all  of which are contenders for the best telescope under 200 dollars.

We hope you found some useful information, and good luck choosing the best telescope under 200 dollars that suits your needs!