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How to choose your first telescope

You saw something in the sky — or you just want to see Saturn's rings with your own eyes. Here's how to buy your first telescope without wasting money.

1. Aperture wins, but portability decides

The best telescope is the one you'll actually carry outside. An 8-inch Dobsonian shows you vastly more than a 70mm refractor — but only if it leaves the house. Be honest about your car, your stairs, and your patience.

2. The mount matters more than the optics

A shaky mount ruins a good telescope. Dobsonian bases and solid alt-azimuth mounts are steady and simple. Cheap equatorial mounts on beginner scopes are where money goes to die.

3. Our three picks

Under $200: Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ — a real refractor, no collimation, great Moon and planets.
Around $300: Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P — 6 inches of tabletop Dobsonian, the sweet spot.
Around $700: Apertura AD8 — a full-size 8-inch Dob that will keep you busy for years.

4. What to skip

Anything advertising extreme magnification ("675x power!") — that's marketing, not optics. Maximum useful magnification is roughly 2x the aperture in millimetres; beyond that you're just magnifying blur.

5. First-night checklist

Start with the Moon. Then Jupiter. Then the Orion Nebula. Give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt, use a red flashlight, and bring warm clothes — you'll stay out longer than you plan.

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