2-inch telescopes are ideal for kids and beginners. On average, they provide 360-900 mm focal lengths and a range of focal ratios from f/5.7-f/12.9. They can magnify objects 122-165x times the human eye. You can get 2-inch telescopes from different brands in the price range of 85-730$.
What is a 2-inch telescope?
A 2-inch telescope has an aperture (the diameter of the objective lens) of 2-2.75 inch (50-70 mm). 2-inch telescopes are in the category of the smallest-size telescopes.
What can you see with a 2-inch telescope?
- Venus and its phases
- The Moon with craters
- Jupiter’s cloud bands, and the Great Red Spot
- Saturn with rings
- M31 and M33
- NGC galaxies
- Nebulae like M42, M8
Types and Technical Specifications of 2-inch telescope
Types (Optical Design)
Solar: Example: Orion 70mm White-Light f/7.1 Solar OTA Telescope.
Petzval: Example: William Optics RedCat 51II – Upgraded Version, William Optics RedCat 71 APO Telescope – Red, Orion StarBlast 62mm Compact Travel f/8.4 Quadruplet Refracting OTA Telescope.
Triplet Refractor: Example: William Optics Gran Turismo 71 APO Refractor with Flattener, Radian 61 f/4.5 Imaging APO Telescope, William Optics Gran Turismo 71 APO Refractor – Red, Sharpstar 61EDPH II f/5.5 Triplet APO Refractor Telescope
Doublet Refractor: Example: Celestron Travel Scope 70 DX f/5.7 Portable Refractor Telescope with Backpack, Orion ED66 CF f/6.1 Doublet Refracting Telescope, Orion Observer II 70mm f/10 Doublet Refracting Telescope Kit, William Optics ZenithStar 61II Doublet Refracting Telescope – Gold, Celestron Travel Scope 70 Portable Telescope with Backpack, Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ Telescope, Celestron PowerSeeker 50 AZ Telescope, Celestron Travel Scope 50 Portable Telescope, Celestron Travel Scope 60 DX with Backpack, Celestron AstroMaster LT 70AZ Telescope, Celestron PowerSeeker 70 AZ Telescope, Sky-Watcher Evolux 62ED Doublet APO Refractor, William Optics ZenithStar 61II Doublet Refracting Telescope – Grey, Orion Carbon Fiber ED66 f/6.1 Doublet Refracting Telescope, Orion Observer II 60mm f/11.7 Doublet Refracting Telescope Kids Kit, Orion Observer II 70mm f/10 Doublet Refracting Telescope, Orion GoScope III 70mm Refractor Travel Telescope, Orion Observer II 60mm f/11.7 Doublet Refracting Telescope
Technical Specifications
Aperture: 2-2.75 inch (50-70 mm)
Focal Length: 360-900 mm
Focal ratio: f/5.7-f/12.9
Highest Magnification: 122-165x
Light Gathering Power: 76-100x
Price: 85-730$
Images taken with 2-inch telescopes
Examples of 2-inch telescopes
2-inch
- Celestron PowerSeeker 50 AZ Telescope
- Celestron Travel Scope 50 Portable Telescope
- William Optics RedCat 51II – Upgraded Version
2.25-inch
- Celestron Travel Scope 60 DX with Backpack
- Orion Observer II 60mm f/11.7 Doublet Refracting Telescope Kids Kit
- Orion Observer II 60mm f/11.7 Doublet Refracting Telescope
2.5-inch
- Orion ED66 CF f/6.1 Doublet Refracting Telescope
- Orion StarBlast 62mm Compact Travel f/8.4 Quadruplet Refracting OTA Telescope
- William Optics ZenithStar 61II Doublet Refracting Telescope – Gold
- Sharpstar 61EDPH II f/5.5 Triplet APO Refractor Telescope
- William Optics ZenithStar 61II Doublet Refracting Telescope – Red
- Radian 61 f/4.5 Imaging APO Telescope
- Sky-Watcher Evolux 62ED Doublet APO Refractor
- William Optics ZenithStar 61II Doublet Refracting Telescope – Grey
- Orion Carbon Fiber ED66 f/6.1 Doublet Refracting Telescope
2.75 inch
- Celestron Travel Scope 70 DX f/5.7 Portable Refractor Telescope with Backpack
- Orion Observer II 70mm f/10 Doublet Refracting Telescope Kit
- Celestron Travel Scope 70 Portable Telescope with Backpack
- Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ Telescope
- Orion Observer II 70mm f/10 Doublet Refracting Telescope
- Orion GoScope III 70mm Refractor Travel Telescope
- Universal Astro 70mm Refractor Travel Telescope
- William Optics Gran Turismo 71 APO Refractor with Flattener
- Celestron AstroMaster LT 70AZ Telescope
- William Optics RedCat 71 APO Telescope – Red
- Celestron PowerSeeker 70 AZ Telescope
- William Optics Gran Turismo 71 APO Refractor – Red
- Orion 70mm White-Light f/7.1 Solar OTA Telescope
How do 2-inch telescopes compare to other size-telescopes
2-inch vs 3-inch telescopes
2-inch telescope has less aperture than the 3-inch scopes. They offer a focal ratio of f/5.7-f/12.9 whereas the 3-inch telescopes vary from f/3.9-f/12. Besides, 3-inch telescopes offer a focal length of 300-900 mm whereas the 2-inch telescopes start from 360 mm to 900 mm in focal lengths. Moreover, 2-inch telescopes provide 122-165x the highest magnification, whereas 3-inch telescopes can magnify up to 152-189x.
| 2-inch telescope | 3-inch telescopes | |
| Aperture | 2-2.75 inch (50-70 mm) | 3-3.75 inch (76-94 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/5.7-f/12.9 | f/3.9-f/12 |
| Focal Length | 360-900 mm | 300-900 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 122-165x | 152-189x |
| Price | 85-730$ | 69-1495$ |
2-inch vs 4-inch telescopes
2-inch telescopes provide focal lengths of 360-900 mm (f/5.7-f/12.9), while 4-inch telescopes vary in focal lengths from 450-1350 mm (f/3.9-f/9). 2-inch telescopes provide the highest magnification of 122-165x, whereas 4-inch telescopes can magnify 204-236x.
| 2-inch telescope | 4-inch telescope | |
| Aperture | 2-2.75 inch (50-70 mm) | 4-4.75 inch (100-120 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/5.7-f/12.9 | f/3.9-f/9 |
| Focal Length | 360-900 mm | 450-1350 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 122-165x | 204-236x |
| Price | 85-730$ | 262-5,200$ |
2-inch vs 5-inch telescope
5-inch telescopes provide a focal length of 650-1900 mm with a focal ratio of f/5-f/15. In contrast, 2-inch telescopes vary from 360-900 mm in focal length with a focal ratio of f/5.7-f/12.9. Moreover, 5-inch telescopes provide 225-260x the highest magnification, which is 122-165x in the case of 2-inch scopes.
| 2-inch telescope | 5-inch telescope | |
| Aperture | 2-2.75 inch (50-70 mm) | 5-inch (127-130 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/5.7-f/12.9 | f/5-f/15 |
| Focal Length | 360-900 mm | 650-1900 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 122-165x | 225-260x |
| Price | 85-730$ | 279-8,400$ |
2-inch vs 6-inch telescope
2-inch telescopes have less aperture than the 6-inch scopes. They offer a focal ratio of f/3.9-f/10 whereas the 2-inch telescopes vary from f/5.7-f/12.9. However, 6-inch telescopes offer a focal length of 162-1800 mm. On the other hand, 2 inch telescopes vary from 300-900 mm in focal lengths. 6-inch telescopes provide the highest magnification of 295-320x, whereas 2-inch telescopes can magnify 122-165x.
| 2-inch telescope | 6-inch telescope | |
| Aperture | 2-2.75 inch (50-70 mm) | 6-inch (150 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/5.7-f/12.9 | f/3.9-f/10 |
| Focal Length | 360-900 mm | 162-1800 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 122-165x | 295-320x |
| Price | 85-730$ | 310-15,070$ |