Telescopes Beginners Should Avoid

Many cheap telescopes sold on large online marketplaces advertise unrealistic magnification and include unstable mounts, low-quality optics, and poor accessories. These are the kinds of telescopes beginners should avoid because they often create a frustrating first astronomy experience.

Why Some Beginner Telescopes Are So Disappointing

Observing the night sky is more accessible than ever before, with a vast selection of affordable, yet effective, telescopes available on the market today. Unfortunately, with this rise in popularity and variety, there has also been a rise in low-quality offerings and telescopes that oversell their capabilities, making it easier than ever before to end up with a poor telescope and poor experience. This is especially common in beginner systems, with some sellers and brands taking advantage of newcomers’ lack of experience and knowledge to push systems that boast high magnifications and affordability but provide subpar performance.

The Beginner's Trust Problem in Astronomy

Many professional and amateur astronomers are producing stunning stellar photos, so it can be hard not to expect similar views through your first telescope. It can be disappointing then to look through a telescope and see monochrome images of deep sky objects. We want to reiterate how important it is not to lose trust in the hobby. When first starting out, adjust expectations and know that as you grow into the hobby, you can potentially produce stunning images just like the ones you see on social media and other websites.

Why Poor First Experiences Push People Out of the Hobby

When an initial experience is unsatisfying, it seriously hurts the prospects of someone trying again. Some assume the lackluster experience from a low-quality telescope is the standard and leave the hobby. Other times, there will be a sense that something is wrong, but it is difficult to pinpoint the issue and assume the hobby is too complex. Others might identify the issue as the low-quality gear itself, but be discouraged from the prospect of trying to identify a quality telescope again. A bad telescope does not just give bad views, it can convince a beginner that astronomy is harder and less rewarding than it really is.

Warning Signs of a Low-Quality Telescope

While spotting some low-quality telescopes will require experience and people sharing their first-hand experience, when it comes to beginner telescopes, it thankfully doesn’t take expertise to pick out a poor telescope. Follow along with these checks, and you’ll be able to weed out many low-quality options; or check out our Telescope Buying Guide for Beginners for more in-depth info.

Unrealistic Magnification Claims

A surefire sign of a low-quality telescope is unrealistic magnification claims. While the amount of magnification will likely be accurate, watch out for telescopes that show extreme close-ups of craters on the Moon and large views of planets. Without the light-gathering power, which is dictated by the aperture of the telescope, these close-up views will likely be blurry and unappealing. High-quality beginner telescopes with enough aperture can offer you inspiring views of the surface of the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn, even if they do not offer as close a view. Today, you can find a number of digital planetarium apps and online tools that allow you to enter telescope and eyepiece specifications to simulate the view you’ll have, and these are invaluable tools for independently verifying advertising claims.

You will also want to be on the lookout for unrealistic high-magnification figures. Again, the actual calculated magnification will usually be correct, however, the power will be unrealistically high. As a general rule of thumb, 2x to 2.5x the aperture in millimeters is the maximum magnification you would want to use with a telescope. Additionally, anything over 300-350x is generally not advised as atmospheric conditions don’t allow for crisp views, even if your aperture could support it. Be sure to check out our 10 Telescope Mistakes Beginners Make guide to see some other common pitfalls to be aware of when first starting out in the hobby.

Very Small Apertures

How large the front lens or opening is known as the aperture, and it is directly linked to the light-gathering capabilities of the telescope. Maximum useful magnification, how bright your view is, the amount of detail the optics can resolve, and focal length are all related to this specification. As optics are a large portion of the cost of the telescope, an incredibly small aperture on a scope made to be used visually is a dead giveaway of something made with no regard to the actual performance. While there are some fantastic small-aperture scopes, these are geared (and marketed) toward assisting your main telescope, not observations.

Plastic, Unstable Tripods

While optics are the most important, what they rest on is important too. A high-quality telescope that shakes too much for you to make anything out isn’t much better than a blurry scope on a rock-steady tripod. While it is possible to make a sturdy plastic tripod, the vast majority are thin and unstable pack-ins used to check off “is a complete telescope out of the box” checklist.

Too Many Low-Value Accessories Included

Telescopes that aim to impress you with expansive pack-in accessory sets should be avoided. While there certainly are great beginner options that provide a plethora of add-ons, these are usually bundles that supplement the existing accessory set and are curated by known brands in the industry. A telescope that sets out to ‘wow’ you with the number of items included in the box, especially in the beginner budget range, is almost certainly trading quality for quantity.

Unknown or Unserviceable Brands

Telescopes sold with no brand name, or a brand name no one on mainstream platforms or forums seems to have heard of before, should be avoided. The strategy behind telescopes of this type is to sell as many as possible until the poor reviews come in, at which point the listing is shut down, and then a new one is put up, and the cycle repeats. Best case, you end up with a lower-than-average telescope with no aftermarket support; worst case, you end up with junk and no recourse other than filing a dispute through the vendor or your card company.

These no-name brands can be attractive for the performance they claim on paper for the price, but in today’s market, with plenty of good value options from reputable brands with service support, there is no reason to risk it with a no-name or obscure-name telescope. For a short list quality option with after-purchase support you can rely on and a value price point, check out our Best Telescope Under $300 guide.

Bad Telescope Warning Signs

The Most Common Types of Telescopes Beginners Should Avoid

While training your eye to pick out the fluff and red flags covered above is useful, if you’re looking for a more straightforward way to separate a good beginner scope from one that will perform poorly, here are two general types of telescopes to avoid.

Department-Store Telescopes

While it’s not unheard of for department stores to stock known, quality options from reputable brands, more often than not, the selection will be limited to low-quality options. At a department store, dedicating a small space to one or two very budget-friendly telescopes is more appealing than dedicating a large chunk of limited space to adequately stock a large variety of equipment that gives the observer better control of the type of telescope set up and the quality of that setup. Additionally, it is unlikely a store has someone dedicated to astronomy curating these limited and cost-optimized options, making it even more likely that a low-quality option will end up on the shelves.

Cheap Online Marketplace Telescopes

This option increases the risk of purchasing a low-quality or defective telescope, as it requires some type of baseline of quality and accountability from the seller, which cannot be guaranteed. In online marketplace spaces, it is much easier and more common to offer the lowest of the low-quality options. Like with department stores, it is possible to find reputable brands and good-quality options, however there is an added risk of brand-name items being knock-offs. You are still much better off purchasing from a known retailer that specializes in astronomy equipment and can curate and suggest telescopes that can assist your specific goals. You can still find cost-conscious options with the added peace of mind that what you receive is authentic, good quality, and backed by a warranty or other after-purchase support system.

Why These Telescopes Perform Poorly

Not Enough Light-Gathering Power

Small aperture telescopes cost less to make, take up less room on store or warehouse shelves, and less room on a truck, which makes them cheaper to stock, store, and ship. Accordingly, the telescopes sold by department stores and cheap online marketplaces are often small-aperture telescopes. These frequently fall into aperture ranges best suited for aiding the main telescope, such as a guide scope or finder scope, rather than something with the light-gathering and detail-resolving power of a primary telescope.

Mount Instability

Along the same lines of size and weight optimization, the mount and tripod are often subpar components in telescopes from these sources. Usually made of thin and flimsy materials, these will often shake at the slightest brush or breeze. This compromises the views through the telescope, risks the safety of the optics, and can make it difficult to point and keep the celestial objects in your field of view.

Poor Eyepiece Quality

In these cheaper telescope packages pushed by predatory companies, the included accessories also suffer in quality, especially when manufacturers attempt to pad out the number of included items at the cost of high-quality materials. Even when the telescope itself may turn out to be of decent quality, results will still be poor thanks to these extremely low-quality extras. Your telescope is only as good as the lowest-performing optic in the system. With eyepieces made with poor construction techniques and plastic lenses, your views will be less than impressive.

Difficult Setup and Poor Instructions

Very basic instructions, minimal pictures/only pictures, poor print quality, and poorly translated text are common features of telescopes purchased from these sources. These poor-quality, incomplete, and incorrectly translated directions make setup difficult, especially for beginners who have no prior experience assembling a telescope, to help fill in the blanks the documentation leaves in the assembly process.

What to Look For Instead

To ensure your first telescope properly introduces you to the incredible astronomy hobby, here are some things you should consider. If in doubt, check out our Best Telescopes for Beginners article for handpicked telescopes that are sure to perform!

Adequate Aperture

For a telescope meant to be used visually, the minimum aperture you should consider is about 60 mm for refractors and 4.5” for reflectors. While there are quality scopes smaller than this, they are primarily supporting finder or guide scopes or designed for specialty wide field imaging applications. Increasingly, low-quality offerings are using larger apertures, so this won’t rule out a poor-performing scope altogether; however, it will ensure you end up with something that is theoretically capable of providing a solid experience.

Stable Mount

Judging which mounts are properly built and which ones are cheaply assembled can be a bit hard to do without practice. As a result, we recommend looking at buying guides and researching the type of mounts, so you can make sure you have one that is easy to use and meets your needs. For example, a Dobsonian mount is incredibly easy to use, stable, and often applauded for being the best mount for beginners. There are other types of mounts, such as alt-azimuth mounts and equatorial mounts, that can give you a different, yet equally rewarding experience. Make sure to look into the brand and specifications of the mount to ensure you are purchasing a high-quality and reliable mount. When looking for tripods, check for metal legs, and see if there is an accessory tray included, as this can double as a tripod-spreader, which increases stability.

Simple Operation

When looking for a beginner telescope, it is best to stay simple. Piling on complex or flashy controls make it harder for you to focus on the fundamentals and get to that first rewarding view through the telescope. Additionally, complex control systems and the typical price point for entry-level telescopes don’t usually mix well. So, cheaper telescopes that claim they have GoTo or some type of automation often result in controls that are not only tough to use but also poorly made.

Good Support from a Specialty Retailer

It is important to look for a specialty retailer that offers quality support and buying guides, such as here at Orion Telescopes. The quality of equipment a specialty retailer offers will be higher, and the resources they have for you more helpful and involved, meaning you are much better set up for success and more likely to get insightful and relevant support when you shop with retailers known and respected in the industry. Our beginner telescope guides are a great resource for high-quality telescope recommendations that are perfect for those just taking the first steps on their astronomy journey!

How to Spot a Good Beginner Telescope Before You Buy

 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing

• Does this retailer specialize in astronomy gear?

Telescopes from dedicated astronomy vendors are more likely to be good quality.

• Are the claims presented realistic?

Look for telescopes that set exciting, yet grounded expectations for magnification provided and what views of objects look like with that magnification.

• Is this a good beginner telescope?

Make sure you do your research before investing in a telescope. You can read guides or work with a dedicated astronomy vendor to identify if the telescope you are looking at will help you reach your goals.

• Is this a brand you’ve heard of before, or can find people discussing/reviewing in forums, video platforms, or social media?

Unbranded scopes or telescopes from brands no one has heard of are more often than not low-quality; and even if you do get one that works adequately well, you’ll likely find your luck short lived if something breaks and the manufacturer is nowhere to be found.

 Minimum Quality Thresholds

• Optics: Minimum of 60 mm aperture. If a telescope is a refractor, ensure it is at least a doublet (2 lenses). Lenses should be glass and multicoated. Reflecting telescopes with mirrors should use glass for both mirrors, ideally allow adjustment of both mirrors, and have a listed coating/overcoat.

• Mount and Tripod: Tripod legs should at least be metal and ideally be extendable to ensure you can set the telescope at a comfortable viewing height. Mounts should be made of robust, metal components or, at minimum, thick plastic. Tabletop Dobsonian telescope bases should be made of wood.

• Accessories: Refractors should include a diagonal to ensure you can use eyepieces comfortably. Eyepieces should list what optical design they are. Additionally, any optical accessory, such as eyepieces and Barlows should ideally use glass elements, not plastic. Ensure there is some finder scope included; unmagnified (1x) finders are okay, however, these should be the ‘red dot’ style and not something with crude plastic crosshairs.

• Warranty: At bare minimum, the telescope, mount, and accessories should have a warranty. One year is good, though two years is ideal.

Good Beginner Telescope vs. Bad Beginner Telescope

FAQs

What telescopes should beginners avoid?

Beginners should avoid low-quality telescopes, as a bad telescope does not just give bad views; it can convince a beginner astronomy is harder and less rewarding than it really is. Deliberately seeking out the lowest-quality options to save money while you see if the hobby is for you will not meaningfully reflect the hobby. Quality options don’t necessarily cost a lot of money and will serve you well for longer instead of needing to be replaced relatively soon after purchasing.

Additionally, beginners should steer away from complex, exotic, and very large telescopes. When trying to first use a telescope, one that requires a lot of knowledge and involvement, a unique design with not a lot of supporting resources or something tough to move and handle can prevent a beginner from discovering the rewards of the hobby.

Why are cheap telescopes so bad?

Telescopes with prices well below the entry-level options seen at dedicated astronomy retailers or with prices that seem almost too good to be true, almost always are poorly made options with no technical support. The views through these telescopes will lack sharpness, clarity, brightness and will usually be plagued by prominent optical and color distortions, preventing you from enjoying views of any object.

The mount will often be unsteady and flimsy, giving you a view that shakes at the slightest touch, a telescope that can’t hold its position (drooping), and a system at high risk of falling over. When it comes to accessories, instead of focusing on a select set of equipment that will perform well, these cheap offerings focus on packing in cheap accessories that allow for included item counts to be pushed as high as possible.

Needless to say, the view you get with these through the already compromised optics is less than ideal. The end result: an unimpressive and frustrating experience, which will prevent you from discovering the wonders of the astronomy hobby.

What warning signs should I look for when buying a telescope?

Be on the lookout for telescopes at a price point well below what established astronomy retailers are offering for their entry-level options. Plastic optics, small apertures, and flimsy mounts should be avoided at all costs. Watch out for included accessories that make bold claims about magnification, and watch for accessory sets that seem overly focused on the number of accessories included.

Steer clear of telescopes with no brand name or a brand name that doesn’t come up on reputable astronomy retailer sites, astronomy forums, video platforms, or social media. Avoid anything that does not include a warranty.

What is the minimum aperture for a beginner telescope?

60 mm is the lower limit you should set for aperture when looking for a telescope. Telescopes with smaller apertures than this can work well as a guide scope, finder scope, or wide-field imaging telescope. However, they will not quite provide the light-gathering power and reach you would want from a primary telescope.

How do I know if a telescope is good quality?

Telescopes that show exciting and realistic representations of what you can see are a good indicator of a quality telescope. Look for telescopes that don’t advertise a magnification greater than 2-2.5x the aperture in millimeters or over 350x. If it is a refractor (lenses), make sure it has at least two lenses.

Look for optics made of glass with coatings listed. Apertures should be over 60 mm. The mount should use metal leg segments if it has a tripod or wood if it is a Dobsonian/tabletop Dobsonian. The base should be robust enough to carry the telescope without drooping and sturdy enough so you can observe without the view shaking.

Accessories should be a select number of high-quality items that complement the telescope well. The brand name should be recognizable and a warranty provided.

Author Blurb

Since 1975, Orion Telescopes & Binoculars has been pointing aspiring astronomers in the right direction to realize their potential within the astronomy community. That’s over 50 years of introducing and fostering the amateur astronomy community with state-of-the-art equipment and the support they need to realize the goal of exploring the cosmos through visual observation and astrophotography. With Orion, you can trust the experts are ready to help, no matter which part of the astronomy journey you’re on.