This information has been written with the beginner in mind.  Sometimes beginners make all sorts of errors when planning their optical equipment.  Some will buy a tiny telescope because it magnifies 525 times.  Some will buy any telescope by a certain manufacturer because most of the other beginners they know have told them that these are good telescopes... 

"My Mega-Scope 52mm Catadioptric-Newtonian, it's amazing - I can even see Jupiter's moons!!!"

                                                      They're not very experienced - Don't listen to their advice!

Read the guide to find out the information you need to buy a useful telescope.  Some telescope companies are trading on their good reputation honsetly earned.  Some do it but their current manufacturing is slipshod and well below par.  They have rivals who produce much better telescopes, more cheaply.  You need to be able to sort the good telescopes from the bad, regardless of the maker.  These guides will give you the knowledge you need so that you can make a good choice and move forwards in the enthralling hobby of amateur astronomy. 

If you want to meet some amateur astronomers and use different

telescopes then go along to an open night, at the Astronomy Centre:                                 

The Astronomy Centre.

Another Excellent Astronomy Astrospace website.  

With monthly charts of what to look out for and a fab

gallery of Paul's pictures, among many other things:

Paul Money's ASTROSPACE.

Picture courtesy Astrospace