Telescopes

Refractors, Newtonian reflectors, Dobsonians and catadioptric telescopes.

Beginner telescopesFirst scopes that work DobsoniansBig aperture, simple mount

RefractorsSharp, low-maintenance views

CatadioptricsSCTs and Maksutovs

Telescopes

Beginner telescopes

Buying guideHow to Choose a Beginner Telescope

Beginner Scopes

Choose a first telescope by target, aperture, mount, storage and setup. Compare refractors, reflectors and smart scopes before buying.

ComparisonRefractor vs Reflector vs Catadioptric Telescopes Compared

Telescope types

Telescope types compared: refractors, reflectors and Dobsonians, and Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov designs, by aperture per dollar, upkeep and targets.

Telescopes

Dobsonians

ComparisonDobsonian Aperture vs Portability

Dobsonians

Compare larger and more portable Dobsonian telescopes by aperture, storage, transport, setup and observing location before selecting a size.

Buying guideTelescope Aperture and Magnification Explained

Optics basics

Why aperture matters more than magnification: how to calculate magnification, the maximum useful power, focal ratio, resolution and how seeing limits the view.