So you have decided that you have more than a passing interest in amateur astronomy and you are now considering your first telescope to view the wonders of the night time sky. Unfortunately like everything else in life, you are finding it a little overwhelming trying to decide which telescope is right for your needs. Here you will find general details about the different types of astronomical equipment, some of the terms used and helpful hints. This will help you decide on the right telescope, to meet your needs for now and into the future. Unless you have already looked through a amateur's telescope, please review the Viewing Page .
Telescopes range in price from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This does not mean you will not have hours of fun with smaller telescopes, just that a smaller telescope will become less useful faster as you learn more of what there is to see in the night time sky. If you only wish to see celestial objects that live in your cosmic back yard or objects so large that you can practically see them with your naked eyes, then a smaller telescope or binoculars might be in order. Binoculars and some smaller telescopes have the advantage of being useful for watching Earth bound objects like birds and wildlife. If you really want to see deep into space and marvel at the unbelievable objects that are out there, larger aperture size is very important. But remember that the bigger one's telescopic aperture, the more money you will have to part with.