Every review
108 products compared, ordered by what they are for rather than by who made them or what they cost.
70 mm aperture · 400 mm focal length in the title
A 70/400 refractor sold with two eyepieces, a 5x Barlow, a phone adapter and a stainless-steel tripod — and a listing whose own bullets contradict its title.
Best for: A buyer who will check the tube’s printed figures before ordering anything else for it
≈ £79 / €70
70 mm aperture · 400 mm focal length
A 70/400 refractor sold as a first instrument for children from eight, supplied in a backpack with three eyepieces, a star diagonal and an erecting lens.
Best for: A child from about eight who will carry the telescope themselves
≈ £78 / €63
80 mm aperture · 600 mm focal length
An 80/600 refractor on an alt-azimuth head, supplied with two eyepieces, a 5x24 finder, a phone adapter and a backpack.
Best for: A first 80 mm that has to travel in a rucksack
≈ $100 / £70 / €130
70 mm aperture · 700 mm focal length
An achromatic 70/700 refractor on an alt-azimuth mount with an aluminium tripod, sold as a first adult instrument.
Best for: An adult or older teenager starting with the Moon and planets
≈ £94 / €90
80 mm aperture · 900 mm focal length
An 80/900 refractor on an alt-azimuth head with setting scales, supplied with two wide-angle eyepieces, an erecting diagonal, a phone adapter and a carry bag.
Best for: Somebody who wants the longest focal length in the entry class for lunar and planetary work
≈ $70
70 mm aperture · focal length stated two ways
A 70 mm refractor on an alt-azimuth mount, supplied with two eyepieces, a 2x Barlow, a 6x24 finder and a star diagonal.
Best for: A first refractor where the eyepiece fitting matters more than the badge
≈ €171
114 mm aperture · 500 mm focal length
A 114/500 Newtonian on an equatorial mount, supplied with two eyepieces, a 3x Barlow, an LED red dot finder and a smartphone camera adapter.
Best for: Wide, bright views of extended objects rather than high-power planetary work
≈ €199
130 mm aperture · smartphone sky recognition
A 130 mm Newtonian on a manual alt-azimuth mount whose dock and app read the star field through the phone camera and steer the observer to a target with on-screen arrows.
Best for: A beginner who wants to see things this month rather than learn to star-hop first
≈ $500 / £399 / €436
114 mm aperture · 1000 mm focal length
A 114/1000 Newtonian on an EQ-1 equatorial mount, supplied with four eyepieces, a 2x Barlow, a 5x24 finder and a Moon filter.
Best for: Lunar and planetary observing on a budget, with eyepieces already covered
≈ €259
76 mm aperture · 700 mm focal length
A 76/700 Newtonian on an equatorial mount, supplied with three eyepieces, an erecting lens, a 3x Barlow, a Moon filter and a smartphone holder.
Best for: A first equatorial telescope that has to be light enough to move fully assembled
≈ £223 / €166
130 mm parabolic mirror · 650 mm focal length
A 130/650 Newtonian with a parabolic primary on an EQ-320 mount, with a 1.25 in focuser, a tracking drive and an illuminated LED finder.
Best for: A first serious deep-sky instrument for somebody prepared to collimate it
≈ €409
150 mm mirror · 750 mm focal length · optics only
A 150/750 Newtonian mirror set — primary and secondary — sold on its own, with published surface accuracy and reflectivity figures rather than as a complete telescope.
Best for: Somebody rebuilding or building a Newtonian around a known mirror set
≈ £99 / €99
130 mm aperture · German equatorial mount
A 130 mm Newtonian on a German equatorial mount with slow-motion controls, supplied with two eyepieces, a 1.5x erecting Barlow, a 13 % transmission Moon filter and a phone adapter.
Best for: A second telescope, or a first one for somebody willing to learn an equatorial mount
≈ $270 / £150 / €270
150 mm aperture · 1400 mm focal length
A 150/1400 Newtonian sold as a complete set with tripod, mount, several eyepieces, a finder, a Barlow and a Moon filter.
Best for: Lunar and planetary observing with real aperture behind it
≈ €190
130 mm parabolic mirror · tabletop Dobsonian
A 130 mm parabolic Newtonian on a manual tabletop Dobsonian base with Teflon bearings, steered by the maker’s smartphone sky-recognition app.
Best for: A beginner with somewhere solid to stand it who wants aperture without a tripod
≈ $430 / £299 / €400
76 mm aperture · 350 mm focal length
A 76/350 tabletop Dobsonian sold pre-assembled, with two eyepieces, a Barlow and a Moon filter.
Best for: A very compact first telescope for a child or a small flat
≈ £113 / €142
203 mm aperture · 1200 mm focal length
A 203/1200 Newtonian on a Dobsonian base — the largest aperture in this group, sold with an accessory set and a mount with nothing to align.
Best for: The observer who has decided that aperture matters more than portability
≈ €529
130 mm parabolic mirror · 650 mm focal length
A 130/650 parabolic Newtonian on a wooden tabletop Dobsonian base, with a collapsible tube, a red dot finder and two eyepieces.
Best for: Somebody who wants a real 130 mm mirror that stores in a cupboard
≈ £264 / €273
80 mm Maksutov · T-2 thread and dovetail
A compact 80 mm Maksutov with a coated front lens, a T-2 thread with buffer ring, a finder shoe and a GP dovetail that fits photo tripods and standard mounts.
Best for: A travel optic that doubles as a long lens on a photo tripod
≈ €166
8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain · computerised GoTo fork
An eight-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain on a single-arm computerised fork mount, with a 40 000-object database and the maker’s SkyAlign alignment routine.
Best for: An observer who wants serious aperture that still fits in a car boot
≈ $1499 / £1500 / €1537
127 mm Maksutov · 1500 mm focal length
A 127/1500 Maksutov-Cassegrain on the AZ-GTi Wi-Fi GoTo mount, controlled from a phone rather than a handset.
Best for: Lunar, planetary and double-star observing from a small or awkward site
≈ £649 / €784
100 mm aperture · 1400 mm focal length
A 100/1400 Maksutov on an EQ3 equatorial mount with slow-motion controls on both axes, supplied with a 25 mm Plössl, an erecting prism and a phone holder.
Best for: A compact planetary telescope that also works on landscapes
≈ £341 / €336
Automatic alignment accessory · four-element optics
An accessory that bolts to a computerised Celestron mount and aligns it on the sky automatically in about three minutes, then improves its pointing and assists polar alignment.
Best for: An owner of a computerised Celestron mount who is tired of three-star alignments
≈ $827 / £652 / €792
80 mm aperture · 400 mm focal length · Bluetooth PushTo
An 80/400 refractor whose built-in sensors report where it is pointing to a free phone app, which then guides the observer to a target with on-screen arrows.
Best for: A beginner who wants help finding objects without the cost or weight of a GoTo mount
≈ €259
8 MP sensor · 1.25 in eyepiece fitting · M28.5 × 0.6
An 8 MP electronic eyepiece camera that replaces the eyepiece in a 1.25 in focuser and streams live video to a computer over USB, with an IR-cut filter fitted.
Best for: Lunar and planetary video, and showing a live view to more than one person at once
≈ $80 / €96
12.5 MP square sensor · 50 MP mosaic · apochromatic quadruplet
A self-contained imaging telescope with a Sony IMX676 sensor, an apochromatic flat-field quadruplet objective and an app that stacks exposures across several nights automatically.
Best for: Deep-sky imaging from a balcony or a garden, without a mount, a camera or a laptop
≈ $2990 / £2687 / €2990
70 mm aperture · 400 mm focal length
A 70/400 travel refractor with a 45° erecting diagonal, four Moon filters, a shutter release, a phone adapter and a backpack.
Best for: Daytime and Moon use in one instrument, with phone photography in mind from the start
≈ £65 / €55
70 mm aperture · focal length not published
A 70 mm travel refractor sold with a backpack, a full-height tripod, two eyepieces, and — in this Amazon-exclusive version — an extra 4 mm eyepiece and a 3x Barlow.
Best for: A 70 mm that travels with a proper tripod rather than a tabletop stand
≈ £86 / €120
70 mm aperture · 400 mm focal length
A 70/400 refractor on an alt-azimuth mount with two 1.25 in eyepieces, an erecting prism, a phone adapter and a carry bag.
Best for: A first 70 mm where the eyepiece fitting and the focal ratio are both stated plainly
≈ €60
50 mm aperture · 360 mm focal length
A 50/360 refractor for children and beginners, supplied with two eyepieces, a 1.5x erecting lens, a Moon filter and a folding tripod that packs into a bag.
Best for: A child’s first telescope that has to fit in hand luggage
≈ £17
70 mm aperture · 300 mm focal length
A 70/300 refractor for beginners with two eyepieces, a 3x Barlow, a 1.5x erecting lens, a metal Moon filter, an aluminium tripod and a phone adapter.
Best for: A wide, bright first view of the Moon and star fields at low power
≈ €39
1000x hand microscope · 10x telescope · digital, 1080p
A two-in-one STEM device for children: a 1000x digital hand microscope and a 10x telescope attachment, recording 1080p stills and video to a memory card.
Best for: A child interested in insects, leaves and stones, with occasional distant viewing
≈ £28 / €28
70 mm aperture · 400 mm focal length · from age 8
The BRESSER JUNIOR 70/400 in its backpack version, with three 24.5 mm eyepieces, a star diagonal, a 1.5x erecting lens, a tripod and a phone holder.
Best for: A child from about eight who will carry and set up the telescope without help
≈ £85 / €64
Lunar telescope · 90x claimed · no optical figures published
A NASA-branded children’s telescope for the Moon, with a wide-angle and a zoom eyepiece, a finder and a tabletop tripod — and no aperture or focal length in the listing.
Best for: A young child whose interest is the Moon and who needs no more than that
≈ £40 / €50
Three fixed magnifications: 20x, 30x, 40x · from age 7
A children’s telescope from age seven, supplied in a case with a tabletop tripod, three interchangeable magnifying lenses and an illustrated manual.
Best for: A seven-year-old’s first look at the Moon and at the natural world
≈ €16
30x fixed magnification · metal tube · from age 8
A fixed 30x spyglass-style telescope in a metal tube, sold as an experiment set for children from eight with an instruction booklet explaining how a refractor works.
Best for: A child who wants something to carry on a walk and look at the Moon with
≈ £20 / €18
Digital telescope · screen instead of an eyepiece · four modes
A digital children’s telescope on a tripod that shows the view on a screen instead of through an eyepiece, with NASA-licensed content, a quiz and a space adventure game.
Best for: A young child who would give up on a conventional eyepiece
≈ £68 / €95
10x magnification · 50 mm objectives · 360 g
A waterproof 10x50 with BAK4 prisms, fully multi-coated optics and 25 mm eyecups, published at 360 g.
Best for: Long hand-held sessions where weight is the deciding factor
≈ €50
10x magnification · 50 mm objectives · 5 mm exit pupil
A 10x50 with BAK4 prisms, fully multi-coated objectives and individual dioptre adjustment, sold as an all-rounder for nature, hunting and astronomy.
Best for: A first astronomy binocular where the exit pupil matters more than the badge
≈ €74
10x · 50 mm · 758 g · waterproof and gas-filled
A waterproof, gas-filled 10x50 with BaK-4 glass, UR coating, twist-up eyecups and a metal centre focuser, published with its weight and dimensions.
Best for: Dusk and astronomy use in weather that would worry an unsealed pair
≈ $166 / £145 / €136
10x · 50 mm · 94 m field at 1000 m · 740 g
A 10x50 with BaK-4 prisms carrying an additional silver mirror coating, published with its field of view, weight, dimensions and close focus.
Best for: The observer who wants to compare figures before buying rather than adjectives
≈ $238 / £181 / €175
10x magnification · 50 mm objectives · 5 mm exit pupil
A 10x50 porro binocular from Nikon’s Action line, described by the maker as suitable for spectacle wearers and easy to hold.
Best for: Sweeping the Milky Way and open clusters from a chair or with braced elbows
≈ £129 / €115
12x magnification · 50 mm objectives · 4.2 mm exit pupil
A 12x50 with an 18 mm prism and 50 mm objectives, supplied with a carry case, neck strap and cleaning cloth.
Best for: Daytime distance viewing, with astronomy from a braced or seated position
≈ $69 / £61 / €60
10x magnification · 50 mm objectives · porro prisms
A long-running 10x50 porro binocular from Bushnell’s Falcon line, with coated lenses and no gas filling or weather sealing claimed.
Best for: A first pair kept in the car for whatever the sky or the day offers
≈ $47 / £53 / €52
10x magnification · 50 mm objectives · 5 mm exit pupil
A 10x50 from Pentax’s Jupiter series, listed with a single specification line and nothing else.
Best for: A buyer who already knows the Jupiter series and only needs the reference
≈ $99 / €73
12x magnification · 42 mm objectives · 3.5 mm exit pupil
A nitrogen-filled magnesium-bodied 12x42 with BAK4 prisms and fully multi-coated optics, listed with a test-winner claim that names no testing body.
Best for: Daytime wildlife and landscapes, with occasional astronomy from a braced position
≈ €130
10–30x zoom · 40 mm objective · 4 mm to 1.3 mm exit pupil
A zoom monocular running from 10x to 30x on a 40 mm objective, with BAK4 prisms, dual focus and a nitrogen-filled aluminium body.
Best for: Daytime viewing where one instrument has to cover several distances
≈ $36 / £28 / €26
12x · 50 mm · 435 g · waterproof and nitrogen-filled
A 12x50 monocular with BaK-4 glass, UR coating, a twist-up eyecup and a nitrogen-filled waterproof body, published at 435 g.
Best for: A pocket instrument for dusk that is meant to be used in poor weather
≈ $130 / £96 / €79
10–30x zoom · 50 mm objective · supplied with phone holder and tripod
A 10–30x zoom monocular on a 50 mm objective, IPX7-sealed and nitrogen-filled, supplied with a phone holder and a metal tripod.
Best for: Daytime and dusk viewing with a phone, where the tripod does the steadying
≈ £31 / €24
12x · 55 mm · 352 ft at 1000 yd · IPX7
A 12x55 monocular with a 20 mm BAK-4 prism, FMC optics, IPX7 sealing and a supplied smartphone adapter.
Best for: Birdwatching and dusk viewing where the extra five millimetres of objective earn their weight
≈ $109 / £86 / €90
12x · 50 mm · 4.2 mm exit pupil · IP68
A 12x50 monocular with a fully sealed nitrogen-filled body rated IP68 to ten metres, BAK4 prisms and a raisable eyepiece for spectacle wearers.
Best for: Wet-weather use where a sealed instrument is worth more than an extra millimetre of exit pupil
≈ $45 / £40 / €50
16x magnification · 52 mm objective · 3.3 mm exit pupil
A 16x52 monocular with BAK4 prisms, SMC coatings and a nitrogen-filled waterproof body, sold for hiking, birds and concerts.
Best for: Daytime distance viewing where one hand has to stay free
≈ $25 / £29 / €21
25x · 30 mm objective · 1.2 mm exit pupil · decorative spyglass
A collapsible pirate-style brass-finished spyglass with a leather-wrapped grip, sold with a brass compass, a treasure map and a leatherette case.
Best for: A gift, a costume or a shelf — with occasional daylight use
≈ $27 / €35
12x · 52 mm · 85 m at 1000 m · 1/4-20 tripod thread
A 12x52 monocular with a 22 mm eyepiece, BAK4 prisms, twin focus rings and a 1/4-20 tripod thread, supplied with a case, strap and lanyard.
Best for: Anyone who intends to put a monocular on a tripod, which at 12x is most people
≈ €33
25x · 30 mm objective · 1.2 mm exit pupil · decorative spyglass
A collapsible pirate-themed spyglass in gold finish with imitation leather, sold as a set with a floating-dial compass needle, a treasure map and a case.
Best for: Role play, collecting and decoration, with daylight viewing as a secondary use
≈ €30
15–40x · 50 mm objective · straight body · BK-7 porro prisms
A compact straight-bodied 15–40x50 spotting scope with fully coated optics and BK-7 porro prisms, supplied with a folding mini tripod and a soft case.
Best for: A light, cheap scope for target ranges and daytime distance viewing
≈ $46
20–60x · 80 mm · 2.06° field · 1336 g
A waterproof 20–60x80 spotting scope with fully multi-coated optics, a 340° rotating body and a supplied tabletop tripod — published with its field of view, close focus, size and weight.
Best for: A buyer who wants to compare figures rather than adjectives before choosing
≈ £180 / €150
20–60x · 80 mm ED · 1.25 in eyepiece mount · magnesium body
An ED-glass 20–60x80 angled spotting scope in a magnesium alloy body, with XLT coatings, dual focus, a rotating tripod collar, a 1.25 in astronomical eyepiece mount and a T-adapter ring.
Best for: The observer who wants one instrument for birds by day and the Moon and planets by night
≈ $799 / £786 / €718
20–60x zoom · 80 mm objective · 4 mm to 1.3 mm exit pupil
A 20–60x80 spotting scope with BAK4 porro prisms and fully multi-coated optics, supplied with a full-metal tabletop tripod, a phone adapter and a carry case.
Best for: Birds, wildlife and daytime distance work, with the Moon as a bonus
≈ £160 / €170
20–60x · 80 mm ED objective · centre focus
A 20–60x80 ED spotting scope aimed at ornithology, with a continuous zoom, a fine centre focus and a body described as built for regular field use.
Best for: Regular birdwatching where the brand’s optical reputation carries the decision
≈ €988
20–60x · 80 mm · photo thread · retractable dew shield
A 20–60x80 zoom spotting scope with anti-reflection coating, a retractable dew shield and a photographic tripod thread, sold as an entry-level nature observation instrument.
Best for: A first spotting scope where the dew shield and the tripod thread do the work
≈ €159
20–60x zoom · 80 mm objective · UNC 1/4-20 tripod thread
A 20–60x80 angled spotting scope with BAK4 prisms, a 21 mm eyepiece for long eye relief, a second-generation desk tripod and a universal phone adapter.
Best for: Birdwatching and casual sky watching where the eyepiece angle matters
≈ £100 / €105
20–60x · 80 mm ED objective · 8 elements in 6 groups
A 20–60x80 ED spotting scope with BAK4 porro prisms and an eight-element, six-group optical layout, supplied with a phone adapter, tripod, case and cloth.
Best for: Someone who wants ED glass and a dual focuser without paying the premium-brand price
≈ $103 / £73 / €133
102 mm · 460 mm focal length · EQ-3 mount · objective solar filter supplied
A 102/460 telescope on an EQ-3 equatorial mount, supplied with an objective solar filter for white-light observation, a 2 in focuser with a 1.25 in reducer and a smartphone adapter.
Best for: Wide-field night use with a daytime solar option, on a mount that can carry both
≈ £255 / €249
114 mm mirror · 900 mm focal length · EQ-1 mount
A complete 114/900 Newtonian on an EQ-1 equatorial mount with two-axis slow motion, supplied with two eyepieces, a 6x30 finder and a 2x Barlow.
Best for: A first equatorial telescope for the Moon and planets
≈ $399 / €239
114 mm mirror · 1000 mm focal length · EQ-3 mount · 1.25 in focuser
A 114/1000 Newtonian on an EQ-3 equatorial mount with a rack-and-pinion 1.25 in focuser, sold with an accessory pack and described by the maker as motor-upgradable.
Best for: A first equatorial set with room to add a drive motor later
≈ €150
Open-source tracker · ESP32-S dual core · 1/4 in output shaft
A small equatorial tracking head built on an open-source design and an ESP32-S dual-core controller, offering sidereal, lunar and custom rates from a USB-C power bank.
Best for: Wide-field camera tracking by somebody comfortable assembling their own chain of adapters
≈ €109
114 mm mirror · 900 mm focal length · alt-azimuth mount
A 114/900 Newtonian on a simple alt-azimuth mount, supplied with three eyepieces, a 6x30 finder and a 1.5x erecting lens, recommended by the maker from age eight.
Best for: A family telescope where nobody wants to learn polar alignment
≈ £150 / €142
76 mm · 700 mm focal length · AZ-1 mount
A compact 76/700 telescope on an AZ-1 alt-azimuth mount, supplied with three eyepieces, a 2x Barlow and a red dot finder.
Best for: A light, simple second telescope or a first one for a teenager
≈ €139
60 mm · 900 mm focal length · alt-azimuth · 2.5 kg complete
A classic 60/900 refractor on an alt-azimuth mount, supplied with three 1.25 in eyepieces, a star diagonal, an erecting lens and a smartphone adapter, at 2.5 kg complete.
Best for: The Moon, double stars and planetary glimpses from a balcony
≈ £89 / €122
90 mm · 500 mm focal length · f/5.5 · EXOS II GoTo mount
A 90/500 wide-field refractor on the EXOS II computerised GoTo mount, with the maker’s recommended maximum magnification published as 180x.
Best for: Wide-field observing with GoTo pointing, and a mount with room to grow
≈ €636
13 kg stated capacity · GP-level dovetail · 4.9 kg head
An equatorial mount head with radial ball bearings on both axes, a stated capacity of 13 kg, a polar finder and a 4.5 kg counterweight, on a height-adjustable aluminium tripod.
Best for: Carrying a serious tube steadily, with room to motorise later
≈ £539 / €568
14 kg stated capacity · computerised GoTo · alignment without Polaris
A computerised German equatorial GoTo mount with a stated capacity of 14 kg and an alignment routine that does not require sight of Polaris.
Best for: Imaging from a site where the pole is behind a building
≈ $1099 / €1199
Purely mechanical tracker · 4 kg payload · no batteries
A spring-driven mechanical star tracker for cameras and light telephoto lenses, carrying up to four kilograms and running without any power source at all.
Best for: Wide-field night sky photography on foot, far from any power
≈ €256
Motorised tracker · Wi-Fi and manual control · illuminated polar scope
A motorised photographic tracking mount with Wi-Fi control from a free app, an illuminated polar finder and a DSLR shutter interface for timed sequences.
Best for: Camera-based night sky photography with an alignment routine that is properly supported
≈ €443
1.25 in barrel · USB · Moon and planets only, per the maker
A simple USB electronic eyepiece for a 1.25 in focuser, which the maker states outright is for the Moon and planets and not for deep-sky imaging.
Best for: A first attempt at putting the Moon on a laptop screen, at minimum cost
≈ £15 / €25
4 MP CMOS · 1.47 in display · clamps over eyepieces 30–65 mm
A Wi-Fi camera that clamps around an existing eyepiece rather than replacing it, with a 1.47 in screen, app control and a 32 GB card supplied.
Best for: Recording what an eyepiece already shows, on any instrument that has one
≈ £89 / €99
1.25 in barrel · USB · automatic white balance
A basic USB electronic eyepiece for a 1.25 in focuser with automatic white balance, sold on a listing that repeats its first bullet six times.
Best for: A very cheap first experiment with lunar video capture
≈ £13
4K claimed · 3 in colour display · clamps over eyepieces 22–46 mm
A self-contained electronic eyepiece with a three-inch colour screen that clamps over eyepieces from 22 to 46 mm and records to a card of up to 128 GB.
Best for: Showing the Moon to a group on a screen larger than a phone
≈ €42
3840 × 2160 claimed · 3 in LCD · clamps over eyepieces 22–46 mm
A clamp-on electronic eyepiece with a three-inch colour LCD, adjustable focus and brightness, published at 3840 × 2160 and sold for birdwatching as much as for the sky.
Best for: Daytime wildlife recording through a spotting scope, with the Moon as a secondary use
≈ €50
8 MP · IMX415 colour sensor · 1.25 in barrel · USB 3.0
An electronic eyepiece with an IMX415 colour sensor that replaces a 1.25 in eyepiece and streams live video to a computer over USB 3.0.
Best for: Lunar and planetary video through a 1.25 in focuser, on a Windows or Linux laptop
≈ £84 / €100
4 MP sensor · 2 in display · clamps over eyepieces 38–73 mm
A Wi-Fi electronic eyepiece with its own two-inch screen and battery, clamping over eyepieces from 38 to 73 mm, recording 2K video to a card of up to 256 GB.
Best for: Screen-sharing a view in the field, with no laptop and no phone required
≈ €66
50 mm aperture · 200 mm focal length · helical focuser
A 50/200 guide scope with a brass compression-ring helical focuser, 40 mm of travel including 10 mm of fine focus, supplied with tube rings and a Synta-style dovetail plate.
Best for: Guiding a main telescope of moderate focal length, and doubling as a wide finder
≈ $78 / £88 / €107
70 mm aperture · 400 mm focal length · 90 mm focus range
A 70/400 guide scope with a helical focuser offering 90 mm of range including 10 mm of micro-focus, supplied with tube rings, a Synta plate and an adjustable counterweight.
Best for: Guiding a longer main telescope, where a short guide scope would not resolve the correction
≈ $156 / £164 / €189
60 mm aperture · helical focuser · male T-thread
A 60 mm guide scope with a non-rotating helical focuser and a male T-thread at the eyepiece collar for screwing a guide camera on directly.
Best for: A guide scope that will spend half its life as a finder
≈ $82 / £94 / €100
9x magnification · 50 mm objective · 90° viewing angle
A 9x50 angled finder with achromatic multi-coated optics, a 90-degree viewing angle and two-screw-and-spring alignment.
Best for: A telescope that regularly points high, where a straight finder is painful to use
≈ $69 / £72 / €95
8x · 50 mm · illuminated reticle · upright image
An 8x50 finder with an illuminated reticle and an upright image, listed in two short lines.
Best for: Centring faint objects, where a dark crosshair on a dark sky is unusable
≈ £149 / €146
6x magnification · 30 mm objective · crosshair
A straight-through 6x30 optical finder with a crosshair and a wide field, described by the maker as gathering eighteen times more light than the unaided eye.
Best for: Replacing a 5x24 finder on a small telescope with something that actually shows stars
≈ £41 / €44
9x · 50 mm · correct image · crosshair · rings included
A 9x50 right-angle finder with a multi-coated achromatic objective, a prism that delivers a correctly oriented image and a crosshair eyepiece, supplied with clamping rings.
Best for: Anyone who wants the finder view to match the chart without mental gymnastics
≈ €53
Room projector · 13 discs · 3 m optimal distance · 12–70 m² coverage
A disc-based galaxy projector supplied with thirteen projection discs, covering 12 to 70 square metres at up to five metres, with a focus knob and a 360-degree rotating head.
Best for: A bedroom or a room where a changeable, focusable image is wanted
≈ €25
Room projector · timer to 4 hours · remote control
A room star and aurora projector with adjustable brightness and speed, a remote control and an auto-off timer settable from half an hour to four hours.
Best for: A child’s bedroom, or a room where the effect matters more than the accuracy
≈ €19
Room projector · 15 colours · 15 sounds · Bluetooth · 3 modes
A galaxy projector and bedside lamp with fifteen colours, fifteen built-in sleep sounds, Bluetooth audio streaming, three projection modes and a radio remote.
Best for: A bedroom where the sound and the light matter equally
≈ €34
8 mm focal length · apparent field stated two ways · four elements
A four-element fully multi-coated Plössl of 8 mm focal length in a metal 1.25 in barrel, with a fold-down rubber eyecup and a filter thread.
Best for: A step up from a supplied short eyepiece, on a case-based collection
≈ $17
10 mm focal length · four elements in two groups · 65 g
A 10 mm Plössl with four elements in two groups, fully multi-coated, in a metal housing with a filter thread, published at 65 g.
Best for: A dependable mid-power eyepiece for a case that is being built properly
≈ €25
25 mm focal length · 50° apparent field · four elements
A 25 mm Plössl with a 50-degree apparent field, coated optics, a metal body, rubber eyecups and a filter thread.
Best for: The finding eyepiece — the one that stays in the focuser most of the evening
≈ £32 / €34
12 mm focal length · 60° apparent field · six elements
A six-element fully multi-coated eyepiece of 12 mm focal length with a 60-degree apparent field, a twist-up eyecup and a knurled rubber grip.
Best for: The eyepiece that stays on the planets, used with gloves on a cold night
≈ $93 / £88 / €106
10 mm focal length · 1.25 in barrel · four elements
A four-element Plössl of 10 mm focal length in a 1.25 in barrel, multi-coated and threaded for filters.
Best for: Replacing a supplied 10 mm eyepiece without spending much
≈ £14 / €15
4 mm focal length · 62° apparent field · 42 g
A 4 mm aspheric eyepiece with a 62-degree apparent field, fully coated, in a 51 mm aluminium barrel with an M28.5 × 0.6 filter thread.
Best for: Lunar and planetary detail on a telescope with a long focal length
≈ £18 / €20
8–24 mm variable · 1.25 in and 2 in · M43 camera thread
An 8–24 mm zoom that fits both 1.25 in and 2 in focusers and carries an M43 camera thread, supplied with an extensive accessory set.
Best for: An owner of both 1.25 in and 2 in focusers who also photographs through the eyepiece
≈ $396 / €275
8–24 mm variable · 40°–60° apparent field · 1.25 in
An 8–24 mm zoom eyepiece in a 1.25 in barrel, multi-coated, with a fold-down eyecup and an apparent field running from 40 to 60 degrees across the range.
Best for: Observers who want to stop swapping eyepieces in the cold
≈ £125 / €126
7–21 mm variable · 1.25 in · metal body
A 7–21 mm zoom eyepiece in a metal body for 1.25 in focusers, described by the maker as fully multi-coated.
Best for: Reaching shorter focal lengths than an 8–24 zoom without buying a Barlow
≈ £23
Five Plössls · six filters · two Barlows · 1.25 in throughout
A fifteen-piece 1.25 in accessory case with five multi-coated Plössls, five colour filters, a Moon filter, a polarising filter and two Barlow lenses, one carrying a T2 thread.
Best for: Equipping a new telescope in one purchase rather than five
≈ £83 / €89
0.5x focal reducer · 1.25 in · sold under the name “Barlow”
A 0.5x focal reducer in an anodised aluminium 1.25 in barrel, sold under the name “Barlow lens” while its own description correctly calls it a reducer.
Best for: Widening the field on a long-focal-length telescope, or shortening exposures on a camera
≈ €13
2x Barlow · achromatic · fully coated · metal body
A 2x achromatic Barlow lens in a full metal body, fully coated, described in four words per bullet.
Best for: Doubling the range of an existing eyepiece set at minimum cost
≈ £17 / €18
2x Barlow · four elements · fully coated · 80 g
A 2x Barlow with a four-element fully coated design in a 1.25 in barrel, published with its dimensions and weight.
Best for: A Barlow that will be used for photography as well as visually
≈ £35 / €31
UHC · passes 486, 496, 501 and 656 nm · 1.25 in
A 1.25 in UHC filter that publishes the emission lines it passes: hydrogen at 486 and 656 nm and oxygen at 496 and 501 nm, blocking everything else.
Best for: An observer who wants to know what a filter passes before buying it
≈ £58 / €58
UHC · 1.25 in · no passband published
A 1.25 in UHC filter from Omegon’s Pro range, sold on the contrast improvement it brings to nebula observing, with no wavelengths published.
Best for: A nebula filter bought on the maker’s reputation rather than on published data
≈ £57 / €63
UHC · 1.25 in · double-sided multi-layer coating · no passband published
A 1.25 in UHC filter with a precision-polished substrate and double-sided multi-layer coating, sold for raising nebula contrast — with no wavelengths published.
Best for: A first nebula filter for a suburban sky, bought on price rather than on specification
≈ $28 / £24 / €31
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