I'd just wirrten a nice long post, explaining various things... and then I clicked the wrong button and closed my browser.
I'll try and write it again.
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First things first, read this article. It gives a lot of insight into buying a telescope -
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equip...tml?page=1&c=y
Briefly...
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Aperture (opening in the telescope that allows light in)
The larger the aperture, the easier it is to see 'deep space' objects, such as galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. This is because the larger the aperture, the more lights it lets in - dim objects appear a lot brighter. For example, a 6 inch aperture will makes things appear four times brighter than a 3 inch aperture, simply because the surace area of the six inch is four times that of the three inch.
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Portability
As a general rule of thumb, the bigger it is, the harder it is to lug about, so the less you lug it about, the less you use it, the bigger a waste of money it becomes... unless you peer through your bedroom window with it.
From personal experience, I can tell you for sure that using a telescope outside is a damn sight better, pardon the pun, than using it inside - for one, you get a much greater degree of movement. Who cares if it's cold (kind of a catch-22 - the best stargazing time is when there is no cloud cover, but it's colder when there's no cloud cover)? I nearly developed pneumonia when I was ten because I was outside staring at Saturn and Jupiter (absolutely beautiful!!), but it was worth it.
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What type of, erm, viewy method?
There are three main types of telescope -
refractor,
reflector, and
catadioptric.
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refractor uses lenses to magnify the object for a crisp, high-contrast image.
A
reflector uses mirrors and can provide the highest quality image for the money paid (larger apertures are a lot cheaper than those of ther refractor variety, I think), and is best for all round gazing.
A
catadioptic telescope uses both lenses and mirrors, and are brilliant for transporting around, as they are compact.
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Final thoughts
I'll reiterate what is said at the end of the article - price. Don't go for the cheapest telescope available, as it can be very badly made, and give an awful quality image. If you've got a budget of around or below $200, then go for a pair of high quality binoculars - you'd actually be surprised at how much you can see using them. Whilst you won't view the planets in as much detail, or as large as with a telescope, you can still get a satisfying view with a good pair of binoculars.
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I've got a Celestron Newtonian Reflector telescope with a 4.5" aperture on top of my wardrobe. I don't know how much it cost, as it was a Christmas present years ago. With it, I viewed Jupiter, with it's various bands, Great Red Spot, and four moons in stunning quality. I even made a detailed sketch using it. I also viewed Saturn and saw its amazing rings. It stands about five feet tall, and rests on a tripod.
Oh, one last thing to remember if you do decide to get a telescope - eyepieces. The article talks about them, and I don't feel I know enough to talk confidently about them.
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