Light pollution is the astronomer’s biggest enemy, especially if you’re gazing into deep space. And while some of the best telescopes can make a difference, there’s no way to eliminate it. That’s why, if you want to observe the cosmos without obstruction, you need to seek out darker skies, get a smart telescope or combine the two.

You don’t have to book a flight to a dark sky reserve; just traveling away from suburbia can be enough. That’s where portable telescopes come in. Set one up in a field, for example, and you’ll get a vastly improved view of the cosmos. Galaxies, nebulas and other deep space objects become more detailed when they’re not washed out by skyglow.