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5 of The Finest Telescopes For Deep Sky Viewing

5 years ago

There are numerous telescopes that you can purchase  for deep sky viewing. These deep sky telescopes are perfect for any intermediate to advanced astronomer who is familiar with navigating the celestial bodies above our planet. We are going to focus only on five of the best telescopes that we could find.

Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope

$1,199.00
8

Construction

7.5/10

Operation

7.5/10

Portability

9.0/10

Optics

8.0/10

Cost

8.0/10

Pros

  • Fully automated GoTo mount with a large database.
  • Fast setup is guaranteed thanks to SkyAlign
  • Very portable, easy to assemble, and is not too heavy.
  • Record everything with this scope!

Cons

  • The batteries discharge easily.
  • You may need to purchase a separate charger.
  • There may be a need to reload the scope’s firmware, which is a hassle.
  • Very expensive compared to other models.

The NexStar from Celestron is known as one of the world’s finest telescope due to the convenience that it can provide. This is a classic 8-inch model that has come a long way from the amateur telescopes back in the 70s. The product is still known to have the orange tube design but the added features make it way better for beginners to enjoy as well. The large aperture of the product provides a clear view of the moon and the rest of the planets, making it perfect for viewing the deep sky at night. The product also has a wedge for attaching cameras.

What made the product stand out the most is its fully automated features that contain a database of over 40,000 celestial bodies, the scope can automatically track them all for you. The product also contains an alignment feature that makes it more unique. Take note that the alignment feature is also automatic so then you can do a 1-star or 2-star align, or perhaps a solar system align as well. This makes the product great for observing what’s beyond our planet in just a few minutes. Even if you’re not familiar with the evening sky or with the telescope, you can easily adjust this product to any bright celestial bodies up there. It also has bonus accessories such as the red dot finderscope, a 25mm eyepiece, a mirror star diagonal and a visual back part.

After all, it is Celestron who made the product, as they have been standing strong as one of the best scope providers for astronomers since the 1960s. This company also has easy tutorials on how to operate the scope, as well as a responsive US-based technical support office.

Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope

$399.99
8.3

Construction

8.0/10

Operation

9.0/10

Portability

10.0/10

Optics

8.0/10

Cost

6.5/10

Pros

  • No balance issues even when lots of accessories are attached.
  • Excellent lock-up ability through its optical finder.
  • Great light gathering ability for a clearer view of faraway nebulas and galaxies.
  • Very easy to setup and use.

Cons

  • Motion tends to get sticky when the product is already with you for too long.
  • Bad quality bearings.
  • Thin nylon pads are used for the altitude and azimuth.

The SkyQuest by Orion is known as a powerful telescope which also serves as one of the brand’s most powerful reflector scope ever made. It’s all thanks to its capability of providing precise view using its optics, a simple mechanism that makes it very easy to operate, and its durability that can last for several years. The product will surely make you and your family and friends enjoy the clear view of the deep sky during the night thanks to this product. It can also give you a good sight of the moon and some planets such as Mars and Saturn with full detail. The aperture of the product is also large to provide enough light no matter how far you’re looking at the outer space right now. It also sports the 9×50 right angle finder and an f/6 mirror.

The most outstanding part of the SkyQuest telescope is its high-quality view once you capture the moments with the scope’s eyepiece. The clarity of the view enables you to see a sharper image of the star clusters and nebulas. Even other galaxies can be visibly seen with this nifty scope. It also allows an easy way to point and view objects and the deep sky thanks to its reflector optical tube. The easy setup of this product such as its equatorial mount and its unique tripod makes it a very easy tool to use for beginners and not just for any advanced astronomer. It also has an EZ Finder II for a reflex sight, a software called Starry Night which serves as a great guide, a 2: Crayford focuser that accommodates eyepieces measuring 1.25 and 2”, and a 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece with a collimation cap.

Orion is a known company that has offered telescopes for both direct sale and usage. The product has been serving customers since 1975 and has eventually turned into an employee-owned company to help employees get the benefits of selling as well. This brand is also known to always provide a 100% guarantee over its line of scopes.

Celestron Advanced VX 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope WiFi Kit - with Skyportal Wifi Module

$1,739.00
8.3

Construction

8.0/10

Operation

9.0/10

Portability

10.0/10

Optics

8.0/10

Cost

6.5/10

Pros

  • Capable of clear vision over the moon, celestial objects and the planets near ours.
  • Very easy to set up and carry around.
  • Great for attaching your camera or DSLR.
  • Sturdy tripod.

Cons

  • The mount has minor frictions.
  • May need a dew shield accessory to prevent fogging during cold temperatures at night.

This is one of the most iconic products of Celestron. This 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain is known for many years throughout the market and in the perspectives of astronomers as one of the brand’s finest telescope. This is now optimized to accommodate beginner and amateur astronomers thanks to the new setup of this product. The product has an all-star polar alignment which is quite common for most Celestron products of today. This ensures a longer exposure through the use of a special program within the telescope that can also correct certain errors when using the product. The product sports improved motors for better torque quality while providing perfect balance when using the product at any given time.

This classic model is now upgraded, adding more unique features to it. The product now has StarBright XLT coatings that’s s known for transmitting light with ease. If this is combined with the Advanced VS Mount, your scope will surely be perfect for both visualizing the deep sky while capturing images of it. This telescope also has an auto-guider for you to easily see your desired objects. The capability of the product to track long exposures using a programmable error corrector ensures that the product will never be a hassle when capturing seamless images of the deep sky at night. The product also has an Advanced VX feature that’s known to have a larger base casting than most of the previous models of Celestron. This ensures better stability if the scope is heavily loaded.

Celestron is one of the finest companies out there that has been providing top-class telescopes for advanced-level astronomers since the 1960s. The product is a US-based company which has its own technical support department for you to become more educated about their products. They also have tutorials that can help you become an astronomer if you don’t have any idea about it and if you’re interested in this field as well.

SkyWatcher S11610 Traditional Dobsonian 8-Inch (White)

$378.49
8.8

Construction

8.5/10

Operation

9.0/10

Portability

8.5/10

Optics

9.0/10

Cost

9.0/10

Pros

  • Very easy to assemble.
  • Captures at both far locations and wide angles alike.
  • Has one of the perfect focusing features.
  • Very affordable.

Cons

  • The item may ship its parts separately.
  • Lacks fine tuning, which can be tiring.
This product from SkyWatcher is one of the most powerful telescopes of all time. It sports a 25 and 10mm 1.25” eyepiece with a 9×50 finderscope. The product has a great focal length of 1200mm and contains two Crayford-style focusers that have a 1.25 adaptor on it. It also has two eyepieces which are specified to be 4-element Plossl 25mm and 10mm eyepieces. The product also has a Teflon mount with a tension clutch for adjusting altitudes better than most models.

What stood out when it comes to this product is the Teflon mount which is quite rare, resulting in the product to become easily adjustable. The product’s Crayford-style focuser with its 1.25 adapter allows you to concentrate more on capturing the best celestial bodies that you’ve ever seen. That’s why many consider this as an opportunity for them to become an advanced astronomer once they master this product.

SkyWatcher is a company that was started by David Shen, a person who simply developed the brand through his interest in optics designing and his love for gazing at stars when he was a young adult. This caused him to innovate the market as well through the means of providing cheaper telescopes compared to most brands nowadays.

Celestron Advanced VX 8" Newtonian

$1,229.00
9.6

Construction

9.5/10

Operation

10.0/10

Portability

8.5/10

Optics

10.0/10

Cost

10.0/10

Pros

  • Excellent view of the celestial bodies, nebulas, galaxies, the moon, the planets and many more!
  • Perfect balancing capabilities.
  • Built to last very long.
  • Excellent range and wideness of vision.

Cons

  • A bit heavier than some competitor models.
  • Not recommended for beginners.

This advanced model from Celestron is known for its top-class product. It has an f/5 optical design that measures 8-inches to ensure not just faraway viewing, but wide angle viewing as well. The product has a parabolic primary mirror that reduced any aberration to make the view appear spherical so then it can produce an image that’s reminiscent of high definition. The integer gear rations are programmable in order to avoid any errors as the product can automatically correct it. It also sports new motors for better torque, tracking and to ensure balance no matter how heavy the attached accessories are. The product is also known to be updated to meet modern standards as it promotes lesser flexure and is quite rigid compared to its old version.

Basically, the product itself is what makes it stand out the most among all of its competitors. This is considered as a high-quality product as it’s perfect in terms of providing stability. It also ensures that all errors will be corrected accurately in order to prevent any track errors, especially when chasing a celestial object. The motors of the product also offer top-class performance that will never give you a tiring way to use the scope. The product’s appearance also makes it look much better than almost any 8-inch telescope.

Celestron really knows how to be the best when it comes to providing top-class scopes as it’s been providing the signature product since 1960. But it has never lost its touch in providing people with a better means to view space as it has upgraded the capabilities of its products over the years. It’s one of the companies that provide professional products for advanced-level astronomers around the world.

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