I was a kid, and it's also better for seeing meteors anyway. Binoculars If the naked eye can see 10,000 stars, then binoculars can allow you to see 100,000 or more!  With a decent (and inexpensive) pair of binoculars, a person can see much greater detail in clusters, and with a (really) steady pair of hands, you can even see some different coloured stars of binaries, and the Galilean moons of Jupiter.  When you hold your binoculars, get a stand if you can, or prop your elbows against something.  If a stand or a prop is unavailable, rest your thumbs on your cheeks and hold your breath while you view.  Another important thing to remember is that it's unwise to view the full moon through a pair of binoculars: you won't damage your eyes, but it will be uncomfortable and it will temporarily ruin your night vision, and you will have to wait a minute or so for your eyes to reset before you can continue viewing.   Binoculars are also useful for spotting things in the sky that are hard to see with the naked eye, which you can then focus a telescope on. Telescope This is the single greatest tool of the amateur astronomer, and most people who are interesting in getting one, end up being too intimidated by the myriad of prices and choices: Reflector , refractor or Schmidt-Cassegrain ? Dobsonian or Tripod mount? Go-to , push-to, or manual? Does it track ? The options are intimidating.  Since