In my opinion 8 inches is about the right aperture. Newtonian telescope does just fine. Refractors and reflectors There are generally two types of telescopes, refractors and reflectors. In refracting telescopes, the light path passes though a lens in the front of the telescope on its way to the eyepiece and eye. These types of telescopes are what most non-astronomy people think that a telescope is.
Camera lenses are refractors.
The light path is reflected and diverted to the eyepiece and eye. The Hubble Space Telescope is a reflector, along with most of the other telescopes used by professional astronomers. Generally speaking, good quality refractors are best for high powered and high contrast looks at solar system objects like the planets and moon. It is tough to beat the crisp, quality view of a good refractor. Some refractors have a wide field of view with a fast focal ratio so they are good for photography.