Moore's law tells us that the price of technology should go down over time, so why is stargazing gear getting more expensive?

June 26, 2026 - 18:22

Moore's Law has long promised that technology gets cheaper and more powerful over time, but anyone shopping for a telescope or high-end binoculars lately knows that promise is broken. With the newest smart telescopes and image-stabilized binoculars running into the thousands of dollars, older models should be bargain-bin deals. Instead, prices across the board are climbing.

Several factors are driving this trend. First, the cost of precision optics has not followed the same curve as computer chips. Grinding a high-quality lens or mirror remains a labor-intensive process, and raw materials like rare-earth glass have become more expensive. Second, the demand for astrophotography gear has exploded. More people want to capture deep-sky images, and manufacturers are packing in features like GPS, Wi-Fi, and automated tracking. Those electronics add cost, not subtract it.

Supply chain disruptions also play a role. Many components, from sensors to motors, come from a limited number of factories. When production slows, prices rise. And unlike consumer electronics, the astronomy market is small. There is no race to the bottom with volume sales. Companies know serious hobbyists will pay a premium for durability and performance.

Finally, inflation has hit everything. Shipping, packaging, and retail overhead all cost more. So while your smartphone gets cheaper every year, your next telescope will likely cost more than the last one you bought. The stars are not getting any closer, but the price to see them clearly is.