>>2606994Okay, 8 inch dob then. Great for complete noobs, yet it finds its place as an essential component in many grandmaster observers' collections.
A good pair of binoculars should not be underestimated, either. You can get some 7x50s for under 100 and they're fantastic for scouting out the sky. I always bring my binocs with me when observing.
You will also want some high-quality eyepieces, one high-power (within 8-13mm), one low-power (within 23-35mm), both of which ought to have a high "apparent FoV" (higher is better, 68deg aFoV is pretty economical). Most scopes will come with some eyepieces, which are "fine" but usually have restrictive aFoVs.
A good barlow could be useful, but is not necessary. Barlows will change the power of any eyepiece installed in it (usually doubling, sometimes tripling it) and are an effective way to essentially "double" your eyepiece count and available magnifications (more, if you unscrew the actual barlow element from the housing and screw it into the filter threads of your eyepieces).
But definitely start with the scope and the binocs first. If you have leftover money, consider eyepieces.
