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DaddiLife

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Family Fun

Best Telescopes for Kids (2023 Buying Guide)

written by DaddiLife 22nd January 2021
Best telescope for kids, best kids telescope, children's telescope, telescope for 5 year olds, telescope for 6 year old, telescope for 7 year old, telescope for 8 year old, telescope for 9 year old

Updated 30th December 2021.

Dads, young and old, are quickly rediscovering old hobbies and picking up new ones with their children. One of those, in particular, is stargazing, otherwise known as astronomy.

The British Astronomical Association reported a surge in the number of viewers on its YouTube channel, and some retailers have seen a 50% increase in sales of telescopes. 

We all heard and read about how mankind ‘reconnected with nature’ during the pandemic, and lockdown certainly helped astronomy to take off as a popular hobby. Dramatic falls in road traffic around the world reduced air and light pollution, leading to clearer skies has made for a perfect environment to search the night sky for planets and galaxies millions of miles away. 

With that in mind, and with a lot of different things to consider, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide on buying a telescope for your child and reviewed 10 of the best you can buy. Happy Gazing. 

Table of contents
What to look for in a telescope for kids
Ease of use
Price
Aperture
Focal Length
Magnification
The 10 best telescopes for kids
   1.    Celestron PowerSeeker 50AZ
   2.    Aomekie 70/400  
   3.    Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope
   4.    EMARTH Travelscope 70
   5.    Celestron FirstScope
   6.    BRESSER Classic 60/900 EQ
   7.     OYS 80mm 
   8.    GeoSafari Jr Talking Telescope
   9.     Celestron TravelScope 70mm
   10.   Build Your Own Telescope
The different types of telescope
Refraction
Reflection
What else you need to know about kids telescopes
Mount
Accessories
Best telescopes for kids - a dad's experience

What to look for in a telescope for kids


what to look for in a telescope for kids, buying a telescope, tips on buying a kids telescope

Just like most hobbies, starting out can be a bit of a minefield when it comes to what to do and what to buy. 

Interestingly, the Royal Astronomical Society suggests that buying a telescope isn’t the first step in starting an astronomy hobby. Instead, it recommends getting familiar with the night sky with a star chat, monthly sky guide or apps, followed by purchasing binoculars because they’re simple to use. In fact, RAS fellow Theresa Cooper recommends spending a year using binoculars before moving to a telescope.

If your little one is ready to take the next step and move onto a telescope, there are some things you need to consider. Get it right and you might spark a lifetime of wonder and interest. Get it wrong and you might stop that hobby dead in its tracks. 

Ease of use

Theresa Cooper warns that telescopes can be complicated, which sometimes leads to newcomers giving up altogether. When buying a telescope for your child, you need to think about how easy it is to use relative to their age. A teenager will certainly find it much easier to grasp more complicated aspects of higher spec telescopes, while younger children will simply want to look and see something cool. 

Price

Naturally, price is a factor with any new hobby. It’s understandable that many parents don’t want to splash out on an expensive new gadget with no guarantee it will be used. On the other hand, too cheap won’t offer the quality experience required to entice youngsters back the next night. 

Typically, the really basic start telescopes marketed for kids cost anything between £/$20 and £/$100. Higher spec ones start to move into the 100-400 range, with telescopes for serious hobbyists can move into four figures. 

 

Aperture

The aperture is widely considered to be the most important specification of a telescope. It refers to the diameter of the lens or mirror of the telescope that collects the light. Put simply, the higher the aperture, the more light it can collect and produce a better, brighter image. According to experts, a good aperture is between 80-300mm for an amateur telescope. 

 

Focal Length

Put simply, the focal length of a telescope - usually measured in millimetres - is the distance between the lens or mirror and the point at which the image of the sky is created. The longer the focal length, the higher the magnification and lower the field of view. Typically, a longer focal length results in a longer telescope. However, more modern telescopes are being built in a way that allows for larger focal length in a shorter, fatter telescope. 

Magnification

This is probably what you’re most familiar with, given that it’s a term we see all the time on our phone’s camera. It’s simply how far your telescope can zoom. But more magnification doesn’t necessarily mean a great telescope, it is balanced with aperture and focal length. 

Experts recommend that you should look for magnification of no more than 50x the aperture measurement (in inches). Anything more and you’ll end up with a dim and fuzzy image. So, if the aperture of the telescope is 4”, anything more than 200x magnification is fairly pointless.  


The 10 best telescopes for kids


   1.    Celestron PowerSeeker 50AZ

View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

“Excellent quality for a great entry price!”


The PowerSeeker 50AZ Telescope by Celestron is a refractor designed to give the first-time telescope user a great combination of quality, value, features and power at on a budget. It includes the tripod, mount, a 5x24 finderscope, three eyepieces (20mm, 14mm and 4mm), three Barlow lenses which triple the magnifying power of each eyepiece and accompanying educational software.

  • Aperture: 50mm
  • Focal length: 600mm
  • Mount: Alt-az

PROS

  • Fully-coated glass optics to enhance image brightness.
  • Quick and easy set-up.
  • It's lightweight and has slow motion control for smooth tracking.

CONS

  • The tripod can be a little wobbly.
  • The plastic feels quite cheap.


   2.    Aomekie 70/400  

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Editors Review

“The combination of larger aperture and eyepiece offer great images for a beginner scope."


The Aomekie 70/400 refractor offers great images for a beginner scope thanks to a large aperture and reduced light reflection and chromatic aberration. The kit comes with a Kellner multi-coated eyepiece, aluminium tripod, 5x24 finderscope, moon filter, star chart, phone holder and erect-image diagonal to present images the right way up. 

  • Aperture: 70mm
  • Focal length: 400mm
  • Mount: Alt-az

PROS

  • It has the latest multi-coated Kellner eyepiece which boosts light transmission, reduces light reflection and chromatic aberration.
  • Large aperture for wider, brighter picture.
  • Also comes with star chart.

CONS

  • It's lightweight which can make it a little difficult to control at times.


   3.    Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope

View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

“Not only a great telescope, but it comes pre-assembled and is easy to use, meaning your child can dive straight in.”

 

The Orion StarBlast 4.5 is a table-top reflector telescope that offers excellent optical range, clarity and ease of use at a mid-range price. The mount is sturdy and allows smooth tracking, while a battery-operated red dot finderscope makes find targets a breeze. 

  • Aperture: 114mm
  • Focal length: 450mm
  • Mount: Dobsonian

PROS

  • Huge optical range of 16-228x.
  • Has a large aperture for the price.
  • Provides excellent clarity and is easy to use.

CONS

  • It's heavier than most telescopes.


   4.    EMARTH Travelscope 70

amazons choice badge
View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

“Works brilliantly in the day if you want to look at wildlife.”


The EMARTH 70/360 is a wide-view refracting telescope that offers 51-128x magnification through the 25mm and 10mm eyepieces. It’s lightweight and easily transportable for camping trips and star gazing from the family tent.

  • Aperture: 70mm
  • Focal length: 360mm
  • Mount: Alt-az

PROS

  • An "Amazon’s Choice" product and a big hit with parents.
  • Has a large magnification.
  • The screw plate mount means you can switch to a sturdy camera tripod if you already have one.
  • Comes with a handy star chart.

CONS

  • Some reviews have complained about the steadiness of the tripod.


   5.    Celestron FirstScope

View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

“Easy to move and ideal for younger hands!”


The Celestron FirstScope is a reflector telescope that is simple and quick to use for youngsters right out of the box despite the lack of a finderscope. What it lacks in magnification (75x and 15x) through the supplied eyepieces, it makes up for with great wide views that are easy to find. To make the most of it, though, you might want to buy a finderscope and eyepieces that enable the 180x and 11x optical limits. 

  • Aperture: 76mm
  • Focal length: 300mm
  • Mount: Dobsonian

PROS

  • Excellent build quality with plastic that doesn’t look cheap and glossy.
  • Easy to use, and portable.
  • Offers some really nice wide views.

CONS

  • No finderscope as standard, and you may find you need to buy a few extras to make the most of it.


   6.    BRESSER Classic 60/900 EQ

View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

“An excellent brand with 60+ years making telescopes.”


This classic refractor telescope from Bresser is an excellent choice for planetary and lunar observation. The included eyepieces offer incredible magnification of up to 338x on nearby planets and stars, but it really excels when viewing the moon. 

  • Aperture: 76mm
  • Focal length: 900mm
  • Mount: Equatorial

PROS

  • Huge magnification.
  • Useful software download included.
  • Many parents say it has excellent images of the moon.

CONS

  • One little blip - the phone holder struggles to carry heavier phones.


   7.     OYS 80mm 

View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

"If you want the hi-tech, top of the range telescope, this is it!"


The OYS Telescope is an impressive bit of kit. An 80mm aperture with both tripod and phone adapter which means you can not only see the moon in hi-grade definition, but you can use the phone to get even closer.

  • Aperture: 70mm
  • Focal length: 500mm
  • Mount: Alt-az

PROS

  • Ultra clear image, and also comes with two replaceable eyepieces. 
  • Also comes with a lifetime warranty!

CONS

  • It's a little more expensive than the others and should be considered the premium choice.


   8.    GeoSafari Jr Talking Telescope

View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

"A great way to learn about space through play when the clouds stop the real fun."


Certainly a toy and not a working telescope, the GeoSafari Jr Talking Telescope is an excellent alternative to keep kids engaged with stargazing while the weather isn’t great. The child-friendly dual eyepiece shows stunning images supplied by NASA, with over 120 fun facts and quiz questions encouraging learning. 

  • Aperture: N/A
  • Focal length: N/A
  • Mount: N/A

PROS

  • Look, listen and learn, with beautiful images supplied by NASA.
  • Lots of fun and includes 120 amazing facts and 120 quiz questions to test your child’s knowledge.
  • Easy to use, and designed for little hands.

CONS

  • 24 images might get a little tiresome after a while.


   9.     Celestron TravelScope 70mm

amazons choice badge
View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

"Portability makes it stand out from the crowd."


This portable refractor telescope from Celestron is a great option for families who want to take their scope on the road with them. It’s lightweight and comes with a bespoke carry bag, which allows for super quick assembly in any environment. It has two eyepieces (8mm and 20mm) that allow for high and low-power viewing day and night. It comes with erect-image diagonal and a 5x24 finderscope. 

  • Aperture: 70mm
  • Focal length: 400mm
  • Mount: Alt-az

PROS

  • Custom backpack designed for quick assembly and easy travel.
  • Super portable and comes with plenty of accessories.
  • An "Amazon's Choice" voted product.

CONS

  • There are some reviews that say the tripod can be a little unsteady.


   10.   Build Your Own Telescope

View on Amazon ▷

Editors Review

"Offers a new avenue of learning and play."


If you’re looking for a very cheap option that offers something different, this kit from Build Your Own is a great alternative that encourages educational and STEM play. Made from high-quality sustainable cardboard, the kit contains 29 press-out parts that don’t require glue. The sliding focus tube extends up to 72cm and the glass optic lens provides 16x magnification. It comes with a built-in finderscope as a well as angle finder.

  • Aperture: N/A
  • Focal length: N/A
  • Mount: N/A

PROS

  • Build your own working telescope!
  • Made with sustainable cardboard, and no glue needed.

CONS

  • One to avoid if you want quality views of the moon and space.


The different types of telescope


best telescopes for kids, types of telescopes for kids, refraction telescopes, reflection telescopes

There are two types of telescopes; reflection and refraction. While we won’t bore you with the technical differences in how they work, here are the key differences and the reasons for each one. 


Refraction

This is probably the shape you picture when you think of a telescope - a long, thin tube with an eyepiece at the end. 

Refracting telescopes use lenses, and as a result are sealed at both ends of the tube. This means that no dust or dirt can enter the telescope, and neither can air which means steadier, sharper images. They’re usually lighter and therefore more mobile, if you wanted to take out to a quiet spot at night.

Because they are typically much longer, refracting telescopes can sometimes be unwieldy and suffer from chromatic aberration, where a rainbow of colours appear around an image.


Reflection

Reflection telescopes are usually shorter and fatter in size. They use mirrors, rather than lenses to convey light to the eyepiece. Although they’re often heavier and less mobile than refractors, reflection telescopes are capable of much larger apertures.

Unlike refraction telescopes, the one end is open, meaning it can be prone to dust and air interfering with the image. However, they are typically cheaper to make and don’t suffer from chromatic aberration. 


What else you need to know about kids telescopes


Mount

All telescopes require a sturdy mount to support it. And there are a few different types used on telescopes.

Alt-az - Allows the telescope to swing side-to-side and up-and-down, just like a camera tripod

Equatorial - A slight variation of an alt-az mount that turns on a single axis. It requires users to align it to the North Star, and sits on a wooden platform called a ‘Dobsonian’. 

Motorised - Allows you to turn the telescope using a small keypad. 

Go To - Automatically move and follow thousands of objects in the sky.

Accessories

Just like every hobby, telescopes have all manner of accessories which you may or may not deem essential depending on your level of enthusiasm.

Accessories include everything from interchangeable eyepieces and colour correcting lens filters, to counterweights for heavier scopes and red dot scopes. 

If you're planning on taking the telescope with you on a family trip, such as camping with the family or even hiking, then be sure to also look out for extra accessories to ensure a safe travel with them.

 


Best telescopes for kids - a dad's experience


best telescopes for kids, a dads experience, telescope games

Andrew Davies, a 35-year old father of seven-year old Seren and baby Evelyn, discovered the night sky during July’s Perseid meteor showers. 

“Lockdown meant that focus on family and wellbeing became more important than ever and so it was down to us as parents to make the most of what we have available to us at home,” he began. “So with that in mind, I decided to make use of something readily available on my doorstep. I looked up.”

Andrew explained: “I’ve always been fascinated by the stars. Indeed, we named our first daughter Seren, meaning ‘Star’ in Welsh. But it never led to any further than gazing up in wonder.”

“I camped out in the back garden until the early morning hoping to catch a few shooting stars. I managed to spot quite a few and was amazed.”

He went on: “The following day I told my daughter all about it and we soon decided to spend that night in the garden looking up at the stars in bivouac mode (sleeping bag and no tent). We spent the whole night together in awe of what took place above us.”

He freely admits that what dad often thinks is cool is the polar opposite of a seven-year old thinks is cool. But Seren was hooked too and it quickly led to a search for a budget telescope. 

Andrew said that he downloaded a few free, highly-rated apps to help them along in their new hobby. “Being able to use the app to understand the constellations we were looking at was a fantastic way to make the night sky more interactive and helped to engage Seren.

Conscious that a seven-year old could get bored of looking at white dots quite quickly, Andrew decided to introduce a few simple games to keep it fun and engaging.

  • We point the scope at a random spot in the sky and pick either a constellation or certain star for each other. Naturally I get given the harder ones, but the first to find their target gets the point. She’s surprised me at how good she is and it’s really close...even if I do take my time every now and then!
  • "More important than discovering a new hobby,” Andrew added, “was cementing our bond through a new activity that we both shared. Sometimes as a parent you try to get your children into something you love and they’re just not bothered. We’re looking forward to the weather improving so we can continue exploring.”
Best Telescopes for Kids (2023 Buying Guide) was last modified: January 3rd, 2023 by DaddiLife

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