Before You Buy Anything
Starting your hobby can be fun and mind boggling. It can be as inexpensive as collecting balloons or you can spend a bundle. You can buy big, little, used or new. Hopefully I can give you some ideas, suggestions, points of interest and contacts that will help you decide what is the best equipment for your needs.
1st - Do some research
If you are at that point that you want your first scope and are not sure what you want, my best advice is to get hold of a copy of "The Backyard Astronomer's Guide" by Dickinson and Dryer. (Most public libraries have a copy) This is an excellent book that explains the different types of telescopes and what you can expect. It shows basic star charts and how to read them. It also has good information about the different types of telescopes available today. You also might want to pick up the latest issues of "Sky and Telescope" and/or "Astronomy" magazines. Most book stores and libraries carry copies. Check out the adds in these magazines to get an idea of the price of telescopes.
2nd - Hands on
One of the best ways to actually use a telescope before you buy one is to go to your local amateur astronomy club's outings. Most cities will have one or two clubs in your area. In Virginia Beach, Virginia, the "Back Bay Amateur Astronomers" set up several types and sizes of telescopes for public viewing every month. You can talk to members of the club who own telescopes and see not only the variety of scopes but also the endless supply of accessories.
3rd - Alternative - Binoculars
I tell most people who ask about telescopes, "If your not sure about a telescope, think binoculars". EVERY astronomer I know has a pair of bino's. I carry a small pair of a 8 x 35mm around my neck during my observing. Did you know you can see the Moons of Jupiter, Nebula's, Star Clusters and even Galaxies with just a pair of everyday 8 x 50mm binoculars that you can get in most stores for less than $35.00? Like telescopes you can spend a little or get a pair of large "astronomy" bino's (usually 80/90mm) for a couple hundred. Now days, (I wish they would have had these years ago), you can get a big 15 power by 100mm for $350.00 new. Anything over 8 power or larger than 60mm will most likely need to be placed on a tripod. Most bino's are threaded so they will fit on a camera tripod. On the picture below, in the foreground, is my pair of Orion 80mm telescope bino's. These are different from most because I can change the eyepieces to increase power from 25 to 125 power.
Remember, in bino's or telescopes, it's the eyepieces that give the instrument it's power
Amateur astronomers are a unique group, they are happy to share their expertise as well as revealing any mistakes they have made. So many of them have said, "I wish I had bought this instead of...." including me. My Email
