Hey all. My 9yo daughter wants a telescope for christmas. Looking for some suggestions from the members based on past experiences. Really don't want a cheapie but not looking to invest in the Hubble either. What say you. Thanks in advance, Ryan.

A Celestron NexStar 6SE will do just fine and will last you for many lifetimes.

Make sure it comes with the stand and lens pack.

I just started astronomy a few months ago with the same motivation from my 8 y.o. daughter. But I decided I was interested enough that I bought the scope for myself and I bring both my girls out on nice nights. It’s a different approach that justified a slightly larger investment (though at this point I feel that my $200ish kit was an amazingly cheap bargain). But this only works if you have the desire for yourself…and also more money…always more money. Also, I told myself up front that my daughter will probably age out of this and decided I was still interested enough to do it on my own should that day come.

If you aren’t interested in starting the hobby for yourself, you can still get a nice first scope kit from Celestron or Orion. If you really can’t swing that, waiting until you can, or getting binos are much better options than buying junk that will just frustrate her.