The Best Telescopes for Mars Opposition
A Mars Opposition happens when Earth passes in between the Sun and Mars. From Earth, Mars and the Sun appear on opposite sides of the sky because Mars will rise as the Sun sets, making it a bright, all-night target for skywatchers. During opposition Mars takes Jupiter's place on the night sky podium as the third brightest object in the night sky (next to the Moon and Venus).
Make sure you don't miss this exciting event. We've put together a great guide for ideal viewing of the Mars Opposition!
The Top 10 Telescopes for Mars Opposition
Meade 12-inch LX600 ACF Telescope with StarLock
The easy to use and portable Meade LX600 increases total brightness using their top-of-the-line optical design. This telescope is similar to what professionals use, yet remains within reach of amateur astronomers everywhere! In addition to quality optics, it also integrates a unique star-tracking and object-finding system in the telescope mount which allows the telescope to center your target perfectly in the field of view. Once centered, the star-tracking system communicates directly with the motor drive to automatically ensure your scope stays precisely locked onto its target.
Celestron 11-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain CGX-L Telescope
The Celestron CGX-L 11-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain CGX-L produces exceptionally sharp images and is ideal for both planetary imaging and observing. For objects near the Meridian (imaginary line passing from North to South) the Celestron CGX-L mount will track a full 20 degrees past the Meridian for precise and uninterrupted imaging. This telescope's powerful optics acts as a light bucket and will have you in awe from the images of Mars it will produce.
Celestron CGEM-II 926 EdgeHD Telescope
The Celestron CGEM-II 926 EdgeHD telescope will make sure you get the most from your optics not just during Mars Opposition, but each and every night. This telescope's performance says it all in the name... HD, and will give you over 1000 times the light gathering power than the unaided eye across the widest visual and photographic spectrum!
Meade LX85 8-inch ACF f/10 SCT Telescope
The Meade LX85 8-inch ACF telescope is equipped with skillfully engineered optics, bringing you high contrast images with optimal surface details on planets, including Mars. Equipped with high-quality, portable, GoTo, German Equatorial Mount, this telescope is the perfect choice for the experienced observer and the amateur astro-imager looking to chase objects in the night sky! The Meade LX85 8-inch ACF will keep you looking up for many years to come and sets a standard for mid-sized telescopes at a great price!
CELESTRON 700 F/15 MAKSUTOV CASSEGRAIN OTA
The Celestron 700 Maksutov Cassegrain is a great beginner telescope strictly for planetary work. It's designed for detailed, high-contrast views of smaller celestial objects like the planets and will provide up-close views of the lunar surface making it an ideal scope for the Mars Opposition
Meade 12-inch LX850-ACF f/8 OTA Telescope
The Meade 12-inch LX850-ACF OTA delivers the ultimate in clarity, contrast and flat field of view. Natural coma and optical aberrations are eliminated allowing for pinpoint round stars to the edge of the field. These qualities make Meade ACF optical tubes excellent imaging instruments. By pairing ACF optics with their Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC), light transmission and detail are greatly increased allowing you visually discern fainter objects.
Meade LX85 6-inch f/12 Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
This MAK's multi-coated optics coupled with its rigid, yet portable, GoTo German Equatorial mount will have astroimagers of all levels on their way to chasing celestial objects at a great price! the LX85 6-inch Maksutov-Cassegrain’s sturdy GoTo Mount will handle up to 33 lbs of observing equipment, including an array of different optical tubes, while the sturdy build and low-cog servo motors ensures smooth tracking performance.
Sky-Watcher 180 mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope OTA
The Sky-Watcher 180 mm Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design is ideal for high-contrast planetary observing and imaging. It produces high-resolution sharp images with high contrast. The optical elements are fully multi-coated to further enhance the image contrast. The aperture of this scope is 180 mm or just over 7-inches for extra light gathering capacity, meaning you will get brighter and sharper images.
Meade StarNavigator Next Generation 125 mm Maksutov
The Meade StarNavigator Next Generation MAK provides everything a beginner needs to start observing in one place. This simple-to-use and powerful telescope provides an easy pathway to access GoTo capable instruments (which will find and track celestial objects for you) at an affordable price!
Celestron Astro FI 102mm Wi-Fi Maksutov-Cassegrain
This Celestron Astro Fi MAK's optics will offer dazzling views of planetary surface details, and will surely exceed your expectations for not only Mars Opposition but many other views such as the craters on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, the Orion Nebula, and much more. This telescope is ideal for beginners dipping their toes in the vast world of astronomy, and for those interested in a simpler astronomy experience!
How will you be participating in the Mars Opposition of 2020? Let us know in the comments below!
