Astrophotography Telescopes

Explore Scientific’s collection of astrophotography telescopes is designed for amateur and advanced astrophotographers seeking crystal-clear, long-exposure images of celestial objects. Featuring advanced optical designs and rugged construction, these telescopes are built to deliver precise tracking, minimal optical aberrations, and excellent image quality for capturing everything from wide-field star fields to distant galaxies and nebulae. Choose from a range of apochromatic refractors (APOs) with extra-low dispersion (ED) glass for color-corrected imaging, as well as fast focal ratio telescopes optimized for deep-sky astrophotography. These instruments offer reduced chromatic aberration, flat fields, and superb contrast — essential features for producing sharp, high-resolution astrophotographs. Explore Scientific astrophotography telescopes are engineered with features such as dual-speed Crayford or rack-and-pinion focusers for fine focus control, threaded adapters for camera mounting, and robust optical tube assemblies that minimize thermal expansion and flexure. Many models are also compatible with popular DSLR, mirrorless, and dedicated astronomy cameras (CMOS and CCD), and work seamlessly with field flatteners, coma correctors, and filter wheels for advanced imaging setups. Pair your telescope with a GoTo equatorial mount for accurate tracking of celestial objects during long exposures, and explore our lineup of compatible guiding accessories, autoguiders, and software-compatible mounts for a complete astrophotography rig. Whether you're imaging the Orion Nebula, capturing detailed shots of the Moon and planets, or stacking long-exposure data for deep-sky targets, our telescopes provide the stability and optical precision needed for stunning results. Start or expand your imaging journey with Explore Scientific astrophotography telescopes, trusted by visual astronomers and astrophotographers alike for their reliability, optical excellence, and imaging-ready design.

Build your imaging rig

• Astrophotography Mounts: tracking equatorial mounts for long exposures
• Astrophotography Accessories: flatteners, reducers and adapters
• ED APO Triplet Refractors: our full triplet lineup
• All Refractor Telescopes: every refractor we make

Astrophotography Telescope FAQ

What is the best telescope for astrophotography?

For most imagers, a short ED APO triplet refractor like an 80mm or 102mm is the best place to start. It is light enough for a mid-size tracking mount, needs no collimation and, with a field flattener, gives round stars to the edge of the frame.

Do I need a tracking mount for astrophotography?

Yes, for deep-sky images. The sky moves during long exposures, so you need an equatorial mount that tracks it, and ideally autoguiding. Planets and the Moon can be imaged with short video clips on simpler mounts. See astrophotography mounts.

Do I need a field flattener or focal reducer?

Most refractors show slightly elongated stars at the edges of a camera sensor. A field flattener fixes that, and a 0.8x focal reducer also shortens the focal length for a wider field and faster exposures.

What warranty do your telescopes have?

Explore Scientific telescopes carry a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner (electronics are covered for 2 years). Explore One and National Geographic telescopes carry a 1-year limited warranty. Register within 60 days of purchase to activate coverage.