Best Portable Telescopes

• DwarfLab DWARF 3
• ZWO Seestar S30
• ZWO Seestar S50

• Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ
• Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ
• Celestron NexStar 6SE

• Celestron NexStar 8SE
• Apertura AD6
• Apertura AD8

DwarfLab DWARF 3 -

The first entry on our list for the best telescopes for portability is the DwarfLabs DWARF 3, the most portable telescope on the market today! As compact as a book, this tiny smart telescope easily tucks away within a backpack for any astroimaging adventure and is controlled with just your smartphone or tablet. By encompassing everything needed for a full blown astrophotography rig into a singular, compact unit, traveling with the DWARF 3 is effortless! Even with its powerful internals such as its dual-lens system, advanced electronics, and robust battery, the DWARF 3 remains impressively lightweight with a total weight of 2.9 lbs. (1.3 kg).

Offering not just one, but two focal lengths, this smart telescope is well suited for a variety of imaging applications. Take advantage of the 6.7 mm focal length wide angle lens for capturing vast nightscapes, including meteor showers, or toggle the 150 mm focal length lens for up close captures of celestial wonders. This dual-lens system helps you fully immerse yourself in your surroundings, providing you with two modes of imaging. Also, its integrated AI interface makes it excellent for daytime photography as well. With automatic object tracking and a panorama-stitching feature, collect stunning images of wildlife and beautiful scenery. This, combined with the powerful onboard sensor, long battery life, and ample internal storage, your adventures are sure to be nothing short of outstanding!

Seestar S30 Smart Telescope -

Up next on our list is another smart telescope, the Seestar S30! With a total weight of 3.64 lbs. (1.65 kg), and coming complete with its own carrying case, the S30 makes a perfect companion for any trip to dark skies. Just set this little telescope on a level surface, and you’re a few clicks away from breathtaking images of space. Thanks to its triplet APO design and Super ED glass, you can expect sharp, vibrant images free of chromatic aberration. Plus, the onboard Sony IMX662 sensor provides HD 1080p resolution in full color, while integrated AI technology further enhances image quality.

With its dual lens design, not only can you capture the wonders of space and get up close and personal with terrestrial marvels, but you also have the opportunity to photograph vast scenery as well! An additional lens and sensor unlocks a 90x wider field of view for a broader perspective of your surroundings. This dual outlook also makes it a breeze to locate targets for close up examination, as you can simply tap where you’d like to zoom into, and the Seestar will automatically toggle to the main focal length lens and center on your desired target. To make this system even more versatile, this Seestar S30 comes complete with integrated object tracking; simply outline an object you’d like to track, like wildlife, and the Seestar will automatically keep it in the center of the frame! Wherever your travels take you, the Seestar S30 is the perfect companion for your cosmic exploration!

ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Telescope -

No list of the best portable telescopes is complete without the ZWO Seestar S50! With its incredible success and abundant praise, the ZWO Seestar S50 consistently delivers exceptional performance within a compact, easy-to-use package. Everything you need for a successful night of astrophotography is included within this singular, 6.6 lbs. (3 kg) unit: powerful optics, a reliable mount, a high performance sensor, and onboard electronics. This means no matter where you are, you can take stunning images of nebulae, galaxies, star clusters, and plenty more celestial wonders!

The ZWO Seestar S50 houses a triplet apochromatic optical design to ensure sharp, high-contrast images. Additionally, the onboard Sony IMX462 sensor features STARVIS technology for enhanced performance under low light conditions. To operate this S50, the process couldn’t be easier: simply set it on level ground, power it on, and with a few taps on your smartphone or tablet, you’ll be capturing images in no time! Three built-in filters and an external solar filter come standard with this telescope for a variety of imaging applications. Furthermore, the integrated Scenery Mode allows you to capture terrestrial targets with ease! With features like these, the ZWO Seestar S50 is the perfect complement to any astro-adventure.

Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ -

For those looking for a more manual approach to astronomy, the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102 AZ is a great choice! The entire system, tripod and OTA, weighs just 14 lbs., making it perfect for camping trips and adventures to dark skies. Featuring a 4” aperture and focal length of 660 mm, this Celestron StarSense telescope delivers sharp views of the planets, star clusters, nebulae, and plenty more!

What makes this Celestron StarSense DX 102 AZ telescope stand out is its remarkable ease of use for a manual telescope. With the Celestron StarSense technology, you can spend less time locating objects and more time actually observing them! After aligning and coupling your smartphone with the included StarSense dock, incoming star light will be channeled into your smartphone camera where a process called plate solving within the Celestron StarSense app determines your telescope’s exact pointing position. In doing so, the StarSense app guides you in adjusting your telescope to center your desired target within your eyepiece. This StarSense technology is especially valuable under very dark skies where other target-locating techniques, like star hopping, can be challenging due to the vast number of stars visible. Thanks to the ingenuity from Celestron, this StarSense DX 102 AZ delivers a fun, interactive viewing experience for every stargazing adventure!

Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Newtonian -

Up next on our list of the best travel telescopes is another model within the StarSense line from Celestron, the StarSense Explorer DX 130 AZ Newtonian! Instead of using lenses, this telescope utilizes mirrors to reflect the incoming photons up into your eyepiece. With 5” of aperture and a focal length of 650 mm, the sights through your eyepiece are sure to impress. Enjoy bright views of the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy, Saturn’s rings, and a host of other celestial wonders. This Celestron StarSense DX 130 OTA weighs 8.8 lbs. while the tripod weighs in at 9.2 lbs., yielding an overall weight of 18 lbs. While a bit heavier than the DX 102 AZ, this DX 130 AZ remains an excellent option for a portable telescope you can quickly set up at your favorite observing site!

As a StarSense model, assistance from your smartphone aids in effortless navigation through the night sky. The powerful internal plate solving software within the Celestron StarSense app accurately identifies where your telescope is pointing then displays arrows on your phone, guiding you where to point your telescope for object centering. With this system, you can jump from target to target with ease, observing the planets, star clusters, nebulae, and more!

Celestron NexStar 6SE Telescope -

Looking for a computerized approach for your stargazing adventures? This Celestron NexStar 6SE is a great choice! Complete with high-performance optics, a fully Go-To altazimuth mount, and a powerful hand controller, you have the power to discover the cosmos with both precision and ease. The entire system breaks down into three manageable parts for effortless transportation, with a combined weight of less than 30 lbs. To make this system even more portable, it runs on just 8 AA batteries, meaning there's no need to lug around a portable power supply to enjoy a night under the stars!

Due to the 6” Schmidt-Cassegrain design, this Celestron telescope presents highly detailed views within your eyepiece. The large aperture collects a copious amount of light, while the patented Celestron StarBright XLT coatings maximize light transmission for improved clarity and resolving power. This results in stunning detail on the craters of our Moon, the intricate cloud bands on Jupiter, and beautiful resolution of the Trapezium Cluster. This optical assembly rests atop the single fork-arm altazimuth mount, ensuring accurate GoTo slews and reliable tracking throughout your viewing sessions. To operate this computerized telescope, the included NexStar+ hand controller makes it easy to star align and find objects for slewing, and it includes a huge database of over 40,000 celestial objects! With this Celestron NexStar 6SE, your astro-adventures are sure to be taken to the next level.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope -

If you’d like something with more light gathering power than the 6SE, the Celestron NexStar 8SE offers over 1.5x the photon intake! This results in even brighter views and higher detail within your eyepiece, providing you with a more immersive experience under the stars. Three components make up this NexStar 8SE: An 8” Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube assembly, a single fork-arm mount, and a heavy-duty tripod. By breaking down into three parts, packing this system away for your camping trips or star parties is effortless. No matter where your astronomy journey takes you, having this Celestron NexStar 8SE at your side elevates your celestial viewings with unparalleled brightness and clarity.

Furthering performance, the optical assembly is coated with the patented StarBright XLT coatings from Celestron. This coating formula provides heightened light throughput, resulting in improved resolution of detail and enhanced contrast. At the base of this Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, the fork-arm mount delivers accurate GoTo slews and precise tracking for steady views within your eyepiece. Just like the NexStar 6SE, this 8SE is operated using the Celestron NexStar+ hand controller. Star alignment is a breeze with the built-in Celestron SkyAlign technology, and its extensive database provides near-endless exploration of the cosmos. Thanks to the outstanding craftsmanship and ingenuity from Celestron, every viewing experience with the NexStar 8SE is certain to impress!

Apertura AD6 Dobsonian 6" Telescope -

Combining portability, high performance, and remarkable build quality, the Apertura AD6 Dobsonian telescope has it all! The smallest in the line of Apertura Dobsonians, this telescope was designed to make travel easy without sacrificing performance. Just two sections make up this telescope system, the ~25 lbs. Dobsonian base and the 28 lbs. optical tube assembly. By breaking down into two highly manageable components, transport is a breeze! Not only is this telescope easy to take with you, but its user-friendly design and powerful optics means it’s perfect for both seasoned astronomers and beginners.

With 6” of light gathering power, the views through your eyepiece are sure to be nothing short of remarkable. The superior-grade mirrors deliver detailed views of the planets, the Moon, as well as deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae. These mirrors offer 93% reflectivity thanks to their aluminum and silicon-dioxide coatings, ensuring maximum brightness and contrast. Supporting this OTA is the premium Dobsonian base. Crafted with the highest build quality, this altazimuth mount allows you to navigate through the night sky with ease! This high-quality craftsmanship extends to the dual-speed focuser, offering smooth, precise focus adjustments to help you hone in on the details. With the Apertura AD6 Dobsonian Telescope, you can enjoy high-quality views no matter where your expeditions take you!

Apertura AD8 Dobsonian 8" Telescope -

Though this telescope is the most robust on this list with a total weight of 50 lbs., the Apertura AD8 Dobsonian remains an excellent choice for your stargazing endeavors. Like the AD6, this AD8 breaks down into two highly manageable components: the optical tube assembly and the Dobsonian base. This convenient design is wonderful for travel and offers effortless set up, so you can spend more time stargazing and less time assembling. As an 8” light bucket, the Apertura AD8 is highly recommended by a host of seasoned astronomers thanks to its impressive build quality and level of detail seen within your eyepiece. A must have for those in search of the best views, the Apertura AD8 is the perfect addition to your astronomy toolkit!

The high-quality Dobsonian base allows for smooth, precise navigation across the night sky, making it easy to locate and manually track celestial objects. With this Apertura telescope, you’ll see unbelievable clarity on the rings of Saturn (including the Cassini division), the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, the Ring Nebula, and any Messier object! The 1200 mm focal length is excellent for viewing both deep space objects and fine detail on our solar system, offering incredible versatility during your viewing sessions. Setting you up for success, Apertura includes a 2" Superview 30 mm eyepiece for widefield stargazing, and a 9 mm eyepiece for planetary observation. Whether you’re an entry-level astronomer or an advanced sky watcher, this Apertura AD8 Dobsonian includes everything you need for successful visual sessions night after night.