The Unistellar eQuinox 2 is a great telescope for anyone, but is uniquely suited for many younger, beginner astronomers who grew up doing everything on their smartphones. That’s because it’s a smart telescope, controlled with just one button and a smartphone app it must be paired with. By using an interface that many people — especially younger generations — are already familiar with, it’s perfect as a starter telescope. However, this can also be considered one of its biggest downsides if you’re looking for a more traditional experience.
The other concern is its astronomical price (no pun intended). The Unistellar eQuinox 2 costs $2,499, though luckily it can be paid off in installments. Telescopes, especially good ones, can be pretty expensive, and this isn’t an unreasonable price per se. But if you’re just starting out and not ready to make a big investment in case it turns out astronomy isn’t for you, you’ll want to aim for a cheaper option.
The Unistellar eQuinox 2 can justify its high cost, though. Besides an included tripod and the innovative smartphone controls, the telescope has a Smart Light Pollution Reduction feature that makes it easier to see celestial objects from densely-populated urban areas with lots of artificial light. It also has a 4.5-inch (114 mm) aperture, 450 mm focal length, and a 50x optical/150x digital magnification range, allowing you to see far and wide.
