8 Best Telescopes for Astrophotography UK in 2021 【Reviewed】

I hope you agree with me when I say:

To get an unmistakable perspective on cosmic items, an exceptional telescope is fundamental.

A decent telescope with a great quality focal point is fundamental when it comes to astrophotography. The precision and clarity of the picture are totally dependant on the telescope. Picking the best telescope for astrophotography isn’t simple. These are not like lenses, where you would require at least three to consider every contingency.

Telescopes are large and costly things that burn through a great deal of room. That is the reason it’s critical that you know which choices you have.

Type of the telescope:

There are quite a few types of telescopes i.e refracting telescopes and reflecting telescopes and hybrid telescopes. None of the telescopes have an optical advantage when it comes to astrophotography but refracting telescopes are quite bulky and reflecting telescopes are lighter and compact. So reflecting telescopes obviously have an advantage when it comes to portability. Looking for related articles? Here’s one we think you’d like: 10 Best Monocular Telescopes UK

Things you need to consider before buying telescopes:

Need for a mount and stable ground: Telescopes are usually made for viewing through the naked eye. They are not designed to serve as cameras with exceptional magnification power. That is why you can either look for the telescope that comes with a camera mount which is quite rare. Some telescopes come with smartphone adapters for solving that issue but smartphones cannot give you the image quality that a camera would normally do.
Aperture and magnification: You first need to decide how much magnification do you want your telescope to offer. You can decide that by first deciding how deep into the sky you want to look. When you have come to a decision, you need to decide from telescopes that offer that amount of magnification or more. This is where the aperture comes into play

Best Telescope for Astrophotography UK 2021:

Here are our top picks for the Best Telescope for Astrophotography in the UK.

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY TELESCOPES	RATING
Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope	10/10 (Editor's Choice)
Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope	9/10
Celestron - NexStar 8SE Telescope	8/10
Celestron- AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope	8/10
Meade Refractor Telescope	8.5/10
Bebang Telescope	8/10
Svbony SV503 ED80 Telescope	7/10
Solomark Telescope 70mm aperture	7.5/10

1- Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope

Why we love it:

It is equipped with slow-motion controls.
Has a great overall build and structure.
Fully coated glass to help achieves clarity and brightness.

Pros	Cons
✅ Great for beginners.	❌ Accessories are not too good in terms of quality.
✅ Portable.	❌ It takes some time to align it properly

The Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ is one of the top-selling telescopes when it comes to astrophotography in the United Kingdom. This is because Celestron has built its reputation over years for manufacturing some of the finest models of telescopes for both beginners and professional astronomers and astrophotographers. This telescope is also one of the models that are a great choice for beginners as they are quite easy to use and show great performance for their money.

Eyepieces and lens:

The Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ features a 127 mm (5 inches) aperture telescope that too at an affordable price. It comes with 2 different eyepieces that have the diameter of 20mm and 4mm with their main purpose being to provide magnifications of 50x and 250x. That is not all, this telescope also comes with a 3x Barlow lens that allows you to triple the magnification on the eyepiece.

Display quality and construction:

Once you have this telescope you will no longer have to worry about crystal clear views. The Celestron PowerSeeker 127 EQ is made out of all glass optics that ensure high-quality bright and clear views. Through this, you will be able to see the minutest of celestial objects. Though some telescopes make night viewing different, this one ensures to give you the best possible experience. This is because it has a bigger aperture.

Show less

2- Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope

Why we love it:

It is preassembled hence easier to use.
The best one out there for beginners and learners.
Helps in providing a clear and bright view.

Pros	Cons
✅ Stable table top.	❌ A little pricey.
✅Suitable for beginners.	❌ Does not work well in urban areas

Orion is another big company that produces great telescopes and they definitely give Celestron competition for their money. But the reason that Orion outdoes Celestron at some places is that Orion’s telescopes are quite inexpensive but they are loaded with great equipment and they offer a great value for their money.

Price and assembly:

So if you are looking for a great budget telescope for astrophotography? Here it is, the Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope. It costs around 150 pounds which is quite cheaper as compared to the Celestron telescope that we discussed above and it gets even better. This telescope comes pre-assembled so you do not have to go through the tough process of assembling it. When you get it out of the box, you can utilize it immediately.

Focal Length and a moon channel:

The StartBlast has a 450mm focal length. It additionally has a gap of f/4, which allows in a great deal of light. That effectively means you catching photos quicker than different choices. Moreover, it accompanies a discretionary moon channel. On the off chance that you get it, you wouldn’t have to get another channel for your camera any longer.

Tripod compatibility:

The Orion Starblast doesn’t come with a tripod so it’s not really ideal when it comes to outdoor use. This is one of the major drawbacks of this telescope but to make up for that, it comes with a tabletop base. In case you’re a novice, it is advantageous since you can set it up on your table rapidly. In any case, for clear reasons, you’ll see it trying to utilize in case you’re taking photographs in distant regions.

Also, take a look at our article on the finest binoculars under 100 in the UK.

Show less

3- Celestron – NexStar 8SE Telescope

Why we love it:

It has a light-gathering feature.
It comes with an automated mount.
This telescope features SkyAlign technology.

Pros	Cons
✅Comes in 4 styles.	❌ Hard to set up for beginners
✅ Has 2 year warranty.	❌ The focus system is hard to operate
✅Suitable for professionals

Coming in at number 3rd in our list of the finest telescopes for astrophotography is another Celestron telescope. This is the NexStar 8SE Telescope and it comes with its own unique advantages. However, it is quite expensive as compared to the other telescopes that we have discussed above. But if money is not an issue for you and you want to buy a versatile and durable telescope for long-term use, this is your best choice.

Suitable for both professionals and beginners:

This is the best telescope for astrophotography. It is not only great for beginners but is also an instant grab professional telescope. The 8 inches aperture is what makes it stand out the most. It has a light-gathering feature that packs enough light to not only showcase amazing views of the moon and planets but also deep-sky objects like the Whirlpool Galaxy and Hercules Globular Cluster. It also gives you the access to download the top-rated astronomy software program, that too for free!

Automated mount:

Moreover, this astrophotography telescope comes with an automated mount that features a database of over 40000 celestial objects. It enables it to search and trace objects for you. To add to this, it is extremely easy to build and break down because of the SkyAlign technology. This technology gets your telescope aligned and ready to use within a span of a few minutes.

Tripod compatibility and transport ease:

This amazing telescope can be mounted on a tripod for increased stability and better tracking of celestial objects. The tripod is made of stainless steel and its legs have a diameter of 50.8mm so it is quite sturdy and durable. The height of the tripod is adjustable and ranges from 96.52 cm – 142.24 cm. The tripod has a single fork design and it can be broken down into singular components for transport ease.

Looking for more astrophotography tools? Here’s our guide to help you out!

Show more

Show less

4- Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope

Why we love it:

It features a manual equatorial mount.
Slow-motion control knobs help in precision and better views.
It is lightweight hence travel-friendly.

Pros	Cons
✅Comes in 4 sizes.	❌ It is expensive.
✅ Has 2 year warranty.	❌ The star pointer is hard to operate
✅Portable.

Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope comes in at number fourth in our list of the finest telescopes for astrophotography in the UK. Three out of the four telescopes that we have reviewed so far have been manufactured by Celestron and that is a statement in itself. Their telescopes are the cream of the crop because of their excellent and unmatched features. So let us review the Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope in detail have a look at what it has to offer.

Manual Equatorial mount and lightweight design:

It is extremely lightweight which makes it easy to operate and portable. This Celestron telescope has a manual equatorial mount which helps in achieving smoothness and precision. Along with that, it has built-in slow-motion control knobs which will allow you to adjust the telescope with accuracy once you are viewing terrestrial objects.

Assembly and tripod adjustment:

The tripod comes pre-assembled and if you have experience assembling telescope tripods, you know that it can be quite a nuisance and a tricky thing to deal with. If you are a beginner, you would definitely want a pre-assembled tripod so that you do not have to go through all that trouble of assembling it correctly. Now to mount the telescope onto the tripod, you do not need any kind of tool as it uses a quick-release dovetail design and you can just screw and unscrew it using your hands.

Complete Accessory Kit:

Moreover, this astrophotography telescope comes with a handful of accessories including 2 eyepieces that will determine the quality of viewing and a tripod along with a red dot finderscope. In addition to that, it comes with a 2x power lens which will double the magnification of any eyepiece that you use with the telescope. The 2x power lens features t-threads that allow you to mount your camera onto the telescope. Despite the fact that this budget telescope comes with all these features, the fully coated glass mirror is the heart of this Celestron telescope. It has 114mm high optics.

Show less

5- Meade Starnavigator NG 130mm f/7.7 GoTo Reflector Telescope

Why we love it:

It has great clarity and contrast.
You can assemble the telescope really easily.
It is lightweight so you can carry it around easily.

Pros	Cons
✅ Comes with a red dot finder	❌ It can be hard to collimate the scope
✅ Lightweight	❌The tripod is not that great

As a prologue to the universe of GoTo skywatching, the Meade StarNavigator NG 114 is an absolute necessity for skywatchers on a restricted financial plan. The AudioStar hand regulator offers data on more than 30,000 galactic items, just as four hours of sound visits for 500 of the night sky’s most splendid articles — the planets, significant clouds, and cosmic systems.

Easy-to-assemble and dual power design:

It is quite easy to assemble the telescope so if you are a beginner and do not want to deal with complicated assembly, this telescope is a viable choice for you. It is very compact and weighs only 14.7 lbs. (6.7 kilograms), so the StarNavigator NG 114 is light enough to carry across the backyard without too much effort. Skywatchers have the choice of powering the 12V Servo Drive with 8 AA batteries or external power — with batteries having a tendency to drain quickly in cold conditions, we recommend investing in the latter for uninterrupted observations with the StarNavigator.

Optical ability:

As far as optical ability, we don’t have any protests — particularly given what’s offered in the telescope’s bundle. We can fit a waxing gibbous moon stage in the field of view and, in the wake of tweaking the focuser, brought its cavities and lunar horse into sharp core interest. A moon channel offered shockingly better sights. Slewing over to the star-framing area, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42), is likewise selected easily with the 4.5-inch (114 mm) opening — it shows up as a dusty fix of light with the Trapezium Cluster’s part stars astonishing with splendid lucidity at the cloud’s heart.

Show less

6- Bebang Telescope for astronomy and astrophotography

Why we love it:

It is easy to operate for both kids and adults
Provides 16x and 66x adjustable magnification
Uses fully multi-coated optics for great light transmission

Pros	Cons
✅ Ideal for beginners and kids	❌ Does not work well in urban areas
✅ Easily affordable	❌ It can fall prey to light pollution

This telescope by Bebang is the cheapest telescope among the ones that we have discussed so far. The reason for that is because Bebang is an establishing company and it is not very well-known among the astronomers’ community as of now. That is why most people do not recognize what it has to offer but we assure you that this telescope can definitely serve as a great option for astrophotography if you are low on budget and are not committed to big and well-known brands like Celestron and Orion.

Eyepieces and magnification:

This telescope comes with two K-type eyepieces with 25mm and 6mm diameter and when they are combined with the focal of 400m of the telescope, they offer two different magnifications of 16x and 66x. So this is a great option for watching both the moon and planets as well as the star clusters to some extent. We cannot really complain about its magnification strength when we look at what price it comes with. Its lens is fully multi-coated which allows increased light transmission and shows great visuals at higher magnification.

Adjustable tripod and Easy-to-use:

The Bebang telescope is easy-to-use as it is made especially for beginners and go to skywatchers. Its price appeals to the people that do not want to fully commit to astrophotography but just want to do it as a hobby and from time to time. So if you are one of those people who do not want to invest a lot but try astrophotography, this is your best buy. The tripod that it comes with is adjustable to watch celestial objects from different angles and perceptions. It also comes with a smartphone adapter so you can take videos and photographs of whatever you are viewing at any time.

Show less

Bonus Products:

These are the bonus products that we reviewed for you so you have a wider range of choices to decide from.

7- Svbony SV503 ED80 Telescope, APO Doublet Refractor

Why we love it:

It comes with a color-correcting lens
High-end multi-coating technology is used on the optics
The focusing wheel can move from left to right and is perfect for astrophotography

Pros	Cons
✅ Comes with 2-inch hybrid focuser	❌ Expensive
✅ Shows excellent color correction	❌Bulky

8- Solomark Telescope 70mm aperture

Why we love it:

This telescope also comes with a multi-coated glass lens
Comes with 10mm and 20mm Plossl eyepieces
The telescope can be set up without any additional tools

Pros	Cons
✅ Big aperture and large focal length	❌ Not easy to assemble for beginners
✅ Comes with Plossl eyepieces	❌ Can be wobbly if not set up properly

Buying Guide

There are three main things that you need to consider while buying a telescope for astrophotography:

Camera mounts:

Telescopes are usually made for viewing through the naked eye. They are not designed to serve as cameras with exceptional magnification power. That is why you can either look for the telescope that comes with a camera mount which is quite rare. Some telescopes come with smartphone adapters for solving that issue but smartphones cannot give you the image quality that a camera would normally do. That is why you need to get an external camera adapter or mount for your camera to fit onto the telescope.

Magnification:

You first need to decide how much magnification do you want your telescope to offer. You can decide that by first deciding how deep into the sky you want to look. When you have come to a decision, you need to decide from telescopes that offer that amount of magnification or more. This is where the aperture comes into play. A telescope can show a decent image at the range of twice the size of its aperture in mm. This means that a telescope with a 400mm aperture will give a decent image at the maximum magnification of 800x.

Conclusion:

This concludes our article on the best telescopes for astrophotography in the UK. We have compiled this list of the finest and cream of the crop telescopes after conducting extensive research and trying them out for ourselves to get a detailed perspective of each pro and con of every telescope. We hope that the information we provided was helpful and you were able to decide which telescope you are going to opt for.

Looking for related articles? Here’s one we think you’d like:

Best 12 Inch Dobsonian Telescopes in 2021

5 Best 8-Inch Dobsonian Telescope in 2021

Source:

So go get your favourite telescope for astrophotography and start capturing the mesmerizing and limitless sky. Happy photography!

Author
Recent Posts

Mary Robinette Kowal

Hey! I'm Mary Robinette Kowal, an author, speaker & producer on anything & everything tech and space related. I'm best known for winning the Hugo Award for Best Novel. Writing about space is a huge passion of mine, so here’s a little piece of my mind.

Latest posts by Mary Robinette Kowal (see all)