wrote in message
...

Any scope is better than no scope at all, take all the advice you are
given with a pinch of salt, most "amateur" cough Astronomers are so
hung up on how much they spent, they will say almost anything to
people to try and justify (to themselves) how much they spent

Go to a store and try a few out for feel and comfort, and go with what
you like, and don't get suckered into thinking the more you spend the
more you will see

With respect Steve, I don't think this is good advice.
Unless you can get a guarantee that you can return the scope, there's no way
that you can test how good the scope is in a shop.

There are lots of corners that can be cut in putting together a low-end
scope, and most of these will discourage beginners.
Sloppy focus tubes,
Cheap plastic eyepieces
Tripods that don't lock steady or dampen vibrations.
Poor optics (both Primary and Secondary)

All of these are likely to put people off using their scope. And if you
don't use the scope, then you won't get to see anything.

I would heartily discourage anyone from getting a cheap 3" reflector from
Index or Argos, because it WILL disappoint, and even if you get the money
back, you're not likely to want to try again.

That's my advice anyhow.