Final Thoughts

At bottom, remember this where the acquisition of gear is concerned: keep it simple, and don’t go overboard! This is a hobby, not a spending spree for an expedition. The goal is to be outside, enjoy the stars, and experience the joy and serine beauty of nature and the heavens. The more bits and pieces you have to juggle, the more the observing experience becomes distracted by stuff. As much of a gear hound as I can be, I try to remember that the whole point of it all is to get out, observe, and enjoy the wonders of the night sky.

It’s true that you will need to lay some cash out at the beginning, and it’s also true that you generally get what you pay for. But there will never be an end to the gear you can buy. While you will learn best by getting your hands on some basic equipment and actually doing the hobby, you don’t need a ton of expensive gear to get your start. Once you’ve acquired a basic set of gear and have gotten some experience with it, you will be in a position to make better-informed decisions about buying those additional nice-to-have accessories. But at the beginning, get only what you need and enjoy what you have.