See the full moon up close: These beginner telescopes are all under $250 for Black Friday

Getting into astronomy doesn’t need to feel intimidating or expensive. This Black Friday, a handful of great beginner telescopes are available for under $250, giving you an easy way to dip your toes into stargazing without overthinking the gear. They also make a great step up if you’ve been using astronomy binoculars and want a clearer, more stable view — and they’re an ideal Christmas present for your kids.

These models keep things straightforward with simple setups and intuitive controls, so you can get straight to the fun part — spotting craters on the upcoming full supermoon on December 4, picking out Jupiter’s moons and discovering just how much there is to see once you look up.

If you want to invest in one of the very best telescopes, however, we’re keeping track of all the best deals over in our Black Friday hub.