Best telescope for astrophotography under $1300.
In this day and age, Astrophotography is arguably one of the most famous aspects of astronomy. Thanks to the recent trips to space by NASA, the interest in astronomical exploration has developed among many.
Whether you are taking images of planets, stars, moon, or land-based objects, a telescope for astrophotography will help you get the best quality images.
When shopping for the best telescope for astrophotography, there are tons of models present on the market. How much you intend to spend on a specific model will play a huge role in which model to choose from.
If you are new in the market, here are the best telescopes for astrophotography under $1300. Let’s take a look.
Best Telescope for Astrophotography under $1300-Our Top Picks
SVBONY SV503 Telescope for Astrophotography
This SVBONY SV503 Telescope is a dual-purpose telescope suitable for viewing terrestrial and celestial viewing. It makes a great telescope for viewing wildlife and birds during the day and casual astronomical observation at night. It is easy to use and great for all users, beginners and professionals alike.
The telescope features a unique design for astrophotography. You can easily turn the focus wheel to your left or right hand or make a 360-degree rotation. Additionally, you get a 90mm back-focus which is long enough for astrophotography. The large 102mm objective lens collects optimum light into the scope for bright and clear images. Besides, the SMC ultra-wideband multi-layer coating technology enhances light transmission for bright, clear, and color-accurate images.
The telescope is built to last. The tube is made with aluminum which enhances durability while keeping weight at a minimum. It comes with a 3/8” dovetail tripod mount so you can easily connect it with a tripod for comfortable, hands-free viewing. Besides, this refractor telescope is compatible with all 1.25” and 2” accessories.
Features
- 714mm focal length
- Refractor design
- 204x maximum useful magnification
- Aluminum tube
- 1.17″ resolving capacity
- Compatible with all 1.25” and 2” accessories
- A 360-degree rotation focus wheel
- 3/8” dovetail tripod mount
- SMC lens coating
- 12.1 limit value
- 90mm back focus
- Doublet achromatic ED glass(S-FPL51)
- 102mm / 4.01-inch aperture
- f/7 aperture ratio
- Large 102mm objective lens
- 204x max capacity
Sky-Watcher EvoStar 100 APO Doublet Refractor Telescope
Sky-Watcher EvoStar 100 APO Doublet Refractor is your ideal telescope if you are always on the go. This telescope offers premium optical performance thanks to the large 100mm aperture. It also features high-quality ED apochromatic glass in a dual-element design for high image resolution and minimal chromatic aberrations.
What makes this telescope stand out among similar products is that it evolves with skill. It’s ideal for both beginners and seasoned Astrophotographers. As your astrophotography skills develop, you don’t need to get a new telescope.
The telescope features two eyepieces, LET25mm and LET5mm. Both eyepieces offer long eye relief for comfortable viewing. The 100x magnification lets you focus on faraway targets with excellent clarity and perception.
Thanks to the lightweight design, this telescope makes it a great companion during travel. The less-weight design makes it comfortable to hold. It also comes with a foam-lined aluminum hard case to provide optimum protection during transit.
Features
- Lightweight and portable
- 100mm aperture
- 900mm focal length
- F/Ratio-9
- 197x max magnification
- Two eyepieces LET25mm and LET5mm
- Foam-line aluminum carrying case
- Outstanding image resolution and color correction
- Suitable for beginners and professionals
- 10:1 dual-speed focuser
- 8×50 RACI finderscope
- 25” adapter
- Dual element refractor
- Dovetail mount and rings
Sky-Watcher EVOStar 72 APO Doublet Refractor
Next on the list is the Sky-Watcher EVOStar 72 APO Doublet Refractor. This telescope packs tons of impressive features to make your astrophotography better. Featuring high-quality ED optical glass, the telescope delivers unparalleled optical performance. The dual-element refractor eliminates all chromatic aberrations for bright, clear, and color-rich images. The telescope also features a 2-inch Crayford-style dual-speed processor for added image clarity.
The telescope is easy to install and remove. It comes with two tube rings and a vixen-style dovetail mount for simple mounting on all compatible mounts. You can easily mount it on Sky-Watcher’s EQM-35, HEQ5, and EQ6-R.
Another impressive feature of the telescope is the 10:1 dual-speed focuser. It makes finding focus a breeze regardless of the eyepiece or camera size. Other than that, the telescope has a lightweight design which makes it great for travel. It comes with a padded aluminum case for convenient transportation. Besides astrophotography, you can use the telescope for viewing land-based targets such as birds and wildlife during the day and celestial objects such as the moon, stars, comets, and planets at night.
Features
- Portable travel size
- Excellent color correction
- 10:1 dual-speed focuser
- Multipurpose application
- Padded aluminum carrying case
- Vixen-style dovetail mount and rings
- Knife-edge baffles with matte black interior
- Dual-element refractor
- 72mm aperture
- 420mm focal length
- 5.9 F/Ratio
- 142x max magnification
- OTA Length 16.5 inches
Sky-Watcher Quattro 200P Imaging Newtonian
This Sky-Watcher Quattro 200P Imaging Newtonian is a powerful f/4 telescope suitable for both astrophotography and visual application. This high-end telescope provides a wide and clear field of view. It is easy to operate and suitable for astrophotography beginners and professionals alike.
The telescope features an optional coma corrector for astrophotography. It also comes with a 2-inch dual-speed focuser plus an extra-large secondary mirror for cameras that have full-frame sensors.
This telescope has a 400x maximum magnification. The high magnification brings you closer to the deep sky objects via the large 203mm aperture. The large aperture also provides a wide field of view for snug long-viewing sessions. The proprietary MHTC coatings deliver bright and vivid views so you can take quality images. Besides, the interior of the optical tube utilizes knife-edge baffles that prevent stray light from damaging your images.
The telescope comes with two eyepieces, 1.25-inch and 2-inch. It also comes with a 9×50 finder scope, V-style dovetail plate, and tube rings.
Features
- Fast f/4 optics
- 2 eyepieces:1.25-inch and 2-inch.
- 9×50 straight-through finderscope
- 10:1 dual-speed focuser
- Extra-large secondary mirror
- 400x maximum magnification
- Large 203mm aperture
- Proprietary MHTC coatings
- Numerous knife-edge baffles
- 800mm focal length
Sky-Watcher EvoStar 80 APO Doublet Refractor
This Sky-Watcher EvoStar 80 APO Doublet Refractor is a multipurpose telescope with a premium optical performance. You can use it for viewing land-based objects during the day, astrophotography, and viewing celestial objects at night.
For the avid astronomer looking to document the images they view, this refractor telescope provides the best pathway to professional astrophotography without spending all your savings. The high-quality glass optics provide the best visuals for quality photographic performance. It minimizes color fringing when observing super-bright planetary objects. Besides, the optical tube is light-baffled to prevent stray light from damaging your images.
The telescope is fairly light and easy to carry. It has fewer lens elements which make it weigh less. It comes with a dovetail mount and rings for easy setup and a 2-inch dual-speed Crayford-style focuser that provides accurate focusing. The telescope also comes with two eyepieces LET 25 and LET5mm, one 1.25-inch focus adaptor, and a right-angle 8x50mm viewfinder with bracket.
Features
- 2-inch dual-speed Crayford-style focuser
- Knife-edge baffles
- Vixen-style dovetail mount and rings
- Dual-element refractor
- 157x maximum magnification
- 600 mm focal length
- 80mm aperture
- 7.5 F/Ratio
- Extra-low dispersion glass with proprietary coatings
- Fairly light and portable
See Also
- 6 Best Telescopes under $500
- Best Telescopes for Viewing Planets and Galaxies
- 7 Best Celestron Telescopes under $500
Choosing the Best Telescope for Astrophotography under $1300
Here are some of the important factors you should consider when looking for the Best Telescope for Astrophotography under $1300.
- Mounts
Having the right mount is very important. Astrophotography is virtually impossible without a proper mount. Having a good mount makes your astrophotography session more comfortable even if you are out in the field for long hours. The mount should securely hold your telescope and be easy to adjust. There are multiple types of mounts you can choose from. The German Equatorial mount is mostly preferred for astrophotography. It is easy to use and suitable for tracking deep sky objects. However, an Altitude-Azimuth mount works as well for solar, lunar, and planetary photography.
- Refractors Vs Reflectors
Both refractors and reflector telescopes work well for astrophotography. However, each telescope style has its own pros and cons. For instance, one important feature in astrophotography is the back-focus distance. The best telescope for astrophotography is one with enough back focus to fit your whole imaging train. Refractor telescopes often require field curvature correction when using modern larger sensors. On the other hand, fast reflectors require correction for coma. Such changes take up back focus or charge it fully. As a result, this may alter the type of accessories that you might need.
- Magnification
The telescope’s magnification power is the other important factor to consider. The magnification power increases with a change in the size of the eyepiece. A telescope with two eyepieces provides two magnification settings. This lets you focus on targets at varying ranges with excellent clarity and perception.
Telescopes with very high magnification result in the production of dim and blurry images. To avoid that, look for a unit with a large objective lens. A large-size objective lens collects more light, so dim and blurry images become clearer.
Most Astrophotographers find telescopes with about 20x to 50x per aperture inch sufficient. In favorable viewing conditions, it means that a 4-inch telescope will give about 200x magnification which is very useful in astrophotography. Avoid telescopes with extreme magnification power such as 600x as they will be overkill.
- Size and Portability
Before you buy a new telescope for astrophotography, think about where you intend to use it. If you intend to use the telescope at home, you don’t have to worry about portability. However, the telescope should have the right size in terms of objective lens diameter and magnification to ensure quality views.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a telescope for adventure activities and travel, you’ll want it to be as lightweight and portable as possible. It should be compact enough for convenient packing in a backpack or car.
- Additional Accessories
Some extra accessories may come with the telescope or telescope mount to make your astrophotography session better and worthwhile. Such accessories include a carrying case, GoTo mount feature, and smartphone mount.
A GoTo mount is mostly found in high-end telescopes. This is a compact onboard computer that is attached to a motorized mount. The computer comes with every information about the deep sky and celestial bodies. All you have to do is choose an object such as a star, planet, or moon and it will automatically locate that chosen object.
A carrying case is important for convenient transportation. It keeps your telescope safe during travel or storage. The best telescope cases are made with high-quality materials to last long. They are also padded on the inside to protect the telescope from getting scratches and other damages during transit.
A smartphone mount is a handy accessory for Astrophotographers. You can use it to take photographs or record videos of the objects you are watching during the day or at night.
FAQs
- Can you do astrophotography with a telescope?
Yes. telescopes have big lenses which provide bright and crisp images of planets, stars, and other celestial bodies. You can connect a camera or smartphone to the telescope and photograph the images you see as they appear clearer and brighter.
- What focal length telescope is best for astrophotography?
For beginners, it is recommended that you start with a shorter focal length between 600-800mm. It will give you a wide field of view which is important when viewing objects for long hours. If you are a seasoned astronomer, you can get a telescope with a longer focal length.
- What size telescope do I need to photograph galaxies?
If you want to have the best galaxy views, you need a telescope with a large aperture. The larger the aperture diameter, the more light is collected for brighter and clearer images. Look for a telescope with an aperture of at least 8-inches.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this buying guide has given you some insight into the best Telescopes for Astrophotography under $1300. Astrophotography is an expensive hobby. To take the best photographs of the objects you see, you need a telescope that offers great practicality and usability. Use our buying guide above to find a telescope that will help you develop your astrophotography passion.