It depends on a lot of factors: Where you're going to use the equipment, what you're going to do with it, how much money you have, what your level of understanding the night sky is, etc. The only short, accurate answer is "It depends". What stuff should you buy if you want to get started in astronomy? This is a question I've gotten often enough to make it worth answering here. When I came back to the US in 2004, I knew early on that one of the hobbies I wanted to get back into was stargazing. But my interest in astronomy continued, in spite of inability to actually see anything myself. I lived in the biggest city in Taiwan for many years, and the light pollution there meant that being able to see even a single star was a lucky occurence. I took astronomy in college, and continued to have an interest in space science and NASA images, but never really had a chance to do much observing myself. While I was interested in astronomy as a kid, it took a long time to turn into a major hobby. Sometimes that beauty is hiding behind annoying cloud cover, but it's always there. For me, though, looking at the stars reminds me of how small my problems are, and how the universe doesn't really deal in "problems" anyway, and how much beauty we can find in the world. Looking at the stars can have different effects on peopleā¦ For some people, it makes them feel small and insignificant, like they are powerless against a cruel universe. What a big, beautiful night sky there is! I've been interested in astronomy ever since. The Milky Way was clear as could be, and it nearly floored me. All the lights were out, and there was hardly any light pollution from anywhere else. One of my strongest early memories is seeing the Milky Way for the first time over Lake Superior at a cabin my parents had rented for us. What's on this page: What equipment? What equipment should you start astronomy with? General resources Various handy things to avail yourself of Books Various written materials to refer to when observing Video & audio Specific shows and viddies about astronomy to enjoy and learn from Online references Lots of different astronomical resources online Sharing Ways to share your interest in astronomy with others Online hangouts Places to talk about astronomy online Local groups Face-to-face astronomy societies nearby Remote observing Using the internet to get access to telescopes far away, under very good skies Image galleries Various places online to view gorgeous astro images Apps & programs Computer programs to use in observing or processing Linux and Open-source observing apps Various open-source apps to use in stargazing Other free apps Apps that aren't open source but which don't cost money Non-free programs Programs to use in stargazing that cost money Astrophotography apps Programs I've used when processing images My images Some of my astrophotography Quick reference What's up in the sky, at a glance
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