best telescope for astrophotography under $200

#BEST TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY UNDER $200 MANUAL#
#BEST TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY UNDER $200 SOFTWARE#

Overall, the package is a sound choice as a first serious telescope for astrophotography.

#BEST TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY UNDER $200 SOFTWARE#

Be warned though: you won't see all 36,000 objects in the software database using the 130mm aperture. The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ comes fairly well equipped, and features two good quality eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a StarPointer red dot finderscope and a free download of Starry Night Basic Software, allowing you to choose your targets and plan your observing session before heading outside. The optical performance is very good, with no major visual defects visible and we enjoyed the stunning contrast and clarity in the field of view.

#BEST TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY UNDER $200 MANUAL#

This process can be tricky for beginners, but with practice it's easily achieved – especially given Celestron has supplied a manual that walks you through the process. However, in order to get the very best from the optical system – which is a Newtonian reflector – you'll need to collimate the setup. Meanwhile its decent aperture will show a good amount of detail on solar system and deep-sky targets.

The equatorial mount assists with tracking, which is essential for longer exposure 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.

Best telescope for astrophotography under $200