Put Your Checkbook Back in Your Pocket

Let's face it: We are all well-trained to be consumers. When we get interested in something, our first inclination is to BUY something (like a shiny telescope, maybe?). But most amateur astronomers will tell you that it is a lot wiser to wait a while to buy equipment. There are some very good reasons for that:

1) Your interests may go in an altogether different direction. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe you at an age where you are discovering all kinds of cool things for the first time and still discovering what REALLY gets you going. No sense making a big investment in something that might be gathering dust in a closet before long!

2) You may find that you enjoy astronomy with binoculars even better than astronomy with a telescope. You can see a lot of interesting objects using binoculars. Their wide field views make finding objects much easier than the relatively-more-difficult (narrower field) telescope.

3) Even if you decide on a telescope, there are different kinds (designs), sizes, and price ranges. You might buy a cheap scope that turns out to be a frustrating experience to use. (You don't have to spend "an arm and a leg" but let's make sure that it is money well-spent!

This is true even of BOOKS. I highly recommend that you buy books, don't get me wrong. But I also highly recommend that you check them out from a library before deciding which to purchase. If your library does not have a book you want, ask them about Inter-library Loans. Most libraries will happily get the book you want from another library - and chances are good that SOMEBODY has it.

If you live in a town that has a college or university, don't forget to check out what the campus library may have on the subject of astronomy. I was amazed at what our small state library had available!