Telescopes / Refractor
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Refractor Telescopes

Checked 2026-10-24

Traditional lens-based systems ideal for crisp views of the moon and planets 113 telescopes · 51 brands

For adults For beginners For kids Refractor For moon viewing Portable Tripod included For travel Budget With phone adapter Altazimuth mounts 90mm aperture 80mm aperture Equatorial mounts Reflector 70mm aperture Professional For bird watching For deep sky For astrophotography 600mm focal length Black Smart Digital Dobsonian 800mm focal length Monocular 400mm focal length White 50mm aperture STEM learning Tabletop mounts Maksutov-Cassegrain 130mm aperture 60mm aperture 900mm focal length 114mm aperture 300mm focal length Blue Waterproof 700mm focal length Red Green

Best Refractor Telescopes

# Item Level House Notes See listing
1 Portable Refractor Telescope with 90mm Aperture 8.9 Dianfan Portable Refractor Telescope with 90mm Aperture $170 Dianfan For adults · For beginners · Portable
$170 See listing
2 High powered 90mm refractor 800mm length 9.2 MEEZAA High powered 90mm refractor 800mm length $170 MEEZAA For adults · For beginners · 90mm aperture
$170 See listing
3 Portable 80mm refractor telescope with 900mm focal length 8.8 SOLOMARK Portable 80mm refractor telescope with 900mm focal length $69.99 SOLOMARK For adults · For beginners · Portable
$69.99 See listing
4 Portable travel refractor with 900mm focal length 9.1 Celticbird Portable travel refractor with 900mm focal length $140 Celticbird For adults · For beginners · Portable
$140 See listing
5 Refractor telescope for moon and planet viewing 8.9 Celestron Refractor telescope for moon and planet viewing $170 Celestron For adults · For beginners · For kids
$170 See listing
6 Compact 80mm refractor telescope for kids 8.7 Gskyer Compact 80mm refractor telescope for kids $143 Gskyer For kids · Tripod included · Altazimuth mounts
$143 See listing
7 Professional 90mm aperture refractor with 900mm focal length 8.5 Hawkko Professional 90mm aperture refractor with 900mm focal length $240 Hawkko For adults · For beginners · For moon viewing
$240 See listing
8 Black 90mm refractor telescope for deep sky 9.1 Koolpte Black 90mm refractor telescope for deep sky $250 Koolpte Black · For adults · Altazimuth mounts
$250 See listing
9 Long Tube 90mm Refractor with 800mm Focal Length 8.7 HUGERSTAR Long Tube 90mm Refractor with 800mm Focal Length $150 HUGERSTAR For adults · For moon viewing · 90mm aperture
$150 See listing
10 Gray 80mm refractor telescope with backpack 8.7 EACONN Gray 80mm refractor telescope with backpack $99.99 EACONN For adults · For beginners · For kids
$99.99 See listing
Before you buy

Refractor questions, answered

What can I actually see with a refractor?

Moon craters, Saturn's rings, Jupiter's cloud bands, and double stars are the reliable targets. Short-tube wide-field versions show star fields and open clusters well. Deep-sky objects appear as faint smudges rather than photographs.

Do I need a computerized mount?

Not strictly. A manual alt-az mount is lighter and quicker to set up for moon and planet sessions. Computerized GoTo heads with hand controls help if you want the scope to find objects for you.

What is the difference between a short-tube and a long refractor?

Short tubes give a wider field of view and are easier to carry. Longer tubes at 102mm and 120mm apertures resolve more detail on planets. The trade is portability against reach.

What comes in a typical kit?

Most include the tube, a tripod, and at least one eyepiece. Larger kits add a Barlow lens, filters, a carry case, or a smartphone adapter. Travel versions include a backpack.

A long tube and a lens up front

A refractor gathers light through a glass objective lens at the front of the tube and sends it straight to the eyepiece at the back. That straight-through path is what gives the view its characteristic snap on bright, high-contrast targets. The tube is sealed, so the optics stay aligned and rarely need fiddling.

Where the design earns its keep

Lunar craters, the rings of Saturn, and Jupiter's cloud bands are the kind of targets these scopes handle well, and several models are sold specifically for moon and planet viewing. Short-tube versions trade some of that reach for a wider field, which suits scanning star fields and open clusters. Longer tubes at 102mm and 120mm apertures push resolution further for buyers who want more from the same design.

Mounts, sizes, and what ships in the box

The tube is only half the purchase. Manual alt-az mounts keep things simple, while computerized GoTo heads with hand controls handle the finding for you. Equatorial mounts appear on the larger 120mm models for tracking objects as the sky turns.

Colors and included extras

Bodies turn up in black, blue, and red, usually with a matching tripod. Kits often bundle eyepieces, a Barlow lens, filters, a carry case, or a smartphone adapter for capturing what you see. Travel-oriented versions pair a compact tube with a backpack.

Related
For adults For beginners For moon viewing For kids Tripod included Portable 90mm aperture With phone adapter