Selecting your very first telescope is hard and a matter of personal choice - get it wrong and you can entirely ruin what should be a terrific and astronomical endeavor. Right away forget about magnification. If you are contemplating a telescope which is advertising the magnification as its principal selling point then stop considering it. Telescopes collect and focus light and for that reason by far the most significant factor is it's light gathering ability, otherwise known as aperture. As a general rule of thumb, larger apertures gather much more light, and the greater the light you collect the more you are going to see! To select the right telescope for you there are a number of questions which you need to ask yourself.
Start 1st by determining what it is that you wish to look at, basically deep space or the close by planets. For just planetary observation the best option is a Refractor telescope. If, in contrast, you intend to spend your energy and time looking into deep space at stars and nebulae then you will need a Reflector Telescope. If you'd like to do the both then your best choice is to buy a Catadioptric telescope, these include the advantages from the other styles while also getting rid of almost all of their flaws. At the present time these are the most desired telescopes available on the market..
Your next important things to consider are place, light pollution and portability. Contamination from light is more than likely going to put an end to your dreams of deep space observing. If this is what you planned to look at and you reside in the heart of a built up locale then forget about a Reflector. Unless that is you are willing to travel. As soon as you submerge yourself inside the excellent realm of astronomy you will realise that astronomers love to journey to many different locations with their telescope, both for the enhanced views along with the social aspect of it. If you plan to do a spot of voyaging with your scope then you need to genuinely consider in advance the amount of equipment you'll need and just how much vehicle space you will have at your disposal. All your telescope gear may get big very quickly, so if you just have a smart car then you might need to down-scale your dreams. It is also worth taking into account that Reflectors are a tad fragile and Refractors are often very chunky. Yet again, Catadioptrics offer you the best options when it comes to strength and size..
Whilst you're contemplating the way you are intending to get your dream telescope in your car never forget about the mount and tripod -- it is crucial for viewing that it truly is stable. There are various important accessories to help you get up and running but these are unquestionably imperative. If you want to have a look at stuff a really great distance away then it doesn't help you if your telescope is not steady. It is also yet another bulky bit of gear and wants to be included within your 'realistic' touring ideas. After you have thought about your residence, what you drive, established what sort of telescope you would like, realised the extra accessories you'll need and you've got an elementary perception of aperture it's finally time to make your selection. This means taking a detailed look at your spending budget. Be aware that you do not always want the most expensive telescope you can pay for, instead you want the right telescope along with a mount and triod that has got the largest aperture achievable for practical transportability.