Sky-Watcher telescope deals 2024

Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 SynScan GoTo
(Image credit: Sky-Watcher)

If you're looking for Sky-Watcher telescope deals ahead of Black Friday, you're in the right place as we've rounded up the biggest discounts ahead of the sales event.

When it comes to telescopes, Sky-Watcher is a well-known and widely-trusted name. They even make some of the best telescopes out there, so it's worth scoping out any early Black Friday Sky-Watcher telescope deals, if you're looking for new astronomy gear. However, worthwhile Sky-Watcher telescope deals can sometimes be thin on the ground, so where discounts aren't available, we've included our favorites along with their lowest available price. 

This page is updated year-round which includes Black Friday and the run-up to the event. So, when new Sky-Watcher telescope deals become available, we'll add them below and we'll remove any expired offers too. We've tried to include something suitable for every astronomer, regardless of budget and experience. If you're looking for cost-effective stargazing gear, it might be worth checking out our guides to the best binoculars and binocular deals as you can often get stunning views for a lower price point.

We've included some buying advice too, just in case you need a pointer or two ahead of Black Friday, but we always recommend doing your research and knowing exactly what you're getting before purchasing. But, Sky-Watcher isn't the only premium manufacturer of telescopes on the market, so if you don't find something suitable below, you should scroll through our guides to Celestron telescope deals, Orion telescope deals and Meade telescope deals. But, for the best early Black Friday Sky-Watcher telescope deals, read on below.

Sky-Watcher telescope deals November 2024

Save over $300
was $1,500 now $1,185.75 at Amazon US

Save over $300 on the Sky-Watcher SkyMax 180 which features in our best telescopes for seeing planets guide. We think it's the best out there for precision as it has a huge aperture and a long focal length (180mm and 2700mm respectively).

Note: This is the lowest price we've seen for a very long time but, the stock is low so you'll have to act soon to get this deal. 

Save nearly $200
was $880 now $692.84 at amazon.com

Save nearly $200 on the Sky-Watcher SkyMax 127 telescope. We rate it so highly that we think it's the best Go-To telescope for smaller budgets. While it still comes in at a high price point, this is the lowest price we've seen for a while and it's a good deal.

Note: Stock is low, so you'll have to act soon to get this deal.

Save over $120
was $880 now $756.80 at amazon.com

Save over $120 on another top telescope that we think is the best for accessories. It also features in our best telescopes guide. 

Save£20
was £215 now £195 at Wex Photo Video

Save £20 on the Sky-Watcher Heritage: a telescope that's perfect for the whole family. With a foldable design that can be packed away with ease and unfolded to get observing straight away, observers young and old can enjoy dazzling views of bright deep-sky targets, the Moon and planets.

£30 off
was £229 now £199 at Wex Photo Video

Take advantage of Wex Photo Video's latest offer (£30 off) on the Sky-Watcher Explorer-130 EQ2. Ideal for serious beginners, this reflector telescope is ideal for observing a selection of deep-sky targets, the Moon and planets. Comes with eyepieces, 2x Barlow lens, red-dot finder and more.   

Save over £30
was £399 now £364 at Wex Photo Video

Save over £30 on a telescope that offers a simple yet effective setup, the Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P is a fantastic option for the beginner and seasoned astronomer looking for a "grab and go" instrument. Observe "faint fuzzies" and planets with up to 406x magnification.

Save £26
was £245 now £219 at Wex Photo Video

Save £26 on a refractor telescope that features a 90mm aperture, a 900mm focal length and a multi-coated objective lens, so views of the moon and planets are crystal clear. Two eyepieces, a Barlow lens, a finderscope and a tripod with accessory tray are included too.

Save over $130
was $680 now $545.99 at Amazon US

Save over $130 on this app-controlled Maksutov telescope. This telescope is computerized and weighs just 13.2 lbs (all in), so it's ideal for transporting and on-the-go use. It features a 102mm aperture and has a long focal length too, so planetary and lunar observing is ideal here. Users can control the telescope through their smartphone or tablet due to the Wi-Fi and app-enabled style of this model. 

Note: Stock is low, so you'll have to act soon to get this low, low price. 

Choosing the right telescope

There are two major factors to consider when choosing the right telescope: your experience with astronomy and your budget. Luckily, there are enough Sky-Watcher telescopes out there that there's something for everyone and every budget.

If you're looking for one of the best beginner telescopes then you'll want to look out for something easy to set up and easy to use. You can get decent quality telescopes for under or around $100, the Sky-Watcher Mercury 607 refractor or the Sky-Watcher Astrolux 76 reflector retail in that price range. More experienced astronomers who might want to make more of an investment can always opt for models like Sky-Watcher Skyliner-250PX or Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P, which offer higher-end specs.

If it's one of the best telescopes for kids you're looking for then we can recommend the Sky-Watcher Heritage 76 and Sky-Watcher Infinity 76P because of their low maintenance and easy-to-store away qualities. They're also robust in build so you'll get years of use out of little investment and they can withstand minor knocks too. Two great options for introducing someone to sky watching or just in case astronomy is a passing phase. 

If you're looking to bag a bargain, it could be worth checking back here as we keep the page updated throughout the year. Annual sales events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday are the safest bets for Sky-Watcher telescope deals, but you can still save big outside of those events. 

The Sky-Watcher telescope models we have introduced so far are perfect for views of the solar system, with notable targets being the craters and seas of the moon and the small but bright sights of Jupiter and Saturn. They will also provide good observations of bright deep-sky objects such as the Orion Nebula in the constellation of Orion (the Hunter) and the stunning Pleiades star cluster in Taurus (the Bull).

Those keen on a substantial step up in quality and closer views of targets will need to consider increasing their budget for a larger objective lens or aperture — that is the "light-gathering” ability of a telescope. For magnified views of the planets, galaxies and nebulas, the Sky-Watcher Skyhawk-114, Sky-Watcher Explorer-200P and Sky-Watcher Skyliner-400P FlexTube Parabolic Dobsonian are certainly worth a look.

With an increase in budget, comes an improvement in the type of technology that has become prevalent in telescope manufacturing: computerized, or GoTo, mounts. At the touch of a button, these revolutionary instruments are able to slew to your chosen target without needing to use sky maps to find your way around the night sky. They’re not aimed at any particular level of astronomer and are often used by beginners and seasoned skywatchers alike, particularly since they also offer a quick and easy alignment process and take the hassle out of manual calibration.

In terms of computerized telescopes, the Sky-Watcher Explorer-130PS AZ-Gti WiFi, Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P FlexTube SynScan GoTo, Sky-Watcher Evostar-120 (EQ3 PRO) SynScan GoTo, Sky-Watcher Heritage-90P Virtuoso and Sky-Watcher Startravel-102 (AZ) SynScan GoTo are all excellent choices. Deciding on which one is best for you will largely depend on your budget, whether you’re a keen solar system observer, want to bring those faint deep-sky galaxies and nebulas into sharper focus or are hunting for a bit of an all-arounder.  

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Gemma Lavender
Contributing expert

Gemma currently works for the European Space Agency on content, communications and outreach, and was formerly the content director of Space.com, Live Science, science and space magazines How It Works and All About Space, history magazines All About History and History of War as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) kids education brand Future Genius. She is the author of several books including "Quantum Physics in Minutes", "Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual to the Large Hadron Collider" and "Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual to the Milky Way". She holds a degree in physical sciences, a Master’s in astrophysics and a PhD in computational astrophysics. She was elected as a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2011. Previously, she worked for Nature's journal, Scientific Reports, and created scientific industry reports for the Institute of Physics and the British Antarctic Survey. She has covered stories and features for publications such as Physics World, Astronomy Now and Astrobiology Magazine.

With contributions from