It's no surprise that the number of people asking about telescopes has taken a sharp increase of late. After all, telescopes comprise one of the biggest gift categories we have here at OpticsPlanet.com.

The big seller this year under $100 is no surprise, either. The Bushnell 3" reflector continues to move out here by the truckload. It's an OpticsPlanet exclusive. Where else can you buy a mostly metal telescope at such a low price?

114mm reflectors such as the Tasco Galaxsee, though, tend to be the bread and butter scope for beginners, with similar models from Meade and Celestron vying for top honors.

My favorite beginner telescope continues to be the Dobsonian. I still regard a small Dob such as the Celestron Starhopper 6 to be the most user friendly design ever made for someone who wants maximum performance with a minimum of bells and whistles. I strongly believe that more beginners would stay with astronomy if they follow the KISS principle and leave all the high tech gadgetry behind.