1. Introduction

Welcome to the wonderful hobby of amateur astronomy and astrophotography! If you've landed here, you're likely considering your first telescope purchase. Amateur astronomy guides are often full of confusing lingo which can be intimidating for first-time telescope buyers. This article will recommend some beginner telescopes while also educating you in layman's terms about what specs to look out for so you can make an educated buying decision for yourself.

In general, almost all beginner telescopes are designed for visual astronomy with eyepieces, though most telescopes now allow you to use a smartphone to capture images of the moon and planets with