Step 1 – What Do I Want to Look At?

The Sky

Excellent! Continue to the next step.

The View / Terrestrial Viewing

Telescopes usually provide a small field of view with high magnification, and most invert the image, making them less suitable for terrestrial viewing. For this, we recommend a good pair of binoculars. They are more flexible and easier to use. As a bonus, binoculars can also be used to explore the night sky.

Step 2 – Things to Consider

Step 3 – What Kind of Observing Do I Want to Do?

Beginner Stargazing

For most beginners, we recommend keeping it simple. Dobsonian telescopes are ideal because they are easy to set up, offer large apertures, and prioritize optical quality over fancy mounts. The trade-off is that they are manual and don't track objects automatically.

Automated Tracking

If you prefer a telescope that tracks objects and can be controlled by a computer, Cassegrain models with GOTO mounts are a great option. These are enjoyable to use but take more time to set up and are more expensive due to the advanced mount technology.

Astrophotography

Astrophotography is more complex and requires a larger investment in equipment.

All-Purpose Telescopes

Trying to find one telescope that does everything well usually involves compromises. You might end up with a complicated, expensive setup or a simpler telescope that doesn’t fully meet your needs.

Step 4 – What Is It Like to Use?

We recommend starting with a telescope that’s easy to set up and use. This way, you can focus on exploring the night sky rather than struggling with instructions.

For a hands-on demonstration, visit the Astronz showroom—either in person or online—and we’ll happily show you how the telescopes work.

Alternatively, visit a local astronomy club to try out different models and get a feel for what suits you.

Step 5 – What Will I See?

When you first start, you'll likely observe bright objects like the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn.

  • The Moon: See craters and surface features in detail.
  • Jupiter: Observe cloud bands, the four largest moons, and sometimes the Great Red Spot.
  • Saturn: Clearly see the rings, with larger telescopes revealing ring details and some moons.

After these, you can explore deep-sky objects such as star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. This is where aperture really matters—larger apertures will reveal stars as distinct points rather than fuzzy blobs and provide more detail in faint objects.

Note: Objects viewed through a telescope won’t appear like the colorful images you see in photographs. Most astrophotographs are long exposures taken with highly sensitive cameras and enhanced through processing. Deep-sky objects will appear in monochrome, but the southern sky offers many fascinating targets with visible detail.