The best first telescope is the one you will actually use. That means one that shows enough to keep you interested, sets up in minutes and fits where you live.
1. Aperture first
Aperture - the diameter of the main lens or mirror - decides how much light a telescope collects and how much detail it can show. As a rough guide:
- 70-90 mm: the Moon in detail, Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons and cloud belts, bright clusters.
- 114-150 mm: more planetary detail, and many nebulae and galaxies from darker skies.
- 200 mm and up: a big step in deep-sky views, but heavier to carry.
For the same money, a reflector gives more aperture than a refractor.
2. A steady, simple mount
A wobbly mount ruins the view. A Dobsonian mount - a simple rotating base - is the easiest for beginners: point and look, no setup. Equatorial mounts track the sky more smoothly but need balancing and alignment. GoTo mounts find objects for you but need power and an initial alignment.
3. Ignore big magnification claims
Boxes promising "525x" or "600x" describe images too dim and blurred to use. Useful magnification is limited by aperture and by the air. See focus and magnification.
4. Think about where and how you will observe
- From a flat or rooftop in a city: the Moon and planets are your main targets; a 114-150 mm reflector is a strong choice.
- Carried to dark sites: size and weight matter - a compact reflector or refractor.
- For children: choose something they can point by themselves, and start with the Moon.
5. Budget for a few extras
A second eyepiece, a Moon filter and, if you ever want to look at the Sun, a certified solar filter that covers the front of the telescope. See which accessories to buy first.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying on magnification or "professional" labels.
- A telescope on a flimsy photo tripod.
- Expecting colourful photograph-like views - see What can I see?.
Not sure? Answer six questions in Find My Telescope.