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| Choosing a Telescope |  | Recommendation 3: Get a Reflector There are three main types of telescopes:
✭ Reflectors (mirror-based telescopes) come in the widest range
of sizes and are usually the least
expensive at any size. Reflectors do require periodic maintenance -- collimation -- but this is easy to
learn to do. Because reflectors flip the image, they aren't suitable for daytime use.
✭ Refractors (lens-based telescopes) offer sharp and contrasty views but most
are small (2"-4") because larger ones tend to be bulky and harder to manage. Less expensive ones, especially the
shorter ones, also suffer
from a
problem called chromatic aberration which causes purple fringing around brighter objects.
✭ Compound telescopes are mirror-based telescopes that use a special design to make them the most
compact of the three types. These are designed for higher-powered viewing of smaller targets.
While all three types are popular among stargazers, for the greatest value, we recommend a reflector for a
child's
first telescope
simply because these are usually the best values in the 3" to 6" range.
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