Top 5 Telescopes for Amateur Astronomy Under $500

Looking to buy your first telescope? This hangout will let you know the best telescopes for under $500
Looking to get started in amateur astronomy but are confused about the telescope to start off with? Our advice has always been to never spend more than $500 on your first telescope. Why? Like many hobbies that many people start, they aren't always sure they'll stick with it or if it will hold their interest so keeping the monetary investment to a minimum makes a lot of sense.
Plus, the lesser expensive scopes tend to have the best qualities for a beginner: ease of use, light weight and wide field of view. In fact, in my 30+ years of observing through a telescope, the one I still use the most is the one I bought first and spent only $269 on: a four-inch reflector.
Please join Tony Darnell, John Suffill, Adam Smith and Alexander Reinders for a discussion of beginning telescope and our recommendations for what you should buy.
Here are the links to the scopes we talked about:
Dobsonian
Sky-Watcher Collapsible Dobsonian 8? (203 mm) (US) $475
8-inch (20 cm) Newtonian
Collapsable, easier to fit in your car
2? Crayford-style focuser with 1.25? adaptor
4-element Plössl 25 mm and 10 mm 1.25? eyepieces
8×50 right angle erect-image finderscope
Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX Dobsonian (UK) £429
Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
Dual-Fit 1.25"/2" Crayford-style Focuser
9x50 Finderscope
Direct SLR Camera Connection
Maksutov-Cassegrain
Skywatcher SKYMAX-102 SynScan™ AZ GOTO (EU) €386
Orion StarSeeker IV 102mm GoTo Mak-Cass Telescope Kit (US) $649
4-inch (10cm) Maksutov-Cassegrain
Goto Telescope w/ database of objects
Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
x2 Deluxe Barlow lens (1.25") with camera adaptor
6x30 Finderscope
90° Star Diagonal (1.25”)
SynScan™ AZ GoTo Computerised Alt-Azimuth HD Go-To Mount
Alternative: Celestron AstroFi 102mm Wi-Fi Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope $419
Not a goto - Control your telescope via integrated WiFi using the free Celestron SkyPortal app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices
The Astro Fi 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain with fully coated glass optics provides outstanding views the Moon and planets, as well as bright deep space objects beyond our Solar System.
Accessory tray holds 2 x 1.25" eyepieces, miscellaneous accessories, including a rubber-lined area for a smart phone or small tablet.
Includes a StarPointer finderscope, 2 Kellner eyepieces, and mirror star diagonal
Newtonians
Orion Telescope N 114/500 StarSeeker IV AZ SynScan-GoTo (EU) €493
Orion StarSeeker IV 114mm GoTo Reflector Telescope (US) $450
4.5-inch (114mm) diameter Newtonian
Goto telescope w/ 42,000 objects
Two wide-field 1.25" eyepieces are included: 23mm & 10mm
f/4.4 wide field
Orion Dobson telescope N 100/400 SkyScanner DOB (EU) €129
Orion SkyScanner 100mm TableTop Reflector Telescope (US) $99
Very easy to use, inexpensive
Very Portable
Analogous to the Edmund Astroscan (can sit on car hood)
Includes two 1.25" telescope eyepieces: 20mm (for 20 power magnification) and 10mm (for 40 power magnification),
EZ Finder II aiming device,
Starry Night astronomy software
Refractors
Skywatcher Evostar 120 with EQ3-2 (UK) £349
Good value for refractor
GOTO Telescope
Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
Direct SLR Camera Connection
9x50 Finderscope
Dual-Fit 1.25"/2" Focuser
2" Star Diagonal
Celestron NexStar 102 SLT Computerized Refractor Telescope (US) $499
GOTO
Two Eyepieces
1.25” Star diagonal
Honorable Mention:
Orion SkyQuest XT8 PLUS Dobsonian Reflector Telescope (US) $499
8-inch reflector (20 cm)
Comes with a 2” focuser
Lots of accessories:
2" 28mm DeepView eyepiece, 1.25"
10mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece,
Safety Film Solar Filter (!)
Shorty 2x Barlow
eyepiece rack
EZ Finder II reflex sight,
collimation cap
Thumb screw secondary makes for easy collimation