Telescopes

[acole1]

What are the best:
Kinds
Brands
Lenses (and anything else related)
Price ranges
Places to buy

...and any other info you might want to throw in!

I have been wanting to get one for a while, but I have no idea where to start!

I want to get a decent one, maybe around $150(?) that I can use to see the moon relatively clearly, and close planets decently (am I asking too much?). I'm mostly interested in the best view for my buck.

Thanks for your input!

P.S. What would I be able to expect with these? And what is the difference in style?
Galileo FS-720DX
National Geographic Reflector Telescope

 

[Atheus]

I haven't done any astronomy since I was a kid, but I wouldn't expect to be seeing much out of those. The moon would be clear and bright if not very detailed. Mars would be a red dot *maybe* with little white smudges for the poles. Rings of saturn not a chance.

I'm not sure what you should be looking to spend, but it's a precision instrument, and you get what yuou pay for.

 

[acole1]

So I should expect to pay $300-$400 for that kind of quality?

Last time I looked through a telescope I was about 8 I think... I'm not sure what has changed. I do remember it being a telescope similar to the Gelileo, and it was a bit fuzzy.

 

[Kadarin]

I think I'd be more into it if I didn't live in a city. I remember camping when I was a kid, and seeing so many stars in the sky, and having it be so clear that you could spot satellites orbiting (with the naked eye).