Looking for telescopes at Best Buy can be a good option if you're looking to bag a bargain and we've rounded up the best discounts the retailer has to offer.
The good news is, when you're looking for telescopes at Best Buy, you'll find some of the best telescopes and you can pick up some great telescopes deals too. It's worth noting that Amazon Prime Day is upon us, 11-12 July to be exact, and you might be able to find that other retailers like Best Buy also offer top discounts too.
Not ready for a telescope? Read our best binoculars guide More top deals: Telescopes on Amazon See the latest discounts: Telescopes at Walmart
We keep this page updated year-round so when new deals become available, you'll find them here. In the guide below, you will find cost-effective telescopes but if Best Buy doesn't have what you're looking for, it might be worth checking out our guides for budget telescopes for under $500, best telescopes for beginners and best telescopes for kids.
Discovering telescopes at Best Buy can be a little more challenging than at other retailers like Amazon or Walmart. But, if you know what you're looking for it might be worth checking out our specific guides for Celestron, Sky-Watcher, Meade and Orion telescope deals. However, for the best telescopes at Best Buy and some buying advice too, read on below.
Today's best telescope deals at Best Buy
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 straight-forward 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. Amazon Prime Day is nearly here so if you are on a budget, now is the right time to be looking for your next telescope. 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.
