Orion and Celestron are two big telescope manufacturers. When you start looking for a telescope you will see Celestron and Orion frequently. They are big manufacturers, I have an Orion as my primary telescope and I have been happy with it.
It is important to know that there is not too much difference in the quality of the telescopes offered by these brands.
I think the most important thing to consider is the customer service and support that you will get when you purchase a scope from one of these companies.
Customer Service
Astronomy has a steep learning curve and it can be a very lonely hobby, so having a company that offers support is very important.
I have purchased items from both companies and there is a very big difference between what is offered as customer support.
Orion
I purchased my new telescope from Orion, and the mount for the hand controller broke and one of my screws was lost. I called the company and they offered to send me those parts for free.
I have found their customer support to be excellent. I do not know how long the support continues but, they have been incredibly helpful.
When I was considering storage options for my eyepieces I was able to call Orion and they could advise me on proper storage of my eyepieces. They are knowledgeable and kind and very helpful.
Celestron
My 10mm Luminous eyepiece came from Celestron. The quality of their products is very high and the purchase process was smooth.
The customer service at Celestron has been very helpful to those I know who have purchased their telescopes from Celestron.
High Point Scientific
I wanted to be sure to mention High Point Scientific when addressing customer service.
I bought my first telescope from High Point and they were so helpful over the phone. I called them during assembly of my scope and when I ran into products.
They offer lifetime support for their customers and they keep accurate records and receipts in my experience.
When I would call with a concern they would direct me to an employee who specialized in Dobsonian telescopes, he told me about cutting washers from a milk jug to make my Azmuth movements smoother. I was just so thankful for the constant support.
High Point Scientific sells a wide variety of brands of telescopes and accessories. I have dealt with them a lot and I would recommend purchasing through them to anyone!
If the telescope you want is offered by High Point Scientific, buy from them.
Manufacturing
When we started investigating these telescope manufacturers we started by looking how and where their products are manufactured. The companies that manufacture the components of these telescopes have their own strengths and weaknesses.
While there are handmade telescopes available, most telescope components produced world wide are produced by SYNTA.
Synta is a Chinese manufacturing company that has been manufacturing optics since 1988. They began by producing only eyepieces, but have expanded to manufacturing many of the optical components in Celestron and Orion telescopes.
There can be differences in the quality of the optics manufactured by the same company as one brand may specify higher quality coatings or glass than another.
It is important to know that many of the Orion and Celestron telescopes are manufactured in the same plant by the same company.
Most of the time you can find a scope from Orion that has a sister Celestron scope. The differences are few.
Orion Funscope vs. Celestron Fristscope
To illustrate what I have said about these scopes being very similar, lets look at one of the more respected beginner telescopes offered by these companies.
Orion and Celestron both offer an entry level telescope for under $100. These scopes are the Funscope by Orion or the Firstscope by Celestron.
These telescopes are advertised to be great for beginners and easy to use.
Celestron Firstscope
The Celestron Firstscope is a Newtonian reflector meaning that it uses mirrors to collect and focus light so that you can see distant dim objects.
Open clusters and double clusters are great targets for this scope, there is no finderscope on this so you want to use an app like SkySafari to locate the object and find it with your scope. Consider starting with Pleades which you can see with your naked eye.
These targets are bright enough and big enough to be exciting to observe with this telescope.
Planets can be seen with this telescope, you will be able to see the rings of Saturn and some of its moons. You can also enjoy detail on the surface of the moon.
The Firstscope is a fast scope with a focal ratio of f/3.95, so it requires precise collimation. The configuration of the firstscope makes collimtion difficult, but there are some ways to make it work.
Collimation is when you adjust the mirrors so that the light is directed correctly to the eyepiece. Collimation can be a big concern for most new Newtonian owners. You can read about collimating in this article to get an idea of what you are looking at doing.
The eyepieces included with the Celestron Firstscope are of low quality, but they are mostly usable. I would not recommend upgrading your accessories with the Firstscope. Save the money towards a replacement telescope if you find that you are enjoying the hobby.
I would recommend a Dobsonian Reflector telescope, which can often be found used for a few hundred dollars.
Orion Funscope
The Funscope is another Newtonian reflector with a focal ratio of f/3.95. In many ways this is the same scope as the Firstscope.
The Funscope does come with a red dot finder to help you find objects in the night sky. The mount is designed to be used on a table or stool, but it can be installed on another mount if you have one available. They can even be installed on a photography tripod.
The eyepieces included are 20mm and 6mm and a plastic 2x barlow. These eyepieces are usable, but quite far apart, a 9mm eyepiece would be a nice addition to this setup.
This scope also comes with a moon map. I think this is a great addition and a great introduction to the hobby. You will be able to see Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Venus with this telescope, but you will not be able to make out much detail.
With a moon map, you can learn what you are looking for then see it in real time with your telescope. This is the joy of astronomy. Locating beautiful and interesting objects in the night sky.
If you find that you are enjoying the hobby, start saving for a higher quality telescope. Consider buying a used telescope with our used telescope guide.
Both Sell Junk
While Orion and Celestron are reputable telescope manufacturers, each company does sell telescopes that are not worth the cost.
Be careful that you know what you are buying and what you should be looking for. Often these companies will advertise their magnification on the box, but aperture is much more important. Some, like the Firstscope, do not come with finderscopes which are essential for enjoyable observing.
For example:
Celestron 114 AZ is a Bird-Jones telescope that we are currently testing at Telescope Boss. My good friend Mike just sent me a text saying that the scope will be returning to the basement where it belongs. He said he would not even give it away. You can read why Bird-Jones telescopes are so terrible in his article.
Most of the negative reviews that I find are for the low cost, “beginner” telescopes that are offered by these companies, but you can see that duds exist at many price points.
