Hi Cameron,
Here is my two cents. Like you, I'm fairly new to astronomy.
Like the others said join a club (at least check it out).
The info you'll pick up is mind blowing, there is more to astronomy that looking in telescopes, stuff like :- Spectrograph, Collimation, ect.
Some club have loan telescopes (that's how I learnt that dob mount was easy, and my friend's equatorial mount frustrating).
I suggest Dobson.
If you get a dobsonian you need to think :-
-Collapsible or Truss type - easy to transport ect.
-Solid Tube - can be mounted on an equatorial goto / tracking type mount.
For me first was a 10" dobsonian (solid) on a dobsonian mount and some good quality eye pieces,
next will be an EQ6 Pro mount or heaver duty equatorial mount so It can take future loads eg- cameras ect, (by then I would have leant enough from the club to understand it, & not get frustrated),
and when I'm ready ... Astrophotography.
Well that's my plan, it might not be yours.
There's no rush.
I Hope was able to help you.
Joe
