10 Best Portable Telescopes 2025 in the United States

The Gskyer Telescope is well-suited for beginners and kids interested in astronomical observations. With a 70mm aperture and a 400mm focal length, it offers decent optical quality, allowing users to explore stars and the moon with clear and bright images. The fully coated optics glass lens enhances image clarity and protects the eyes.

This telescope comes with two eyepieces and a 3x Barlow lens, providing versatile magnification options, and a 5x24 finder scope to help locate objects easily in the night sky. The wireless remote and smartphone adapter are great for capturing and sharing celestial images, making the experience interactive and fun. Additionally, the adjustable tripod and carry bag enhance the portability aspect, making it convenient for travel and storage.

However, the Altazimuth mount, while easy to use, may not be as stable or suitable for advanced astronomical tracking compared to more sophisticated mount types. At 5.7 pounds and with dimensions of 24.8 x 4.92 x 8.46 inches, it's lightweight and compact, adding to its portability. This telescope is a solid choice for those starting out in astronomy, offering a good balance of features and ease of use at a beginner-friendly price point.

The HEXEUM Telescope with an 80mm aperture and 600mm focal length offers a balanced entry point for beginners and casual stargazers. Its 80mm aperture allows it to capture more light, resulting in brighter and clearer images, especially beneficial for viewing celestial objects like the moon and planets. The telescope includes two quality eyepieces with 24X and 60X magnification, and a 3x Barlow lens that can further increase magnification up to 180X, enhancing its versatility in viewing different objects.

The addition of a 5x24 finder scope simplifies locating objects in the sky. The Altazimuth mount is easy to use and suitable for beginners, offering smooth movement to track celestial objects. Portability is a significant strength, thanks to its lightweight design, adjustable aluminum tripod, wireless remote control, phone adapter, and a carrying bag, making it convenient to transport and set up. The no-tool assembly is a user-friendly feature, allowing quick setup and easy focusing, even for novices.

Optical quality is enhanced with fully multi-coated lenses, ensuring high transmission and clear, bright images. On the downside, manual focusing may require a bit of practice to achieve sharp images, and while the mount is user-friendly, it may not offer the precision needed for advanced astronomical observations. This telescope is well-suited for beginners, kids, and adults who are looking for an affordable, portable, and easy-to-use telescope with good optical performance.

The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is a great choice for those looking for an easy-to-use, portable telescope that leverages smartphone technology to enhance the stargazing experience. With its 130mm aperture, this telescope does an admirable job capturing clear images of celestial objects, including the Moon's craters, planets like Jupiter and Saturn, and even deep sky wonders like the Orion Nebula. The high optical quality ensures that you'll have a satisfying viewing experience, whether you're at home or out in darker skies.

One of the standout features is the StarSense app, which simplifies the process of locating stars and planets. This app, together with its patented sky recognition technology, allows even beginners to navigate the night sky without prior telescope experience. The manual altazimuth mount with smooth controls makes following targets straightforward, and the setup is user-friendly, making it accessible for families or individuals just starting in astronomy.

The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is ideal for novice astronomers and families looking for a fun and educational way to explore the night sky. It combines good optics and modern technology, making it a strong contender in the portable telescope category.