When did telescopes become available?
This is an opinion based question and so I don't think there is an objective answer.  For example what constitutes a wealthy person?
However, in his book &quot;Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes&quot;, first published in 1859, the author, Thomas Webb, writes: Instruments quite sufficient for the student's purpose are far less expensive than formerly; a trifling outlay will often procure them, of excellent quality, at second-hand
This suggests to me that telescopes had become reasonably available by the mid 19th C.