Essential for anyone with Astronomy as a hobby... whether they are just starting out or not... a pair of binoculars !

I bought these in 1994 I think and they cost me around $180. It was the first piece of observing equipment I bought. Soon after I picked up a cheap tripod and was amazed by the steady view of the Moon and Jupiter and it's moons. Over the years the quality has worsened a bit, but they still get quite a bit of use.