Best Telescopes for Viewing Planets in 2026

A good telescope can transform planets from featureless dots into worlds with cloud bands, ring systems, and polar ice caps. But with hundreds of models on the market, choosing the right one for planetary observing can be overwhelming.

This guide cuts through the noise. Whether you are buying your first telescope or upgrading for sharper views of Jupiter and Saturn, here is what actually matters for planetary observation — and which telescopes deliver the best results in 2026.

What Makes a Telescope Good for Planets?

Planetary observing has different requirements than deep-sky viewing. Planets are small and bright, so you need high magnification and sharp optics rather than a wide field of view. Three factors matter most:

Aperture is the diameter of the telescope's primary mirror or lens. More aperture means more light-gathering power and — crucially for planets — higher resolving power. A 6-inch (150 mm) telescope can resolve details roughly twice as fine as a 3-inch (75 mm) telescope. For serious planetary work, 6 inches is a practical minimum; 8 inches or more is ideal.

Focal length determines how much magnification the telescope naturally provides. Longer focal lengths (1,200 mm and above) produce higher magnification with any given eyepiece, which is exactly what planetary observation demands. A telescope with a focal ratio of f/10 or higher will give you comfortable, high-power views without needing extreme eyepieces.

Optical quality matters more for planets than almost any other type of observing. Because you are pushing magnification to 150x–250x, any imperfections in the optics — poor collimation, mediocre mirror coatings, or chromatic aberration — are magnified along with the image. Telescopes with well-figured optics consistently outperform larger telescopes with sloppy quality control.

One common misconception: magnification is not determined by the telescope alone. It is the ratio of focal length to eyepiece focal length. A telescope with a 2,000 mm focal length and a 10 mm eyepiece produces 200x magnification. The telescope's job is to provide enough aperture and optical quality to support that magnification cleanly.

Three Telescope Types Compared

Each telescope design has trade-offs for planetary observing:

Refractors use lenses rather than mirrors. High-quality refractors (especially apochromatic designs) produce the sharpest, highest-contrast planetary images per inch of aperture. They have no central obstruction to reduce contrast, and they require no collimation. The downside is cost: a good 5-inch apochromatic refractor can cost more than an 8-inch reflector, and large refractors become prohibitively expensive. For planetary viewing, a quality 4-inch to 5-inch refractor punches well above its weight.

Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (SCTs) fold a long focal length into a compact tube using a combination of mirrors and a corrector plate. A typical 8-inch SCT has a focal length of 2,032 mm at f/10 — ideal for planetary magnification. SCTs are compact, portable, and widely available with computerised GoTo mounts that automatically find and track objects. They are the most popular choice for dedicated planetary observers. The trade-off is a central obstruction that slightly reduces contrast compared to a refractor of equal aperture.

Dobsonian reflectors are Newtonian reflectors on a simple alt-azimuth rocker mount. They deliver the most aperture for your money — an 8-inch Dobsonian typically costs a third of what an 8-inch SCT costs. Their shorter focal ratios (f/5 to f/6) mean you need shorter eyepieces to reach planetary magnifications, and the open tube design requires periodic collimation. But at 8 inches and above, the raw aperture advantage shows stunning planetary detail. Dobsonians lack motorised tracking, so you will need to nudge the telescope manually as planets drift across the field of view.

Best Budget Telescopes for Planets (Under $400)

If you are starting out or working with a limited budget, these telescopes will give you genuinely impressive planetary views:

Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P (~$280) — This 6-inch tabletop Dobsonian packs serious aperture into a compact, collapsible design. At f/5, it needs short-focal-length eyepieces for planetary work, but the views of Jupiter's cloud bands and Saturn's rings are remarkable for the price. It is the best aperture-per-dollar option on the market.

Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ (~$230) — This 80 mm refractor pairs a decent optical tube with Celestron's StarSense smartphone technology, which uses your phone's camera to identify stars and guide you to objects. It is a superb beginner choice: the 80 mm aperture will clearly show Saturn's rings, Jupiter's four Galilean moons, and the phases of Venus. The smartphone integration removes the frustration of finding objects for the first time.

Celestron Astro Fi 130 (~$380) — A 130 mm (5.1-inch) Newtonian on a wireless GoTo mount controlled via smartphone app. The 5-inch aperture gives noticeably sharper planetary views than smaller scopes, and the GoTo system finds objects automatically. Build quality is adequate rather than exceptional, but the combination of aperture and automation is hard to beat at this price.

At this budget level, resist the temptation to buy department-store telescopes advertising "600x magnification." Those claims are meaningless. A quality 80 mm refractor at 100x will show you vastly more detail than a cheap 60 mm scope at 300x.

Best Mid-Range Telescopes for Planets ($400–$1,200)

This is the sweet spot where telescopes become genuinely capable planetary instruments:

Sky-Watcher 8-inch Classic Dobsonian (~$450) — The single best value in amateur astronomy. Eight inches of aperture on a rock-solid Dobsonian mount, with excellent Parabolic mirror optics. At 150x–200x, Jupiter's cloud belts reveal intricate festoons and barges, Saturn shows the Cassini Division in its rings, and Mars displays dark surface markings and polar caps. The only downside is the lack of motorised tracking — you will manually nudge the scope every 30 seconds or so at high power.

Celestron NexStar 6SE (~$1,000) — A 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain with a 1,500 mm focal length on a fully computerised GoTo mount. The f/10 focal ratio is perfectly suited to planetary work, and the automated tracking means planets stay centred in the eyepiece hands-free. The 6SE is compact enough to carry outside in one trip and set up in five minutes. It represents the ideal balance of aperture, convenience, and planetary performance for most observers.

Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 Virtuoso GTi (~$550) — A 127 mm (5-inch) Maksutov-Cassegrain on a motorised tabletop mount with WiFi GoTo. Maksutovs are excellent planetary scopes — their long focal length (1,500 mm, f/11.8) and sealed tube design produce high-contrast views with minimal maintenance. The 5-inch aperture limits deep-sky performance, but for planets, this little scope is outstanding.

Best Premium Telescopes for Planets ($1,200+)

For observers who want the sharpest possible planetary views:

Celestron NexStar 8SE (~$1,500) — The 8-inch version of Celestron's popular SCT line delivers a 2,032 mm focal length at f/10 with GoTo tracking. Eight inches of aperture resolves fine planetary details that smaller scopes simply cannot show: the Great Red Spot's internal structure, shadow transits of Jupiter's moons, and the Encke Gap in Saturn's rings on steady nights. Note that the single-arm fork mount can exhibit some vibration — adding a vibration suppression pad helps.

Sky-Watcher 10-inch FlexTube GoTo Dobsonian (~$1,600) — Ten inches of aperture with a collapsible tube and fully motorised GoTo tracking. This solves the Dobsonian's main weakness (manual tracking) while delivering aperture that no SCT can match at the price. Planetary views through 10 inches of aperture in good seeing conditions are genuinely breathtaking.

Celestron EdgeHD 8 (~$2,000 for OTA) — Celestron's premium 8-inch SCT with an aplanatic design that eliminates coma and field curvature. The optics are a step above the standard NexStar 8SE, producing noticeably sharper planetary images across the entire field of view. Often paired with the Advanced VX or CGX equatorial mounts for astrophotography as well.

What Each Planet Looks Like Through a Telescope

Here is what you can realistically expect to see at different apertures:

Jupiter is the most rewarding planet for telescope observers. Even a 3-inch scope at 60x shows the four Galilean moons and two main equatorial cloud belts. At 6 inches and 150x, you will start to see the Great Red Spot (when it is facing you), festoons between the cloud belts, and shadow transits as moons cross Jupiter's disc. At 8–10 inches and 200x or more, the planet reveals intricate detail in its cloud structure — rifts, barges, and colour variations within the belts.

Saturn never fails to impress. Its rings are visible in any telescope at 25x or more. At 100x with a 4-inch scope, the Cassini Division — the dark gap between the A and B rings — becomes visible. At 6–8 inches and 150x+, you can spot the shadow of the rings on the planet and the shadow of the planet on the rings, along with cloud banding on the disc itself. Saturn's moon Titan is easily visible; a few fainter moons appear at 6 inches and above.

Mars is the most challenging of the three. It is small (roughly half Jupiter's apparent size at opposition) and displays detail only during close oppositions every 26 months. At 6 inches and 150x during a favourable opposition, you can make out dark surface features like Syrtis Major and a bright polar ice cap. Mars rewards patience and steady skies more than any other planet.

Venus shows phases like the Moon but no surface detail — its cloud cover is featureless in visible light. Mercury is similar but smaller and harder to catch. Uranus and Neptune appear as tiny discs (blue-green and deep blue respectively) but require 8+ inches to resolve as anything more than a point of light.

Why Seeing Conditions Matter More Than You Think

The biggest limit on planetary observing is not your telescope — it is the atmosphere. Astronomical "seeing" refers to the steadiness of the air above you. On nights of poor seeing, the atmosphere acts like a turbulent lens, blurring and distorting the image no matter how good your optics are.

On most nights, the practical magnification limit is around 150x regardless of aperture. On excellent nights with steady air, you might push to 250x or even 300x with an 8-inch scope. This is why experienced planetary observers often say that a 6-inch scope on a good night beats a 12-inch scope on a bad one.

Tips for better seeing:

• Observe when planets are high in the sky. Light passes through less atmosphere when an object is near the zenith, reducing distortion.
• Let your telescope cool down. A telescope brought from a warm house into cold air will produce tube currents that blur the image for 30–60 minutes. Set up early.
• Watch the weather. High-pressure systems with calm winds often bring the steadiest skies. Nights after cold fronts pass tend to have poor seeing.
• Avoid observing over heat sources. Rooftops, concrete, and asphalt radiate stored heat for hours after sunset, creating turbulence. Observe from grass or dirt if possible.
• Be patient. Even on average nights, the atmosphere will occasionally settle for a few seconds, revealing a flash of sharp detail. Experienced observers watch and wait for these moments of clarity.

Bonus: These Telescopes Also Work for Comets

Every telescope on this list will also give you excellent views of 3I/ATLAS, the interstellar comet currently visible in the pre-dawn sky. While planetary telescopes favour high magnification, comets are best viewed at lower power to fit the coma and tail into the field of view — simply swap to a longer-focal-length eyepiece.

The mid-range and premium GoTo telescopes are particularly useful for finding 3I/ATLAS, as its position changes nightly. Use our observing guide to get current coordinates and plan your session.

Any telescope that shows you Jupiter's cloud bands will also reveal the structure within a comet's coma and the delicate streamers in its tail. If you are buying a telescope in 2026, you have the rare opportunity to observe both the solar system's familiar planets and a visitor from another star.

Check our orbit viewer for 3I/ATLAS's current position, and browse our media gallery to see what others have captured through their telescopes. For the full story of this interstellar visitor, explore our timeline and science page.