Thinking about a telescope? The best first step is to see a few in action. Come to a RASC Vancouver meeting or observing night, or, as a member, borrow one of our loaner telescopes before you buy. Binoculars are also an excellent, inexpensive way to start.
Buying your first telescope
- Telescope Basics (RASC)
- Choosing and Using a Telescope for Astronomy (RASC Calgary, PDF)
- How to Choose a Telescope (Sky & Telescope)
- How to Buy a Telescope (cleardarksky.com FAQ)
- The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide – the book by Terence Dickinson & Alan Dyer has excellent equipment chapters
Used telescopes & equipment
- AstroBuySell – Canada-wide listings
- Cloudy Nights – large North American forum; see its CN Classifieds section (free account required to post)
- Astromart – US-based
Tip: when buying used, try to inspect equipment in person, and ask a club member to come along. Beware of deals that seem too good to be true.
BC telescope retailers
- Vernon Telescope, Nature and Science – Vernon, BC
- Brandon Optics – online retailer based in Delta, BC
- Astro Links (RASC Victoria) – a longer list of Canadian vendors and manufacturers
RASC Vancouver does not endorse any particular retailer.
Cameras & imaging gear
See our Astrophotography and Imaging resources.
Links last reviewed September 2026. Found a broken link or have a suggestion? Please contact us.