Choosing Your Astronomy Equipment

Telescopes come in an overwhelming variety of sizes, shapes, and prices, so buying your first one can be a rather daunting task. Do you opt for the pricey one with a computer built into the hand control or the larger one that’s pure mirrors? What do the words “refractor” and “reflector” mean anyways? We provide an array of articles to help you choose a telescope that will be right for you. We dive into the basic telescope types and telescope mounts. We’ll explain that size does matter — in other words, a larger mirror will let you see fainter objects in finer detail than a smaller one can. And we’ll help you choose other equipment to use along with your newly bought telescope, such as eyepieces and filters. These articles provide useful tips for buying telescopes no matter your level of experience.