Which telescope is best for a beginner?

I am looking to get into astronomy. I am currently looking to get involved in star parties in my area. I have been looking for info on telescopes to invest in. Not cheap but not expensive- $500 max would be my limit (WITH any extra accessories I may need such as a protective case).





These are my choices so far:


http://www.first-telescope.com/telescopes/product.asp/catalog_name/FirstTelescope/category_name/LRLMEXBTV5BE9KCLLMNKMVL6P3/product_id/Q6D Orion Sky Quest XT6 Classic 6" Dobsonian (or 8" Dobsonian)





http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?webp_id=3532575%26amp;web_id=3532575%26amp;ocm=sekw Galileo 800mm x 80mm Telescope with Electronic Focus Mars Eye Finder





http://www.bigbangastro.com/meadeetx80atrefractor-p-1562.html Meade ETX-80 AT Refractor





http://www.protelescope.com/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sid=1%26amp;sfid=95134%26amp;c=95551%26amp;i=204132106 Silver AstroQuest 90mm Refractor Telescope





Thanks for the advice!|||telestart from meade....you can find them at wal-mart


Of course, you seem a little bit more than a beginner, even though you may have never touched a telescope, so maybe looking at your local mall or one of these 4 that you have listed.


I think an electronic one would be cool, like with the auto find features and such....and software program


The Galileo one sounds interesting|||I'd recommend your first choice, the Orion SkyQuest XT6 (or better still, the XT8). The other three are tiny refractors which will frustrate you from the beginning and you'll soon outgrow, since it sounds like you're serious about this. You might consider the IntelliScope versions of these scopes, as these have computer locators which are helpful if you've got a bunch of schoolkids witimg to look at something! I have the IntelliScope XT6 myself, and like it a lot. I would buy direct from Orion, rather than through another dealer:


http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?itemTy鈥?/a>





Getting in touch with local clubs is an excellent idea, as they will give you good advice and let you look through a bunch of different scopes. Also, for good online help, try the group below: much more mature and much more solid advice than Yahoo Answers.|||yes it is a good choice taking astronomy i to like this so i think u can buy an orient telescope and u can appl for NASA|||I am in exactly the same position as you, and will be watching this answer with interest. My budget is also $500 max for a first purchase, and will be wanting to add a USB interface so it can be computer driven (though obviously this will be an added expense).





My thoughts so far were to buy a reflector as opposed to a refractor. I will be interested in what others think on this thought.|||I like the second and the last one.








The galileo is probably the best for beginners, while the astroquest (albeit more expensive) is a great scope that will live you well past the beginner phase of your hobby.





That said, all of these telescopes I would probably consider suitable for intermediate and upwards users. I would only buy one of these if you were really serious about getting into astronomy.