Best overall
Seestar S50 Pro
50 mm aperture, 4K sensor, 63° wide camera and a 9-hour battery for $999. No other model combines this much under $2,000.
- 50 mm
- 2.45° × 1.38°
- 2.8 kg
- $999
The best smart telescopes in 2026
We ranked every current model on what you get per dollar: aperture, sensor, field of view, battery and what is in the box. Prices are US list prices checked on 11 Nov 2026.
Best value
Seestar S30 Pro
A 4K IMX585 and the widest telephoto field here (3.99° × 2.24°) in a 1.65 kg body for $699 list.
- 30 mm
- 3.99° × 2.24°
- 1.65 kg
- $699
Best image quality
Celestron Origin Mark II
152 mm at f/2.2 collects about 7.7× the light of a 50 mm scope. Heavy (18.9 kg) and $4,299.
- 152 mm
- 1.32° × 0.75°
- 12.5 kg
- $4,299
Best for travel with filters
DWARF 3
1.3 kg, 4K, three internal filters and EQ mode for $599; add a tripod.
- 35 mm
- 2.93° × 1.65°
- 1.3 kg
- $599
Best for planets on a premium budget
Unistellar Odyssey
85 mm mirror with 0.93″ sampling, no collimation, carry-on size.
- 85 mm
- 0.75° × 0.56°
- 4 kg
- $2,599
Best resolution
Vaonis Vespera Pro 2
12.5 MP square sensor, 50 MP mosaics and an 11-hour battery.
- 50 mm
- 1.60° × 1.60°
- 5 kg
- $2,990
All current models
| Model | List price | Aperture | Field of view | Weight | Battery | Image scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seestar S30 | $399 | 30 mm | 2.13° × 1.20° | 1.65 kg | 6 h | 3.99″/px |
| DWARF mini | $399 | 30 mm | 2.13° × 1.20° | 0.84 kg | 4 h | 3.99″/px |
| Seestar S50 | $499 | 50 mm | 1.29° × 0.73° | 2.5 kg | 6 h | 2.39″/px |
| DWARF 3 | $599 | 35 mm | 2.93° × 1.65° | 1.3 kg | 5.5 h | 2.75″/px |
| Seestar S30 Pro | $699 | 30 mm | 3.99° × 2.24° | 1.65 kg | 6 h | 3.74″/px |
| Seestar S50 Pro | $999 | 50 mm | 2.45° × 1.38° | 2.8 kg | 9 h | 2.30″/px |
| Vaonis Vespera II | $1,590 | 50 mm | 2.50° × 1.40° | 5 kg | 4 h | 2.39″/px |
| Vaonis Vespera 3 | $2,490 | 50 mm | 2.50° × 1.40° | 5 kg | 11 h | 2.44″/px |
| Unistellar Odyssey | $2,599 | 85 mm | 0.75° × 0.56° | 4 kg | 5 h | 0.93″/px |
| Unistellar eQuinox 2 | $2,899 | 114 mm | 0.76° × 0.57° | 7 kg | 11 h | 1.33″/px |
| Vaonis Vespera Pro 2 | $2,990 | 50 mm | 1.60° × 1.60° | 5 kg | 11 h | 1.70″/px |
| Celestron Origin Mark II | $4,299 | 152 mm | 1.32° × 0.75° | 12.5 kg | 6 h | 1.23″/px |
| Unistellar Odyssey Pro | $4,599 | 85 mm | 0.75° × 0.56° | 4 kg | 5 h | 0.93″/px |
| Unistellar eVscope 2 | $4,999 | 114 mm | 0.76° × 0.57° | 7 kg | 9 h | 1.33″/px |
How we choose
We do not accept free units or payment for placement. Picks come from manufacturer specifications compared like for like: aperture (light), image scale (detail), field of view (what fits), weight, battery and what is included. Discontinued models are excluded. See our method.
More buying guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the best smart telescope?
Our pick is the Seestar S50 Pro: 50 mm aperture, 4K sensor, 63° wide camera and a 9-hour battery for $999. No other model combines this much under $2,000.
What is a smart telescope?
A smart telescope combines a small telescope, a camera sensor, a motorised mount and a computer in one unit. You control it from a phone app: it plate-solves its position, slews to the target, tracks it and stacks short exposures live, so an image builds up on screen in minutes.
Can I look through a smart telescope?
Most have no eyepiece. You view on a phone or tablet. The Unistellar Odyssey Pro and eVscope 2 add a digital eyepiece that shows the same processed image.