Ever wonder what telescope to buy?  Refractor, Reflector ... Big Scope or a Little Scope ... Dobsonian Mount ... or maybe just a good pair of binoculars and a star catalog.  As they say, this isn't rocket science.  Here's an excellent article: So You Wanna Buy a Telescope - Advice For Beginners by Ed Ting.  Ed walks through the type of telescopes and eyepieces and even the types of binoculars that will help you get started with a great view of the sky.

"The simplicity part is important...Beginners need early success, and the 6" or 8" aperture is big enough to throw up a bright image of most common celestial objects."