There are many different telescopes for sale. These different telescopes, however, fall into mainly 2 categories. The first is refracting telescopes, which is the one that reminds us most of Galileo's telescope. The other is reflecting telescopes, which is commonly attributed with Isaac Newton.

The design of the refracting telescope is also the type you find on binoculars, though in pairs! How a refracting telescope works, is that there is a lens at the front of the optical tube assembly.Light enters the optical tube assembly, and goes right to the lenses at the back of the telescope. And finally meets the eye, where an image of Saturn, perhaps can be seen.A refracting telescope is good, in that it is enclosed. The simple design, allows it to be maintenance free, for a number of years. The simple design also makes it easy to use, which is great as a telescope for children.

How reflecting telescopes work, is that light enters the optical tube assembly, and goes straight to the back of the telescope, where it meets a big mirror. This mirror then reflects the light back up the tube.The light meets a secondary mirror, which is near to the top of the telescope. As the light bounces, it enters the lenses, and finally meets the eye.Reflector telescopes are great in that they offer good price verses performance ratio. Reflecting telescopes can be much larger than refracting telescopes.

The best telescope can mean different things for different people. The best telescope for some people could mean the most expensive model. The truth though is that the best telescope is one which allows you to get years of enjoyment out of astronomy.Refractor telescopes are often the ones that are thought of as telescopes. They have a long tube, and like binoculars which work with similar principles, you look from the back and the light enters from the front.Refractor telescopes are great because they are very low maintenance. This is the best route for buying a telescope for a child or a teen. The ease of use makes it a very great way to get into astronomy. With children, it is essential to help them use the telescope, as even the small versions may still be bulky.Refractors are great when it comes down to small sizes, however for larger sizes, the refractors cost can become immense, in fact in the thousands! This is not necessary as there is another type, and that type is the reflectors, which utilize a mirror.

Truly, few things are as amazing as seeing the stars and planets with your own eyes. Any company making a telescope brand knows this which is why they continue to make high quality, expensive units that sell well. Even if you aren't an amateur astronomer, you might still consider getting yourself a good unit if only to appreciate the wonders of the universe.Yes, you can make your own telescope. The steps are so simple it's a definite no brainer. All you really need to carefully look for is an authoritative guide that's been tried, tested and positively reviewed by fellow stargazing enthusiasts.The materials you need might be a bit different from what Newton used in the past. You'd need pyrex lens blanks, cardboard mailer coated in varnish and some plywood. The real key to making these simple materials work is in the polishing and shaping of the lenses.The easiest path to making a telescope is to devise a Newtonian unit. This is perhaps one of the simplest models to follow and is named after Isaac Newton who used it centuries ago. This basic device just has two lenses to capture light and direct it through the eyepiece. This is more or less the same idea behind easy to make homemade units.

Source: Monocular Telescope