Bit by the astronomy bug? An intermediate telescope can take your hobby to a whole new level of excitement and exploration. Increasing the aperture of your telescope brings more celestial objects within reach, from faint nebulae to distant spiral galaxies.

Now that you’re ready to invest in an intermediate telescope, you want to weigh your options and choose one that will allow you to grow further in the hobby. We usually recommend intermediate Dobsonian telescopes or computerized telescopes for users at this skill level. Aperture of 8” to 10” inches will offer optimal views while keeping your kit compact and portable.

Since it was introduced in the 1970s, the C8, or the 8” computerized Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, has been a mainstay of astronomy enthusiasts. This versatile system is great for casual backyard observing, star parties, camping trips at dark sky sites, and various types of astrophotography. If you prefer star hopping, you can’t go wrong with the Zhumell Z10 Dobsonian outfitted with a Telrad finderscope.