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How much telescope experience do you have?
This only changes how things are explained here — not what gets recommended.
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What do you want to photograph?
Pick as many as you like.
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Your sky, budget and weight
How dark is the sky where you'll shoot?Everything together: mount, telescope or lens, camera and accessories.
More options
Show other weights inShow me the kit that'sFor a traditional rig -
How do you want to shoot?
New to this? Our guide walks through the trade-offs in plain English — Smart Telescope or Traditional Rig? How to Choose
About this kit finder
AstroSight helps beginners choose astrophotography gear without wading through forum threads. Answer four questions about your experience, the targets you want to photograph, how dark your sky is and your budget, and it recommends two complete options side by side: a smart telescope that does the tracking, stacking and processing for you, and a traditional rig built from a separate mount, optics and camera.
Every pick shows its price in your currency, its weight and a score for each target, including the ones it can't do well. Want to understand the trade-offs first? Start with smart telescope vs traditional rig, see the best smart telescopes of 2026, check your sky on the Bortle scale, or try the telescope simulator to preview what a setup will capture.
Guides
- Smart Telescope or Traditional Rig? How to ChooseSmart telescopes are easy, traditional rigs reach further. Compare ease, cost, planets and upgrade paths to pick the right astrophotography setup.Updated 22 Sep 2026
- The Best Smart Telescopes of 2026 by BudgetEvery current smart telescope from ZWO, Dwarflab, Vaonis, Unistellar and Celestron, grouped by budget, with specs and who each model suits.Updated 28 Sep 2026
- Seestar S50 Pro vs Dwarflab Draco: Which to BuyThe Seestar S50 Pro ships now; the Dwarflab Draco standard edition has sold out and the SHO edition remains on pre-order. We compare specs, exposure length, weight and who each smart telescope suits.Updated 28 Sep 2026
- Your First Deep-Sky Rig: Why the Mount Matters MostThe mount decides whether a deep-sky rig works. Learn the payload rule, star tracker vs GoTo EQ vs harmonic mounts, and see three starter rigs.Updated 12 Oct 2026
- Photograph the Milky Way With the Camera You OwnShoot the Milky Way with your existing DSLR or mirrorless camera. Lens choice, the 500 and NPF rules, focusing, timing, star trackers and stacking.Updated 22 Sep 2026
- The Bortle Scale: What You Can Shoot From Your SkyWhat each Bortle class looks like, which astrophotography targets work from cities versus dark sites, and when to use broadband or narrowband filters.Updated 11 Sep 2026
- How to Photograph the Sun SafelySafe solar photography: certified front filters, why eyepiece and ND filters are dangerous, H-alpha scopes, smart telescopes and eclipse planning.Updated 28 Sep 2026
Where you shop
How AstroSight chooses
Smart telescopes are scored for each target from their lens size, sensor and built-in modes, then adjusted for how bright your sky is. Small smart telescopes can't show planets in real detail, and AstroSight says so.
Traditional rigs follow the old astronomer's rule: the mount matters most. AstroSight picks a mount that carries the load with room to spare, then the optics and camera, and shares parts across your targets wherever one piece can do two jobs. Nothing over your budget is shown.