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Many years ago, before I could afford my C8, I was forced to make due with a pair of binoculars for a couple of years. I have always since appreciated the time spent with them and would strongly recommend binoculars to the beginner.

There's an awful lot of good stuff up there that is accessible with binoculars, including most of the Messier catalog and the moons of Jupiter. Best of all, you'll really learn the sky and how to find things. Meanwhile, go to star parties and learn about how scopes are used. When your ready to buy one, you'll know for sure what you want.

Don't spend a lot. Try to find an inexpensive pair of 50x7's; 50x10's if that's all you can find. Get Tirion's Sky Atlas 2000 and you're set for quite awhile.

Many years ago, before I could afford my C8, I was forced to make due with a pair of binoculars for a couple of years. I have always since appreciated the time spent with them

Neighbor, that's fine advice- I don't have time to even type coherently ( family bedtime ) but I was an amatuer astronomer years ago, and some of my best & happiest memories involved various binoculars ( 10 x 70, etc. ) and a very heavy revolving, reclining office chair in the back yard....