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National Geographic

An honest first telescope

Three beginner instruments with real aperture and no magnification nonsense. We will tell you when to spend more instead.

3Models
70–114mmAperture
$99.99From
National Geographic

A First Telescope That Is Actually a Telescope

The hardest part of buying a first telescope is that most of what is sold as one is not. Plastic mounts that shake, eyepieces that show more colour than object, and magnification claims printed on the box that no optic of that size could ever deliver.

These three are not that. A 70mm refractor gathers a hundred times more light than the naked eye, which is enough to show craters along the lunar terminator, the four Galilean moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn as rings rather than as bumps.

They are genuinely beginner instruments and we will not pretend otherwise — but they are honest ones, and every one of them will show a child something they remember.

National Geographic 70mm AZ refractor telescope
HONEST
ADVICE

We will tell you when to spend more, and when not to

If a National Geographic 70mm does what you need, that is what we will say. If you are buying for someone who has already outgrown one, we will point you at a Dobsonian instead.

Not sure which side of that line you are on? Call +1 (855) 501-0541 or try the telescope finder.

1

Real aperture, not claims

70mm and 114mm of genuine light gathering, with no magnification nonsense on the box.

2

Assembled in minutes

Alt-azimuth mounts that a child can point without an alignment procedure.

3

Honest about the ceiling

We will tell you what these will and will not show before you buy.

4

Free shipping on all of it

Every telescope on this page ships free within the United States.

What is in the range

Three telescopes across two optical designs.

Refractors

2 models in stock

Sealed lens tubes that need no maintenance and no collimation — point and look.

  • 70mm AZ on an alt-azimuth mount
  • 70mm on an adjustable-height tripod
  • Nothing to align, nothing to clean
See these →

Reflectors

1 model in stock

More aperture per dollar, using a mirror rather than a lens.

  • NT114CF 114mm carbon-fibre-look tube
  • More light than the 70mm refractors
  • Better on faint deep-sky targets
See these →

Compare the three

What each one is actually for.

Model Type Aperture Best for Price
70mm AZ Refractor Refractor 70mm A first telescope for a child $99.99
70mm Adjustable Tripod Refractor 70mm Same optics, better tripod $139.99
NT114CF Reflector Reflector 114mm More aperture for deep sky $149.99

All three show the Moon and the brighter planets well. The 114mm reflector gathers roughly two and a half times the light of the 70mm refractors.

Which one, and when to buy something else

Three honest routes.

01

Buying for a child under twelve

The 70mm AZ. Simple, light, nothing to align, and it survives being pointed enthusiastically.

Jump to these →
02

Buying for a curious adult

The NT114CF, or step up to a 6-inch Dobsonian if the budget stretches.

Jump to these →
03

Replacing a telescope already outgrown

Do not buy from this page. A Dobsonian will do far more for the money.

Jump to these →

All three National Geographic telescopes

Everything in the range, in stock.

National Geographic NT114CF 114mm Silver CF Reflector
Reflector Telescope

National Geographic NT114CF 114mm Silver CF Reflector

114mm reflector. Roughly two and a half times the light of the 70mm refractors.

$149.99
View details →
National Geographic 70mm AZ Refractor Telescope
Refractor Telescope

National Geographic 70mm AZ Refractor Telescope

70mm refractor on a simple alt-azimuth mount. The most straightforward first telescope here.

$99.99
View details →
National Geographic 70mm Refractor Telescope Adjustable Height Tripod
Refractor Telescope

National Geographic 70mm Refractor Telescope Adjustable Height Tripod

The same 70mm optics on an adjustable-height tripod, which suits a growing child.

$139.99
View details →

Beginner telescope questions, answered

The questions parents and first-time buyers ask us.

Will this show Saturn's rings?

Yes. A 70mm refractor at around 50x shows the rings clearly as rings separated from the planet's disk. It will not show the Cassini division or surface banding — that needs more aperture and steadier air — but the moment a child sees the rings for themselves is the one that matters.

What about galaxies and nebulae?

Honestly, modestly. The Orion Nebula is a genuine sight in any of these. The Andromeda Galaxy will be a faint oval smudge rather than the spiral in the photographs, and that is true of every telescope at any price under a suburban sky. If deep sky is the goal, a Dobsonian is the better buy.

Refractor or reflector for a first telescope?

A refractor if it is for a younger child or someone who wants to point and look with no maintenance — the tube is sealed and never needs collimating. A reflector if you want more aperture for the money and do not mind occasionally adjusting the mirror alignment.

Is the magnification on the box meaningful?

Not really, and it is the single most misleading number in the hobby. Useful magnification is capped by aperture at roughly twice the aperture in millimetres, so a 70mm telescope tops out near 140x in good conditions. Anything beyond that is a bigger, blurrier image.

Should I buy this or spend more?

If it is a gift for a child, or a first look to see whether the interest sticks, these are right. If the person has already used a telescope and wants more, skip this page and look at the Dobsonians — you will get considerably more telescope for the money.

Where to go next

If these are not quite right, these pages are the next step up.

Dobsonian Telescopes

4 models, the best value in aperture

Telescopes

34 models, all types

Ready-To-Go Bundles

Complete kits with eyepieces included

Eyepieces

11 series in stock

Find Your Telescope

A one-minute questionnaire

Buyer's Guide

How to choose your first telescope

Explore Scientific

The step up from here

Talk to us

We answer the phone