You don’t need to be an expert to explore the galaxy with your own home telescope. With the invention of the smart telescope, celestial observation and learning have become even more accessible to the beginning astronomer.

There are many kinds of telescopes for sale. To choose the best home telescope, begin by deciding whether you want a refracting telescope, a reflecting telescope or a digital telescope. In urban areas, some digital smart telescopes are the only option that will effectively penetrate through all of the city lights.

If you are choosing between a refractor telescope and a reflector telescope, decide how committed you are to telescope maintenance. Reflector telescopes give you’re a larger aperture, which is useful for capturing dim celestial light. However, the mirrors inside must be aligned on a regular basis, unlike refractor telescopes, which use lenses that stay aligned for years.

Not only can having a good telescope give you a close-up look at planets, stars, passing comets and the international space station, but it can also make your house, deck or yard a popular gathering ground for fellow stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts.

For this reason, it is useful to think of ways you might make stargazing a group activity. Do you want a patio heater for cold nights? What about patio furniture and décor for gatherings? Do you want to invest in camping equipment so you can easily visit some of the world’s best wilderness dark sky regions?

When it comes to using and taking care of your telescope, ensure you have a quality tripod and the right lens cleaning equipment. Lens cleaning tools can also come in handy for binoculars, microscopes and camera lenses. If you are dreaming of getting a top-end telescope but it’s not in your budget yet, start small and keep a lookout for telescopes for sale at prices you can afford.