This month’s total solar eclipse is approaching, and with another opportunity not coming to the US for nearly 10 years, you may be wondering how best to make the most of the occasion.
Thankfully, the Celestron EclipSmart Travel Solar Scope 50 is an excellent beginner’s telescope that’s ideal for just this situation thanks to a built-in white light filter to ensure you and your loved ones can enjoy the moment safe in the knowledge you’re not going to damage your eyes.
The telescope is discounted down from $129.99 to just $99.99 at Best Buy, a $30 drop from the MSRP — a price that was already on the affordable end of the scale.
It’s easy to set up and comes with a handy carrying backpack, so if you’ve not yet settled on a spot to watch the eclipse you can make your mind up at the very last minute.
This telescope complies with the ISO 12312-2(E) standards that the International Standards Organization set which ensures it’s completely safe for solar viewing straight out of the box.
This refractor solar telescope has fully coated glass optics and a permanently attached solar telescope filter to ensure you cannot view the sun and damage your eyesight. It also features an integrated solar safe finderscope to quickly center the sun in the eyepiece without the need to look at the sun with the naked eye and it ships with a carry bag and alt-azimuth mount atop a tripod.
It’s worth noting, as covered in the Celestron EclipSmart Travel Solar Scope 50 telescope review from our sister site, Space.com, that the tripod here isn’t the sturdiest you’ll find. That’s partially down to the price of the telescope, which is otherwise remarkably well put together, but might mean it’s more useful as a portable solar telescope.
Still, for a solar telescope you can pop in a bag and take with you easily to your eclipse viewing spot of choice, maybe even a viewing party, this is well worth a look.
Key features: Easy to use, portable, built-in white light filter, backpack included.
Price history: While we have seen this price beaten by Amazon, that was years ago and the retailer doesn’t currently have the Celestron Eclipsmart Travel Solar Scope 50 in stock at all.
Price comparison: Walmart is still at close to full price at $127.99, while Target sits at $109.99.
Reviews consensus: Already reasonably priced before the discount, this telescope’s white light filter makes it ideal for anyone to observe the upcoming total eclipse – including newcomers. It’s also well-built, although a sturdier tripod wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Space: ★★★★
Buy it if: You want to observe this month’s total eclipse with a telescope that won’t break the bank, while also enjoying the safety of a white light filter.
Don’t buy it if: You want a telescope that’ll stay in place – there are other options out there with much less wobble in the tripod.
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