This year, stargazers worldwide celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. The UNESCO declaration marks 400 years since Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei first turned an optical magnification instrument skyward to study celestial bodies. His simplistic 4-foot refracting telescope utilized a convex object lens and a concave eye lens to enable his discovery of numerous extraterrestrial phenomena. That same year, 1609, in Austria, Johannes Kepler described the laws of planetary motion in his manifesto, Astronomia Nova, or New Astronomy, which helped to fuel the Scientific Revolution. Kepler later created a more effective dual-convex-lens version of the Galilean telescope, paving the way for the 1669 invention of Englishman Sir Isaac Newton’s practical mirror-based reflecting adaptation. While modern technology has spawned monumental increases in celestial magnification capabilities, today’s telescopes still function upon the principles established by history’s illustrious astronomers.

Recent developments in optic technology have also made the convenient application of telescopes more readily accessible to amateur astronomers than ever before. With its new ETX-LS model ($1,299), Meade has created a telescope that allows users to view countless wonders of the cosmos with relative ease. The brand’s LightSwitch technology eliminates the need to take bearings, execute alignments, or enter other cumbersome calculations requisite of professional-grade telescopes. Simply switching on the ETX-LS makes possible the instantaneous visual exploration of deep space.

For those not yet endowed with thorough constellatory, planetary, and nebular knowledge, Meade’s proprietary AutoStar remote will locate more than 100,000 interstellar objects and place them in the telescope’s viewing lens at the push of a button. The remote can also access the on-board "Astronomer Inside" database, which provides educational vignettes accompanied by audio descriptions that are delivered via built-in speakers. Users can share the viewing experience by connecting the ETX-LS to a computer or TV monitor through a USB or video output, and can capture astro-photos through an internal imaging device. Meade also offers professional-grade models for the intermediate and expert explorers of deep space, though manufacturers such as Celestron and Vixen Optics present instruments of equally superior quality.

Celestron’s CGE Pro 1400 Fastar model ($9,499), with a 14-inch lens, offers more light-gathering power than the Meade telescope and is equipped with a computerized mount for automated stargazing. The 1400 Fastar’s NexRemote software allows for more advanced control from a personal computer. A result of the industry’s growing demand for binocular telescoping, Vixen’s BT125-A model ($4,999) is among the largest binoculars available. The BT125’s optical unit weighs 24 pounds and provides pristine detail for both astronomical and land observations.

For buyers more concerned with the aesthetic incorporation of telescopes into their home than with new technology, both Celestron and Vixen offer models better vetted as conversation pieces. Celestron’s Ambassador 80 AZ brass telescope ($1,999) utilizes Galileo’s refracting lens design, but of perhaps greater historical note is Vixen’s limited- edition Newtonian model ($599)—a replica of Newton’s reflector telescope. Crafted with the same handmade technology as the original, Vixen’s telescope enables the viewer to celebrate the stars as Newton did centuries ago.