Scopes
Refractors, reflectors, and what a beginner should actually buy.
The right first scope
Buy aperture, not magnification. A cheap scope that advertises 600× will show you blurry nothing. A good 6-inch dob will show you the rings of Saturn for a decade.
Refractor vs reflector
refractor sharp, low-maintenance, pricier per inch reflector more aperture for the money, needs collimation catadioptric compact, great for planets + imaging
The honest advice
An 8-inch dobsonian is the single best first telescope on earth. You'll see more with it than most people ever will.