Photo: samgrover / Flickr

Buying a telescope can be intimidating both because of the high price of the equipment and because of the complexity of the choice. With a few simple guidelines, however, the process becomes a lot simpler, so read on to find out about the ways in which telescopes differ, and how to choose the right one for your own needs.

What to consider

Before choosing a telescope, you’ll need to take into account your budget, what you need from the telescope, and whether to choose a refractor or reflector. When deciding how much you can afford to pay for a telescope, keep in mind that most telescopes that cost less than £150 aren’t likely to do a very good job.

Refractor or reflector?

The two main types of telescopes are refractors and reflectors. A reflector telescope is a cheaper option, and uses two internal mirrors to reflect light to the eyepiece. A refractor concentrates the image through a sealed tube from the lens to the eyepiece, and generally delivers a better image, especially of the moon and stars.

Size matters

Photo: slworking2 / Flickr

60mm refractors and 4.5-inch reflectors are good, reasonable options to start off with – but be realistic about what you’ll be able to see with them. Seeing all of the stars vividly and up close just won’t be possible, but using a magnification of around 32x to 50x, you should be able to get a good view of the moon and the planets in our solar system.

Going digital

Those with a higher budget might want to try out a digital telescope that’s able to track stars or take you to a specific location in the sky. The high price isn’t the only drawback to this kind of telescope, though – they’re also more difficult to set up. If you’re a beginner, this may not be ideal – sometimes starting simpler is the best option.