Buying the right telescope can make all the difference, and after using a good one, that child or adult on your Christmas list may never be the same. It's been three years since we covered buying telescopes in this column, but the things to look for and stay away from haven't changed. Telescopes have largely remained the same, too. They are pretty much the same design that Galileo and Newton used hundreds of years ago. I doubt theirs came with computer software though.
Astronomical scopes differ from ordinary spotting scopes used for nature study or target spotting.
We use astronomical telescopes on things we don't have a prayer of getting close to. Astronomical telescopes often give a view that is mirror reversed or even upside down. These make them less desirable for terrestrial observing. Astronomical scopes sometimes come with special mounts that make following objects across the sky easier. What to run from Generally, the telescopes I saw in the department store are bad investments.