The Best Telescopes of 2023

Want to choose the best telescope for you? You'll need to consider several important factors, including viewing application, telescope type, magnification power, and other features.

Instead of scouring sites for scope specs, check out our roundup of the best telescopes for every type of user, from amateur observer to professional astrophotographer and everyone in between.

Best Telescope Overall: Celestron NexStar 6SE

Best Telescope for Beginners: Celestron NexStar 5SE

Best Telescope for Kids: Celestron FirstScope

Best Astrophotography Telescope: Sky-Watcher EvoStar 100

Best: Smart Telescope: Unistellar eVscope 2

Best Telescope Overall: Celestron NexStar 6SE

Offering a perfect balance of power, performance, and portability, the Celestron NexStar 6SE is the best telescope for most people. This 150mm Schmidt-Cassegrain-style telescope features Celestron's proprietary StarBright XLT multi-layer coating system to enhance light transmission greatly throughout its optical pathway, allowing users to observe breathtakingly clear images of celestial bodies in the night sky.

Top Features:

• 150mm Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope

• NexStar+ computer-programmed with 40,000+ celestial objects

• SkyAlign technology enables quick setup and alignment

Speaking of celestial bodies, the NexStar 6SE's computer hand controller is programmed with more than 40,000 local and deep-sky objects that it can automatically locate and track—everything from the Moon and planetary system to distant stars and galaxies.

Although it weighs more than 30 lb when assembled, the NexStar 6SE can be broken down into smaller components that make it easy to transport. Similarly, the NexStar 6SE's intuitive design and easy-to-use SkyAlign system allows users to assemble, mount, and align the telescope in practically no time at all.

Best for Beginners: Celestron NexStar 5SE

Easy to use and packed with a ton of novice-friendly features, the Celestron NexStar 5SE is our pick for the best telescope for beginners. The 5SE can't quite match the performance of its more powerful sibling, the Nexstar 6SE, but its 125mm aperture, 50x magnifying power, and StarBright XLT optics are more than enough to produce clear, crisp images of the Moon and neighboring planets.

Top Features:

• 125mm Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope

• NexStar+ computer-programmed with 40,000+ celestial objects

• SkyAlign technology enables quick setup and alignment

The NexStar 5SE's easy-to-use hand controller tracking system uses the same computerized mount to pinpoint and focus on any of the more than 40,000 celestial bodies stored in its vast database. The ease and speed at which these objects are located, as well as the resulting image that follows, will also appeal to beginners, since it rewards their stargazing efforts immediately.

Like the NexStar 6SE, the 5SE model breaks down into easily transportable sections. Assembling the telescope is equally painless, so beginners don't have to worry about any complicated steps or procedures.

Best for Kids: Celestron FirstScope

The best telescope for kids is one that delivers an exciting experience for young stargazers without stressing their parents’ budget. The Celestron FirstScope satisfies these requirements, thanks to its ease of use, fast focal ratio, and reasonable price tag.

Top Features:

• 76mm reflector telescope

• Includes 15mm and 4mm eyepieces

• Easy for small hands to operate

• Compact, lightweight, and portable

Featuring a Newtonian reflector optical system, 76mm aperture, and a fast f/4 focal ratio, the Celestron FirstScope is an ideal starter scope for junior stargazers searching for bright images of the Moon and planetary bodies. The two included eyepieces provide magnifications of 15x and 75x—not super close or pin-sharp, but plenty to get some nice basic views of lunar craters and other large details. For even better image quality, you could upgrade to eyepieces that match the FirstScope's highest and lowest magnification limits of 180x and 11x.

The FirstScope comes fully assembled and ready to use straight out of the box. On top of that, there's nothing to break down or disassemble when stargazing sessions are over. This is an especially nice feature for parents who don't want to disassemble and reassemble a telescope repeatedly.

The FirstScope sits on an easy-to-operate alt-azimuth mount and tabletop base. The base allows the FirstScope to be set up just about anywhere, and its lightweight, yet robust, build means it's durable and very portable. Despite its quality build, the FirstScope is relatively inexpensive, making it a great value for parents, and a great all-around scope for kids.

Best for Astrophotography: Sky-Watcher EvoStar 100

Astrophotography is one of the more expensive hobbies on our planet, which is why we considered image quality and cost when deciding which telescope was the best choice. Ultimately, we went with the Sky-Watcher EvoStar 100, which offers fantastic image quality and tremendous value—something people with a wish to make images of the heavens will appreciate.

Top Features:

• 100mm refractor OTA

• Proprietary MHTC coatings minimize chromatic aberrations

• Includes 2" dual-speed Crayford-style focuser

• Includes foam-lined aluminum hard case

This dual-element refractor features a 100mm aperture, 900 millimeter (35 inch) focal length, and maximum magnification of 197x. The EvoStar's optical class is coated with Sky-Watcher's MHTC, which minimizes chromatic aberrations and helps deliver tack-sharp, color-corrected images. Rounding out the EvoStar's photo-friendly features is its dual-speed Crayford-style focuser, which will allow you to find focus quickly, regardless of the eyepiece or camera you are using.

Make no mistake: the EvoStar 100 isn't inexpensive. Not only will it likely set you back more than a grand, but it's also an OTA scope, which means it doesn't come with a mount or tripod.

In lieu of a tripod, the EvoStar 100 comes with several accessories, including a finderscope, dielectric diagonal, and foam-lined aluminum case.

Best Smart Telescope: Unistellar eVscope 2

Not only is the Unistellar eVscope 2 the best smart telescope available today, you could also make the argument that it's the best telescope, period. Built around a Sony IMX347 image sensor and Unistellar's brilliant and incredibly accessible companion app, the eVscope 2 allows stargazers of any skill level to view local and deep-sky objects.

Top Features:

• 114mm digital telescope

• Incredibly accessible and easy to use

• Nikon digital eyepiece with best-in-class OLED

• Automatic alignment and tracking

• Light-pollution filter

Because it's a smart telescope, the eVscope 2 forgoes many of the traditional design elements of a reflector telescope. Instead, it features more advanced components, such as a digital eyepiece from Nikon and the aforementioned Unistellar app, which controls the eVscope 2's movements.

Of course, these features barely scratch the surface of what this revolutionary instrument can do. For a complete review of the Unisteller eVscope 2, and to learn what makes it so great, be sure to check out our dedicated hands-on review.

That wraps up our list of the best telescopes of the year. Were there any telescopes or categories of scopes we missed? Let us know in the Comments section, below.