Telescopes at Best Buy: Deals in stock 2024

Explore the best telescope deals at Best Buy this holiday season with our handpicked guide.

While Best Buy's selection of telescope deals may be limited, the offers available are definitely worth considering. We'll keep this page updated throughout the holidays, so you can stay on top of new deals as they arrive.

Below the deals, you'll find helpful buying advice to guide your search, whether you're a seasoned astronomer seeking an upgrade or a beginner looking for affordable telescopes under $500. We've included options to suit every level of experience, including the best telescopes for kids and telescopes for beginners.

Scroll down to discover the best telescopes at Best Buy.

There's some helpful buying advice which we've added below the deals on this page, just in case you want a pointer or two on what you should look out for. We've tried to include something suitable for every astronomer here, regardless of whether you're a veteran stargazer looking for a serious upgrade or you're new to skywatching, looking for budget-friendly telescopes under $500 or even the best telescopes for beginners and best telescopes for kids. But, for the best telescopes at Best Buy and their deals, scroll down below.

Best telescope deals at Best Buy December 2024

Celestron NexStar 8SE: was $1,599 now $1,299 at Best Buy

Save $300 on the Celestron NexStar 8SE. It sits at the top of our guide for best telescopes for seeing planets and features in our best telescopes guide. It features a an eight-inch aperture, a database of 40,000 plus targets that can be located and tracked automatically and now it's cheaper than it was during Prime Day.

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Celestron NexStar Evolution 9.25: was $2,849 now $2,399 at Best Buy

Save $450 on the Celestron NexStar 9.25 telescope sits in our best telescopes guide as the best premium model out there. It features a high quality design, it's easy to set up and offers premium-quality views with no defects. It has a sizable 235mm aperture and comes with accessories to boost your experience too.

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Celestron NexStar 5SE: was $939 now $799 at Best Buy

Save $140 on an excellent computerized telescope, the Celestron NexStar 5SE. We rate Celestron's Nexstar range and numerous models feature in a range of our guides. You get a sizable 125mm aperture, 1250mm focal length and it comes with software. It is able to locate and track night sky targets giving you an easy and fun skywatching experience. It also comes with a tripod, an eyepiece and a two-year warranty.

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was $679 now $579 at Best Buy

Save $100 on the Celestron NexStar 4SE computerized telescope that's easy-to-use and offers clear views of night sky targets. It has a 4-inch aperture so plenty of light passes through and it features a fully automated GOTO mount with a database of over 40,000 celestial objects that the telescope can locate and track for you. It features in our best telescopes guide too.

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was $149.99 now $139 at Best Buy

Save $10 on a reflector telescope from National Geographic that features a 114mm aperture and a 500mm focal length. You also get two eyepieces, panhandle control, a smartphone adaptor, a full-sized tripod, a red dot viewfinder and downloadable astronomy software for your money.

Note: This isn't a big saving but it is considerably cheaper than when it has previously been on sale.

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Buying advice

There are three basic types of telescopes: refractors, reflectors and catadioptrics. Refractors are great for highly magnified views of planets and moons, while reflectors offer better views of deep-sky objects, star clusters and galaxies. Catadioptric telescopes correct some of the visual problems found in these older styles – such as chromatic aberration – but they tend to be a little more expensive.

Reflectors

Reflectors are usually either Newtonian or Dobsonian in design. Newtonian telescopes are good for a wide range of viewing targets and are often useful for astrophotography – however, they require a lot of maintenance and can be complicated to set up, whereas Dobsonians are more straightforward.

Refractors

This type of telescope is ideal for beginners, offering a straightforward assembly and a lower price point. They do, however, tend to suffer from chromatic aberration, where bright objects appear to have a kind of halo. This doesn't ruin the viewing experience, so don't let this put you off too much.

Catadioptric

Catadioptric telescopes fall into two broad categories: Maksutov-Cassegrain and Schmidt-Cassegrain. Schmidt-Cassegrains traditionally have bigger apertures, while Maksutov-Cassegrains usually have small apertures. As such, the Schmidt-Cassegrain is usually better for astrophotography and for broader views, while the Maksutov-Cassegrain is great for sharp views of planets and moons. Both types often come with a computerized GoTo system, which can work out which way the telescope is pointing and automatically adjust it to align with chosen targets.

Choosing a telescope

With all these variations, it can be tricky to figure out which telescope is best for you. We recommend taking two main things into consideration: personal budget and what you’d prefer to view in the night sky.

Lower budget models will usually be reflector or refractor telescopes, while catadioptrics are more expensive. If you’d prefer high-magnification views of planets and moons, go for either a refractor or a Maksutov-Cassegrain design. For views of deep-sky objects, star clusters and galaxies, opt for a reflector or a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. And if you need more detailed guidance, have a look through our piece on the best telescopes, which goes into more detail on all of the above.