The best beginner telescopes for 2026
Aperture, mount type and portability matter more than magnification. Here is how we'd spend £200, £400 and £700 on a first telescope.
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Celestron and Sky-Watcher telescopes, mounts and eyepieces — expert-picked, authorised stock.
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SanDisk and Angelbird cards rated for 8K, plus portable SSDs for safe offloads in the field.
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Backpacks, carbon tripods and weather-sealed optics for wherever the shot takes you.
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Telescopes & Astronomy
Refractors, reflectors and computerised GoTo telescopes from Celestron and Sky-Watcher, plus mounts and eyepieces.
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Compact, birdwatching and marine optics with fully multi-coated glass and weather-sealed bodies.
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Biological, stereo and digital microscopes for classrooms, laboratories and curious beginners.
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