1. Don't be put off by the dizzying number of telescope types, telescope models, and telescope features available. Even a small, simple Galileo telescope is powerful enough to bring many aspects of the universe into view; the specific telescope features will depend on your specific needs.
2. If you are considering a telescope for a child, a refracting telescope is probably the best telescope available. Refracting telescopes feature rugged construction and a bottom eyepiece position that is easy for children to reach.
3. Reflecting telescopes are larger in size than refracting telescopes, and are the best telescopes for studying deep-sky objects. A reflecting telescope also produces high-quality images, and has the added benefit of being relatively economical.
4. Refracting telescopes use lenses to focus light and bring objects closer, much in the same way that binoculars do. Reflecting telescopes use mirrors to focus ambient light into the telescope and reflect it into the eyepiece.
5. Catadioptric telescopes offer the best of both refractor telescope and reflector telescope technologies by using both lenses and mirrors to focus light. Telescopes also feature a bottom-positioned eyepiece like refractor telescopes.
6. Catadioptric telescopes are lighter in weight and more compact than either refractor or reflector telescopes, making them more portable and easier to maneuver.
7. A dobsonian telescope is a simple, cost-effective Newtonian reflector scope, and a perfect option for the purist. Dobsonian telescopes are completely low-tech, yet powerful enough to satisfy even deep-sky enthusiasts.
