Buying Your First TELESCOPE? Here’s What I’d Do!

Are you about to buy your first telescope? This is the advice I give people in this position on a daily basis. This is the way I started, and it nurtured my love for the night sky by providing a memorable, positive first experience. Look for a tabletop Dobsonian for ultimate practicality, or a traditional Dobsonian (8“ is great) if you’re craving better views. My Portable Visual Scope: My Big Visual Telescope: You can take pictures of the Planets and the Moon using your smartphone, but deep-sky objects require a tracking mount. More info: Key Takeaways: • Start with visual astronomy before astrophotography • I suggest choosing a Dobsonian reflector to maximize light-gathering power on a budget • Remember that a telescope that is too heavy will get used much less • You can take pictures of the Moon and planets system objects using your smartphone • DON’T LOOK AT THE SUN! Once the telescope has arrived, you can educate yourself about collimation: You may also want to download a stargazing app for your smartphone: Clear skies! Affiliate Links: Some of the links in my video descriptions are affiliate links, which means at no extra cost to you, I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase.