Beginner Telescopes

These beginner telescopes are hand-picked for anyone taking their first step into astronomy, from adults who’ve always wanted a scope to kids getting a first “wow” moment at the eyepiece. You’ll find easy-to-use, good-quality telescopes that make brilliant birthday and Christmas presents, with clear guidance on which models suit different ages, budgets and experience levels.

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Acuter Newtony 50 DIY

A fun little build-it-yourself telescope that’s ideal for curious kids who like making things as much as using them. It’s more of a hands-on science project than a “serious” telescope, so it makes a great educational birthday or Christmas gift for younger children with an interested adult to help.

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Heritage 76

A compact tabletop Dobsonian that’s incredibly easy to use – just point and look. Brilliant for families, younger kids and complete beginners who want quick, no-fuss views of the Moon and bright objects, it makes a lovely first telescope gift that won’t intimidate anyone.

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Mercury 707

A straightforward, lightweight starter refractor that’s all about simplicity and convenience. Great for kids and adults who want an easy grab-and-go telescope for the garden, it’s a solid birthday or Christmas present when you want something more capable than a toy without going overboard.

Coming Soon

Capricorn 70 EQ1

A classic beginner refractor for those who want a “proper” telescope on an equatorial mount, just like the ones they see in astronomy books. Best suited to older children, teenagers or adults who don’t mind a bit of setup and learning, it’s a thoughtful gift for someone keen to grow into the hobby.

Coming Soon

Starquest 1145P

A more powerful reflector for beginners who are already serious about getting into astronomy. With extra light-gathering for deeper views and a mount that rewards a bit of learning, it’s ideal for teenagers or adults who are ready to move beyond a basic starter scope and really explore the night sky.

Coming Soon
Best for / who it suits
Ease of use
Mount & size (plain English)
What they’ll see most of
Gift angle
Acuter Newtony 50 DIY
Younger kids who like building things, STEM projects with an adult helping
Easy once built
Tiny tabletop reflector kit – build it yourself, very compact
Moon’s craters, bright planets as small discs, bright star clusters
Great “science project” birthday or Christmas gift; more educational kit than long-term main scope
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Heritage 76
Families and beginners who want a real scope that’s as simple as possible
Very easy
Small tabletop “Dobsonian” – point and look, very portable
Detailed Moon views, Jupiter’s moons, Saturn’s rings, bright nebulae & clusters
Lovely first “proper telescope” gift; sits on a desk or table, very low-faff
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Mercury 707
Kids ~8+ and adults who want a classic-looking first telescope on a tripod
Easy
Slim refractor on simple up/down/left/right tripod (alt-az)
Moon, planets and brighter deep-sky objects
Feels like a traditional telescope present; good all-round starter that looks the part
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Capricorn 70 EQ1
Teens or adults who are keen and don’t mind learning how to use a “proper” astronomy mount
Moderate (needs a bit of learning)
Long refractor on equatorial mount – more knobs, tracks the sky
Sharper high-magnification views of Moon & planets, some deep-sky
Better for someone already hooked or very keen; more “serious” gift, not for totally casual use
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Starquest 1145P
Older teens/adults who want extra power and room to grow into the hobby
Moderate
Bigger reflector on StarQuest equatorial mount, still fairly grab-and-go
Moon & planets plus fainter galaxies and nebulae more easily
“Serious first scope” gift for someone already very interested in astronomy
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Optical design
Aperture (mm)
Focal length (mm)
F-ratio
Mount type
Max useful mag*
Best at a glance
Acuter Newtony 50 DIY
Newtonian reflector
50
200
f/4
Table-top azimuth (mini tripod)
~100× (manufacturer spec)
Very small kids / “build-it” educational scope, Moon, bright planets, basic star fields.
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Heritage 76
Newtonian reflector (Dobsonian)
76
300
f/4
Table-top Dobsonian (alt-az)
~150× (152× spec)
Super-portable “grab & go”, wide-field views of star fields, clusters, bright nebulae plus Moon/planets.
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Mercury 707
Achromatic refractor
70
700
f/10
Full-height alt-az tripod
~140×
Classic beginner scope: easy pointing, good on Moon, planets, and brighter deep-sky objects.
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Capricorn 70 EQ1
Achromatic refractor
70
900
f/12.8
EQ1 equatorial tripod mount
~140×
Higher-power lunar and planetary work, more serious beginners who don’t mind an EQ mount.
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StarQuest 1145P
Parabolic Newtonian reflector
114
500
f/4.4
StarQuest equatorial mount on tripod
~228×
Most capable all-rounder here: wide-field deep-sky + plenty of aperture for Moon, planets & galaxies.
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Not Convinced?

Still not sure this device is for you? Use the contact details and we can help make sure you choose the perfect system for your budget and setup.

Thanks,
Pro Astronomy

+44 (0)1743 224 180

info@proastronomy.co.uk