At Telescoop.nl, we strive to match you with a telescope that will meet your specific needs and help you create memories that will last for years to come. Amateur astronomy can be pricey, and our wallets might not be as deep as the infinity of the universe. But should that stop you from exploring the universe? We hope not, because we’ve put together a list of telescopes under 300 euros that we think will spark that sense of wonder!
Omegon AC 70/700 AZ-2 Achromatic Refractor - 129 euros
The Omegon AC 70/700 AZ-2 is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a traditional, reliable refractor telescope. Thanks to its 70 mm aperture, this scope gathers enough light to bring the mountains and craters on the moon into sharp focus. The long focal length of 700 mm effectively suppresses chromatic aberration, resulting in a calm, high-contrast image of the planets in our solar system.
With the included 10mm and 20mm Kellner eyepieces and the 2x Barlow lens, you can effortlessly switch between different magnifications. The convenient diagonal prism ensures that you look comfortably into the telescope from above, so you won't strain your neck during long evenings outdoors. The alt-azimuth mount is extremely intuitive: simply move the telescope up, down, left, and right by hand.
Omegon Newton 76/700 AZ-1 €139.00
If you prefer a reflecting telescope with a considerable tube length, the Omegon Newton 76/700 AZ-1 offers tremendous value. The 76 mm mirror collects slightly more light than the smallest refractors, making subtle details on planets more visible. With the three included eyepieces and the Barlow lens, you immediately have an enormous range of magnifications at your disposal, while the finder scope helps you locate objects quickly.
What makes this set unique for families is the included erecting lens. This lens corrects the image that is normally upside down with reflecting telescopes. This allows this powerful telescope to also work perfectly during the day for spotting ships at sea or wildlife in the distance. The lightweight AZ-1 mount ensures that you can easily point the telescope in any desired direction without technical prior knowledge.
Bresser Pluto 114mm Newton €289.95
The Bresser Pluto 114/500 is a real powerhouse for anyone who wants to get started right away. With an impressive 114 mm mirror, this telescope captures a large amount of light, allowing you to see much more than just our solar system. Fainter, distant objects like the Orion Nebula or the Andromeda Nebula become visible as cosmic gas clouds. Thanks to the shorter tube, you also enjoy a beautifully wide field of view.
The Pluto's great secret weapon is its stable equatorial (EQ) mount. Although this system takes a little practice at first, it allows you to perfectly compensate for the Earth's rotation using convenient fine-tuning knobs. This allows you to effortlessly keep a planet centered in your view for hours without it drifting away. Ideal for those who truly want to take their time studying details.
Sky-Watcher Evostar-90 AZ3 - 299 euros
The Sky-Watcher Evostar-90 AZ3 is an absolute quality telescope in its segment. With a substantial 90 mm glass lens aperture, you'll be bringing home a serious optical instrument that excels in contrast and sharpness. Its long 900 mm focal length makes it exceptionally well-suited for high magnifications: the rings of Saturn and the cloud bands of Jupiter can be beautifully detailed with it, without distracting haze.
Sky-Watcher supplies this set with a high-quality Amici prism, which ensures a perfectly upright and correct image. Combined with the heavy, stable AZ3 mount, which is equipped with flexible fine adjustment rods, this telescope is a pleasure to work with. You can travel extremely smoothly through the starry sky with it, while during the day you can use it as a premium spotting scope for breathtaking distant nature observations.
Sky-Watcher Heritage-100P Dobsonian €179
Want the largest possible mirror but don't feel like a heavy, clumsy tripod? The Sky-Watcher Heritage-100P offers a fantastic 100mm mirror in a super-compact package. Thanks to this large aperture, the telescope collects a lot of light, making distant star clusters and gas clouds appear beautifully. The included eyepieces and Barlow lens give you complete freedom to scan wide star fields as well as zoom in on the moon.
The disassembly is the well-known and beloved Heritage Dobsonian table mount. You simply place this telescope on a sturdy garden table, a picnic bench, or at the campsite and you can get started right away. It is by far the most stable and frustration-free way of stargazing in this price range: vibration-free, robust, and ready to go for the whole family in under a minute. You can find more compact mirror telescopes in our category Dobson telescopes.
Omegon MightyMak 80/900 - €178.90
It looks small, but it has enormous power! By reflecting the light inside the tube, this telescope has an extremely long focal length of 900 mm, while the tube itself is barely twenty centimeters long. This makes the MightyMak the ultimate companion for on the go. The 80 mm aperture provides razor-sharp images with fantastic contrast, and the included LED finder makes locating objects incredibly easy.
This compact design takes up hardly any space in a cupboard or car, making it ideal for holidays. Because it already provides sharp, upright images as standard, it also excels as a powerful spotting scope for daytime use. If you're looking for a portable all-rounder that easily fits on any tripod, this is the perfect match. Also check out the other compact travel companions in our category. Maksutov telescopes.
Bresser Nano 70/700 €125.00 euros
With a lens aperture of 70 mm and a focal length of 700 mm, this is an excellently balanced instrument that provides beautiful, clear images of the lunar surface and larger planets like Jupiter. Bresser supplies this set very completely with a 20 mm and 10 mm eyepiece, and adds a powerful 3x Barlow lens to dive even deeper into the lunar craters.
The big advantage of this set is the specially designed Nano mount. This tripod immediately feels a lot sturdier and more stable than many standard entry-level tripods in this price range. You smoothly steer the telescope by hand to the desired object, which ensures a steady image while observing. A reliable, modern set for the beginner who values quality and design.
Bresser Solarix SET - €259
The foundation is a powerful 114 mm reflector telescope that collects plenty of light for impressive nights. But what truly makes this set unique are the accessories. Thanks to the included, certified solar filter, you can look at the sun with complete safety during the day and study sunspots. Additionally, you get an HD color camera included to connect the telescope to your computer, plus a smartphone adapter and color filters.
The telescope is mounted on a simple alt-azimuth mount, making manual aiming very accessible. This is the perfect choice for the tech enthusiast or the creative beginner who wants to not only admire the universe with their own eyes but also immediately experiment with digital photography and solar observation, without needing to order any additional accessories.
Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P FlexTube - €265
The largest mirror on this list: with a 130 mm aperture and a parabolic primary mirror, the Heritage 130P captures more light than anything listed above. You'll see this immediately with Saturn's rings, Jupiter's cloud bands, and the Orion Nebula, which finally takes real shape. Thanks to its collapsible FlexTube design, it's only 37 cm high when retracted and weighs about 6 kg. You can place it on a garden table, aim it with the red-dot finder, and observe.
It's no coincidence that this is one of our best-selling telescopes and our favorite in this price range for visual observation. The set is complete with two eyepieces, a red-dot finder, and a collimation cap. Want to know exactly what you're seeing and which accessories make a difference? Then read our extensive Heritage 130P review.
Need our help?
Choosing your very first telescope can be quite challenging, even with these telescopes lined up. Are you unsure if a model will fit on your small balcony, or do you want to be sure your children can use it independently? You don't have to figure it out alone. Visit us in Burgum by appointment, or contact us! Would you rather read up on it first? Then check out our here Astronomy Knowledge Base and you find your subject!
Does your budget differ slightly? Then also check out the best telescopes under 100 euros and under 500 euros, or read our complete Telescope Buying Guide for Beginners.
