So You Wanna Buy a Telescope: Advice for Beginners (2015)
I disagree with the astrophotography thing.<p>Even with a telescope your human eyes are limited to planets and the moon, that's it. Forget about seeing galaxies with the naked eye, unless you have a 1-meter diameter telescope.
All other objects are basically points of light. Artificial satellites are really fun to see, but also points of light.<p>But a 2006 DSLR (EOS400) that I found in the garbage, connected to a cheap newtonian telescope can capture 1000X the detail your own eyes can see. Is your telescope too small? no problem. Just increase the exposure or ISO, you cannot do that with your eyes.<p>I've seen comets moving in real time. Tracking satellites, resolving detail on the ISS, the moons of Jupiter and Mars, incredibly detailed nebula, and a freaking quasar, all this from my window in the middle of the city, with the highest light-pollution.<p>One advice I have is, try to get a scope that's no more than 15 kg. More than that, and it's a hassle to move.<p>And get a computerized robotic mount. They are expensive (~800 us$), but awesome. No point of getting a 15-century instrument today.