Best Telescope for Viewing Planets and Galaxies [REVIEWED]

With a plethora of telescopes in the modern market, getting the best one for your use can be pretty confusing. However, if you are genuinely in love with viewing planets and galaxies, you will never give up until you find the best one.

The Celestron Omni XLT 102mm, Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dob, Orion SpaceProbe 130ST, Meade Infinity 102mm Refractor, and the Meade LX 200 8-inch telescope are the best five telescopes for viewing planets and galaxies. In addition to excellent clarity and contrast, these telescopes are very user-friendly.

Whether you are purchasing a telescope for the first time or you are a seasoned buyer, there are essentials that you need to familiarize yourself with to ensure that you get the best.

How to Choose the Best Telescope for Viewing Planets?

One of the challenges that beginners face when purchasing a telescope to see planets is the failure to understand what makes a telescope great. If you are not acquainted with the qualities of the best telescope, the chances are that you will have a hard time making the right choice.

A Slow Telescope

Since the moon and the planets are the brightest objects in the sky, light gathering capability is not essential when shopping for a telescope to see planets. If you need to see the planets clearly, you need a small field of view.

Therefore, when shopping for a good telescope, you should look for a higher focal ratio, also known as a slow telescope. In other words, a telescope with a focal length of 8 and above will be great.

Magnification

Due to the high brightness of the planets and the galaxies, you will need high magnification. However, the high magnification will not be significant if the image is blurred. When examining the magnification of a telescope, there are several crucial points that you should keep in mind.

The air quality – you need to ensure that a higher magnification does not interfere with the image quality.
Aperture size – the aperture size influences the magnification. The rule of thumb is that maximum magnification is 2x the diameter of the aperture in mm.
Quality of the optics: Lastly, you need to ensure that the quality of the optics is incredible to guarantee a better planet viewing experience.

Good Mounts

Another essential aspect of a good telescope for viewing planets is the mounts. You will require fine controls to keep the planet that you are viewing centered in the eyepiece. Without suitable mounts, the planet viewing process might be pretty frustrating.

What Are The Best Brands Of Telescope?

One of the essential points you need to have at your fingertips is comprehending the best telescope brands. With a good understanding of the top brands in the industry, the likelihood is that you will not have a hard time identifying the best telescope for your use.

We have listed a list of the best brands of telescopes that you can check out. They include;

The Orion
Meade
Celestron
Sky-Watcher
Unistellar
Tele Vue
Vixen
Gskyer

What Are The Other Uses Of A Telescope?

For those in the astronomy hobby, a telescope is a tool to view the planets and the galaxies. However, this does not mean that a telescope cannot be crucial for other uses. For instance, a good telescope can be an excellent tool for coin collecting for beginners.

Technically, a telescope is an essential tool used to magnify distant objects. It is indeed the most critical tool for investigative purposes in astronomy as it provides a way of collecting and analyzing objects, even those far from the Universe.

The Use Of Telescope For Coin Collection

A good telescope can be an excellent device for coin collecting for beginners. One of the requirements for a successful coin collection hobby is a magnifier and light. The two are essential for coin collecting for beginners as they assist them in adequately viewing their cons.

There are different magnifiers for coin collecting for beginners, including a quality telescope and a hand-held lens. The essence is that the magnifier should allow for general viewing of the coin and close-up analysis of the surface of the coin.

Best Telescope For Viewing Planets And Galaxies For Beginners

While astronomy is an excellent hobby as it invokes curiosity and discovery, the truth is that you will need the best telescope for viewing planets and galaxies for beginners to get the most from the hobby.

The Celestron Omni XLT 102mm Refractor is the best telescope for viewing planets and galaxies for beginners. It stands out from the rest as it has high capabilities to deliver excellent details that other telescopes may have difficulties matching.

Features and Benefits

A focal length of 1000mm
Maximum theoretical magnification of 250x
A German Equatorial mount
The telescope is easy to set up and has low maintenance making it ideal for beginners
A refractor type of telescope
High contrast and clear images

What Is The Best Telescope For Planets?

Being specific about the objectives of your telescope will make it easy for you to purchase the best telescope. This is because different telescopes are best for viewing different targets. For instance, for practical observation of the planets, you need a telescope with a long focal length to fit your target in a smaller field of view to collect more details.

The best telescope for planets is the Meade LX 200 8-inch telescope. It is one of the best telescopes capable of accurate views making it an excellent telescope for a serious beginner. In addition, the Meade LX 200 8-inch telescope is suitable for use with DSLR, CCD, and high frame rate planetary cameras. It is indeed ideal for planetary imaging.

What Is The Best Telescope To See Galaxies?

When people think of purchasing a telescope, they want to concentrate on two main categories of objects: the solar system and the system above the solar (the galaxies, star clusters, nebulas, and constellations). Although most telescopes can capture objects beyond the solar system, some can do better than others.

The Orion SpaceProbe 130ST is the best telescope to see galaxies. Many astronomy enthusiasts agree that it is one of the best all-around reflector devices that you can get. The Orion SpaceProbe 130ST boasts an aperture of 130mm, and it is a Newtonian, making it perfect for deep-sky viewing.

How To Get The Best From Your Telescope

Purchasing the best telescope will not guarantee an astronomical hobby full of discovery and ecstasy. You need to ensure that you are familiar with other factors that influence how you interact with your telescope. Always put the following points into consideration if you want to get the most from your telescope;

Use sky maps to plan your viewing.
Thermally adjust your telescope to ensure that you comfortably observe faint objects.
Use both eyes to enhance vision better and nicely receive information.
Collimate your telescope for proper viewing. Use the manual that comes with the telescope to ensure that you get it right.
Store unused eyepieces to prevent dewing
Turn off your mobile phone to avoid light pollution that can negatively affect the quality of the images.
Choose an appropriate time for your viewing to enhance your experience.
Carry a red light to enhance the use of a telescope in the dark without causing light pollution
Stay updated to find suitable targets.
Join a club to meet like-minded people and therefore take your game a notch higher

Keep reading: Best Telescope for Deep Space?

Conclusion

While astronomy is an excellent hobby that invokes curiosity while fostering discovery, getting the right periscope is paramount. Remember that the objects you are interested in will influence the kind of telescope you get. Additionally, it is crucial to go for brands with a good reputation, such as Meade, Orion, Celestron, and Sky-Watcher.