Best Telescope For Visual Observing

Meade Lightbridge 12-inch Dobsonian | Price: $999

Ideal for: Those looking for the best possible visual performance at this price range

One of the only 12-inch aperture telescopes under the $1000 mark, the Meade 12-inch Lightbridge Dobsonian is a fantastic choice for the serious visual observer. A 12-inch aperture telescope gathers a lot more light than smaller telescopes, allowing fainter objects to be observed, especially under dark skies. The Meade 12-inch Lightbridge is a large and heavy telescope, though, so this telescope will likely need to be disassembled for travel. If you do plan on traveling with it, the Meade Lightbridge is easy to take apart and reassemble for your convenience. This particular model comes with a 26mm 2-inch eyepiece, which is a nice addition so you can get great views out of the box.