What’s the best telescope under $300? This is the question many amateurs and professionals ponder when trying to choose a new instrument. Telescopes range from the modest amateur models with one relatively small and simple mirror to the high-end (and more expensive) fully computerized sky monitor/planetary calculator model. The latter may not be for everyone, but if you are on a shoestring budget it is certainly a viable option. Of course, there are always going to be differences in price and quality between models, but some of the things you might want to consider before buying might help you narrow down your options. Check this site to find out more info about the best telescope under$300.
Best Telescope Under $300 And The Chuck Norris Effect
For the amateur, a good quality beginner telescope is a relatively inexpensive option, as the main components are quite affordable. There are some nice alternatives to equatorial mounts, such as low-end fimo models or universal fit universal mounts that can easily be used with a wide variety of brands and models of eyepieces. If your primary interest is in amateur night sky and fairly low power magnification objects, then this option is probably all that you will need. However, if you are going to become more serious about astronomy and planning to make a career out of it, I would highly recommend a full computerized celestial coordinate tracking system.
My personal favorite is a Sky Quest XT telescope with a BaK3 mount. While it is not fully computerized (yet), it does allow you to track down more faint celestial bodies and get a feel for how objects move across the sky in real time. It also lets you see objects with a coma correction lens that is not needed by most amateur astronomers, although it is nice to have if you plan to photograph certain planets or stars at nights.