Update

The copy of the s.a.a. FAQ that I maintain is now quite out of date. In particular, a great deal has changed in the telescope marketplace since 1998, the last time I converted it to HTML form. Six years doesn't sound like a long time compared to the history of amateur observing, yet a lot has changed. Numerous major telescope vendors in 2002, such as Discovery and Stellarvue, didn't exist (or existed in very different form) just a few years ago. Some telescope models have been radically changed or discontinued. Moreover, in many ways I believe the current version of the FAQ (edited by the original author within the last year) could stand numerous revisions.

Because I am neither the editor nor the compiler of the s.a.a. FAQ, I'm no longer making any updates or changes to the document. I will keep the existing copy of the FAQ here indefinitely, however. The Introduction and Glossary are still reasonably current. You can still view all the sections by visiting the links in the menu.

If you're interested in my own take on first-time telescope purchasing -- the area of the FAQ that has changed the most in the last several years -- please read my suggestions to newcomers about buying telescopes.

Last Modification: September 19, 2004