![]() That cheap department store telescope that also comes bundled with a microscope? Think of that as being like a little Razor scooter: It won't take you on the freeway, it’s more than a little shaky, and will probably fall apart after a few weeks. Here's a helpful analogy: Think of buying a telescope like buying your mode of transportation to the cosmos. ![]() If your interest is astrophotography, you can find good options across that range, depending on what you want to image. In general, expect to spend $150-$300 at the bottom end for a quality instrument, and up to about $2000+ for a large aperture computerized scope. So how much should you spend? That’s a question you need to answer for yourself based on what you can spend and how much enjoyment you expect to get out of observing the universe. At the same time, you don't need to spend thousands on professional quality gear, unless of course you want to start hunting for undiscovered asteroids. So when you see a shiny $100 telescope with a whole set of eyepieces and a tripod, you can be pretty sure there were a lot of sacrifices made that will leave you disappointed with the view you get through it. Quality convex lenses and concave mirrors are difficult to make. Just keep in mind that you are buying a precision optical instrument. At the same time, you don't need to spend a fortune to get a telescope that will bring you years of enjoyment. Spend too little, and you wind up with something like the red Tasco telescope I got as a kid that was really only good for looking at the moon and taking up a dusty corner of the garage. It isn't a linear value curve rather it tends to be more of a bell shape. The adage "you get what you pay for" has an interesting application with telescopes. The sections below should help you think through some of those questions and narrow down your choices. Do you want to do visual observing or astrophotography?.What do you want to look at? The moon, planets, bright nebula, double-stars, galaxies, clusters?.How far will you need to move the telescope to setup and use it?.Some questions you want to consider when shopping for your first telescope: ![]() Hopefully this article simplifies the process a bit for you. When I first got started in astronomy, I spent several months researching what telescope to buy, and I really didn't find most of the "how to choose your first telescope" articles out there all that helpful. If you are like me, when it comes to buying something like a telescope, you want to do your research to make sure you purchase something you'll be happy with. With everything from cheap department store telescopes to computerized models and specialized APO refractors, how do you choose something you'll be able to enjoy for years without spending a fortune? Buying your first telescope can quickly become a daunting task when faced with so many choices and unfamiliar terms. ![]()
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