Best Telescopes Under $1000

If you have been searching for a new or used telescope, you have no doubt been surprised by the huge number of choices out there.

Telescopes cost anywhere from under a $100 to $10,000 or more, but if you're like most of our customers, you want a scope that falls somewhere in the middle...but that's a BIG middle! Never fear! According to our amazing team of telescope experts at High Point Scientific, if you can invest between approximately $500 and $1000 on a visual telescope, you will end up with something that will serve you well for years to come.

The Best Telescopes for Sale Under $1000 Include:

  • Celestron NexStar 4SE -
  • Celestron NexStar 5SE -
  • Apertura AD8 Dobsonian -
  • Apertura AD10 Dobsonian -
  • Honorable Mention: Celestron NexStar 6SE -

With that advice in mind, here is the short list when it comes to the best telescopes under $1000:


Celestron NexStar 4SE -

Celestron NexStar 4SE

The first telescope on our list is the Celestron NexStar 4SE. The 4" Maksutov optical design of the Nexstar 4SE gives greater sharpness, a longer focal length, and higher contrast than traditional reflecting telescopes thanks to its smaller secondary mirror. The telescope has a focal length of 1325mm, and 4” of aperture with a limiting stellar magnitude of +13.4. This magnification is great for observing the Moon and deep-sky objects like the Andromeda Galaxy and the Orion Nebula!

The optical tube assembly can be removed and placed on any standard photo tripod without additional adapters, making it even more versatile and portable! The single-arm fork mount is fully computerized and includes a go-to hand controller with a very large database consisting of nearly 40,000 objects. The NexStar 4SE by Celestron sits on a sturdy tripod which offers maximum stability when looking at distant objects. Using the simple star alignment, you'll easily be able to identify and track any object you choose!

 

Celestron NexStar 5SE -

Celestron NexStar 5SE

The next telescope on our list is the “bigger brother” to the NexStar 5SE. This telescope uses a slightly different design than the 4SE and is considered a “Schmidt-Cassegrain” telescope. The telescope features a larger light gathering capability (5 inches vs 4 inches), which will increase your ability to peer into the cosmos. Additionally, the telescope comes with a slightly lower focal length of 1250mm, making the focal ratio f/10. This makes the telescope an even better choice for observing deep-sky objects with roughly the same magnification as the Celestron 4SE with the included 25mm E-lux eyepiece.

The telescope also comes with the NexStar SE hand controller that includes 40,000 different objects for you to view. The NexStar 5SE by Celestron sits on a sturdy tripod which offers maximum stability when looking at distant objects. Overall, the telescope optical tube weighs 17.6 lbs and the tripod 10 lbs, making this telescope fairly easy to take out to your favorite observing site.

 

Apertura AD8 Dobsonian -

Apertura AD8 Dobsonian

It has been said that the best value for a visual telescope is a Dobsonian telescope. The Apertura AD8 is a Newtonian telescope, meaning that it uses mirrors to create an image. The mirror is eight inches in diameter with a focal length of 1200mm which yields a focal ratio of f/6 The long focal length makes this telescope ideal for observing the planets, yet “fast” enough to be able to observe many faint and bright nebulae, star clusters, and more.

Through this telescope, you’ll be able to observe beautiful detail on the Orion Nebula, all of the major Moons of Saturn and Jupiter, the core and dust lanes of the Andromeda Galaxy, and distant galaxies in the Virgo cluster millions of light-years away!

The telescope is seated on an easy-to-use alt-azimuth “rocker box” mount that allows you to direct the telescope anywhere in the sky. The overall telescope weight is roughly 38 lbs. Setting up the telescope is easy: simply carry the telescope outside, set it down on the rocker box, take the dust cap off, and you’re ready to go! The telescope comes with a Crayford focuser that will accept any 1.25” eyepiece, a 6x30 finder, a 25mm Plossl, and a lens cap to protect your mirrors from dirt and dust.

 

Apertura AD10 Dobsonian -

Apertura AD10 Dobsonian

The Apertura 10" Dobsonian Telescope is the largest telescope you can buy under $1,000 in terms of light gathering capability. The huge 10" primary mirror opens up the Universe, providing access to thousands of celestial objects, and the "fast" f/5 focal ratio displays a pleasingly wide field of view when observing the night sky.

Sitting on a simple Dobsonian alt-azimuth mount, the Apertura 10" Newtonian is an excellent telescope to help you learn the location of celestial objects in the sky by "star-hopping". It is great for beginners since learning how to use the Apertura Dobsonian takes just a few minutes. Older children LOVE a Dobsonian because they can push it around and discover the Universe with their own eyes, without help from their elders. More seasoned amateur astronomers enjoy a "light-bucket" Dobsonian for its low price per inch of aperture, its stealth-like silence, and because there are no bells and whistles to get between the astronomer and the night sky.

 

Honorable Mention: Celestron NexStar 6SE -

NexStar Telescope Under $1000

If you’re willing to expand your budget a bit beyond $1,000 - we recommend the Celestron NexStar 6SE. With a little bit more aperture (and light gathering capability) than the 5SE, you’ll be able to see even deeper into the cosmos. The tried and true NexStar SE mount and intuitive GoTo hand controller is equipped with a 40,000 object library database. Additionally, you may use other accessories, like the Celestron StarSense, which offers cutting-edge align assist technology, or the Celestron SkyPortal, for wireless control of your telescope via your smartphone and a free app that's available for both Apple and Android devices.

 

This Article was Last Updated on 8/25/2023