Without a doubt you should be going for a reflector telescope. Your other option would be a refractor one, but they’re absolutely nowhere near as good in any way.
Refractors are more expensive, less compact, have chromatic abberation (weird splitting of colors around stuff) and reduced light gathering.
Basically, you can’t go wrong with a reflector, so if you have absolutely no idea what you should be going for, then go for a reflector one.
For those of you who are really into seeing mega-detailed closeups of things like planets, or if you want to really make sure you see once and for all that the moon isn’t (or is) made of cheese, then that’s when you’d go for a refractor.
Otherwise, nope. They’re an older design. Issac Newton invented them 4 centuries ago.
Lets look at what makes reflector telescopes so good.
What Makes Reflector Telescopes So Good
Reflector telescopes are a neater design. A $200 reflector telescope can get you a bigger aperture than anything a refractor can muster, which is huge for what you wanna be doing.
The larger the aperture, the more light the telescope can gather, resulting in better image resolution and a much brighter image, giving you the ability to observe fainter objects in space.
A larger aperture is especially beneficial for observing deep-sky objects like galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters, as they require maximum light-gathering capabilities.
The increased light collection enables a reflector telescope to provide brighter and more detailed views of these objects compared to a smaller aperture refractor telescope in the same price range.
Additionally, a larger aperture in a reflector telescope allows for a wider field of view, which is advantageous for observing larger objects or capturing wide-angle views of the sky.
When to Go for a Refractor Instead
Detail. If you want detail, looking into the red spot of Jupiter, you’re gonna need a refractor to see it in all its glory.
Planets are much closer than anything else out there. When you don’t need that extra range to see far outside of our solar system, the best picture you’re gonna get is through one of these bad boys.
That being said, refractor telescopes are not a whole lot better than reflector telescopes for planetary viewing. It’s not a deal breaker.
It’s more for astrophotographers who want the perfect image, those of you who are obsessed with Saturn’s moons for example. It just gets sharper images. That’s its one advantage.
When to Go for a Catadioptric Telescope
Those astronomers on the go will need a Catadiaoptric telescope. These quirky little things are extremely portable and compact, and as an added bonus they need collimating less often than a reflector telescope.
They use an intricate design that really makes the whole thing more compact, which makes them the perfect kind of thing to throw in the trunk of your car, so you can get a closer look at any celestial objects you manage to spot while on a night drive.