Tom, I did an awful lot of research before I bought a telescope. I highly recommend the website, “cloudynights.com” as a great source and resource for all things astronomical. Also, They have a classified ad section that’s hard to beat.

My recommendation comes from my own experience and a distillation of what I researched. Buy big aperture but not too big. Get a 6” or 8” Newtonian reflector on a Dobsonian Mount. I got the 6” because of availability. It’s also light and movable in two pieces. The 8” is modestly heavier but has a lot more light gathering ability.

A new one will cost in the $300-$400 dollar range. Money well spent.

Don’t buy a cheap refractor.