8 of the Most Elite, Powerful Telescopes for Limitless Budgets

There is nothing more magical or priceless than being able to look into the heavens. Once you have experienced a glimpse into the universe through a high-end telescope, you are likely to become a lifelong stargazer.

Looking through a high-powered telescope somehow elevates the human experience and makes us feel like we are just a minute speck in the vastness of the universe, yet it also can elicit a feeling of connectedness with the magnificence of the cosmos. There is nothing quite like that feeling.

There are telescopes for purchase that can take this feeling to the ultimate level. With that, we have put together a list of eight telescopes worthy of the most elite stargazer and astro photographer.

Meade LX600-ACF 16” f/8 with StarLock

This amazing telescope provides unprecedented sharp detailed images of planets and deep sky objects. It features a Starlock auto-guiding system allowing automatic full-time guiding with one arc-second precision, and a zero image-shifter focuser, as well as an AutoStar II GOTO system with more than 145,000 night sky objects. Also included in the package is a Meade 1.25″ diagonal prism,26mm Super Plossl eyepiece and 8×50 viewfinder. Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) provide maximum image brightness and contrast. Price up to US$30,000.

Takahashi TOA-150B F/7.3 Triplet Ortho Apochromat Refractor OTA Package

The Takahashi TOA-150B Refractor is an excellent optical instrument that can be used to make outstanding color-corrected images with a CCD, digital SLR or film camera. Images will be free from violet glows often seen when observing bright stars or planets. A camera angle adjuster enables an astrophotographer to turn the camera 360 degrees to better frame an object before being photographed. Other features include a state-of-the-art 4″ focuser, fully multi-coated optical surfaces with extra layers of anti-reflection coating inside the optical tube, and knife-edge baffle for enhanced anti-reflective performance. Price up to US$15,000.

Meade 14″ LX850-ACF (f/8)

The Meade 14″ LX850-ACF (f/8) telescope employs a fast f/8 Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) optical system that sets a new standard in amateur astrophotography. It produces sharp star images to the highest professional level, completely free of coma, or the optical aberration in which starlight is distorted into comet-like shapes outside the central part of the image. This telescope can be set up and aligned for imaging in less than a half hour. Its features include Ultra High Transmission Coatings (UHTC), and high-contrast baffling to prevent light being reflected off the inside of the telescope. The overall result are detailed crisp images to the edge of the viewing field. This high-end scope has an AutoStar II GOTO system with more than 144,000 objects making target acquisition simple. It also has Starlock full-time automatic guiding and high-precision pointing, which guide the mount in real time and allow accurate guiding during photographic exposures. Price up to US$12,000.

Villa Fleuve – the Ideal Home for Meteor Watching

To get the best experience while watching meteor showers, you should be in a location without much light and Sun Valley, Idaho fits that bill. When it comes to Sun Valley luxury vacation rentals, Villa Fleuve is definitely at the forefront. This exquisite chalet redefines alpine luxury and is just moments away from the famed grounds of the Sun Valley Resort. This awe-inspiring gated compound encompasses more than seven acres of spellbinding terrain along the banks of the Big Wood River. The home is exceptionally outfitted for social spontaneity or lavish cocktail affairs. Nine bedrooms provide accommodations for up to 20 guests. Amenities include a wine cellar, spa lounge, sauna, gym, tennis court, outdoor pool, and hot tub. You have both breaktaking water and mountain views all in an area with a perfect night sky!

Explore Scientific Ultra Light 20 Inch Dobsonian Telescope

The Explore Scientific Ultra Light 20” Dobsonian offers enormous light gathering power in a relatively portable package, without the need for permanent observatory mounting. This scope will reveal stunning views of planetary surfaces and the moon, deliver incredible views of deep sky objects with traces of color, and resolve bright globular clusters down to the core.This telescope’s fast 20″ f3.6 main mirror and large 120mm secondary mirror are composed of high quality quartz material, allowing for reduced cooling time. Other features include an 8×50 finder with red illuminated reticle, and a DeLuxe 2,5″ HEXAFOC focuser with 1:10 gear-reduction. Price up to US$8,600.

Lunt Solar Systems 152mm H-Alpha Pressure Tuned Telescope with 18mm Blocking Filter

The Lunt Solar Systems 152mm H-Alpha is a large solar telescope used to observe the sun by detecting light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum. The system performs to the highest level no matter the magnifications, and utilizes high-contrast coatings and the new Doppler True Pressure Tuning system to produce sharp, high magnification visual images. The scope comes with internal and external matched Etalons, providing views bringing the sun’s surface to life. This solar telescope can also be converted for nighttime viewing using a special backing plate & focuser kit. The solar telescope’s base model comes with a 12mm Blocking Filter (B1200). Upgrades are available to B1800 or B3400 Blocking Filter for an even wider field of view, with the scope’s price package adjusting depending on the blocking filter chosen. Price up to US$8,500.

Meade 14-Inch LX200-ACF (f/10) Advanced Coma-Free Telescope

Here you have a really big computerized research quality telescope delivering star coma free star images right to the edge of the field. This powerful telescope comes with a range of high-end features, including Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) optics, GPS, Primary Mirror Lock, Oversized Primary Mirror, SmartDrive, and Smart Mount. The telescope’s design also eradicates diffraction spikes and vastly improves astigmatism, both aberrations of which are inherent in the traditional Ritchey-Chrétien design. Other excellent features include UHTC coatings, Giant Field Tripod, 1.25-Inch Diagonal Prism, and 26mm Series 4000 Super Plössl eyepiece. Meanwhile, its AutoStar II system offers an extensive library of 145,000 space objects. Price up to US$8,500.

Vixen Optics 25092DS SXP Mount with StarBook Ten and Ed115S Dual Speed Telescope

When it comes to astro photography and powerful telescopes, the Vixen Optics 25092DS SXP Mount is up there with the best. This refractor delivers crisp, pinpoint images free of false color, even with the widest field eyepiece. Features include a cutting edge, hand held controller and high definition full-color High Definition LCD screen acting as a navigational and GOTO guide. The scope’s high definition SD lens provides quality optical performance with its Super Extra Low Dispersion (SD) glass, resulting in the virtual elimination of Chromatic aberration. The Sphinx SXP Mount features high precision pulse motors designed for the most accurate and smoothest tracking possible. Other features include 125mm tube rings, Vixen’s New Dual Speed Focuser, Dovetail plate, and Half Pillar. Price up to US$6,700.

Celestron EdgeHD 14 Inch Optical Tube Assembly

The Celestron EdgeHD 14” Optical Tube Assembly is a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope producing an aberration-free wide field, astrograph quality images across CCD or DSLR cameras. This powerful telescope produces a focal plane three times flatter than other competing designs, so they allow stars to be seen in tight focus, guaranteeing visibly sharp images of NGC, IC and Caldwell objects found in the Messier Catalog. The Celestron EdgeHD OTA features a StarBright XLT optical coating system, maximizing light transmission and reflectivity across the visual spectrum. The scope also has a tube weight of just 30 kilograms which is well supported by a Celestron CGE-Pro mount, making it comparatively compact and portable. Price up to US$6,000.

Luxury travelers with stars in their sights can rely on LVH to get them to those locations ideal for stargazing with their amazing telescopes. When you’re not busy looking at the heavens, you will be sure to have a host of incredible experiences on offer since we will also fashion a custom itinerary for you filled with those things you would love to do and things you will surely want to explore. We invite you to reach out to one of our client relations professionals who will begin planning the most amazing vacation for you that creates magical memories to last a lifetime.