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Let’s just say you could sit down and look through a large telescope? The Hobby-Eberle telescope at the McDonald Observatory at Mt. Fowlkes, Texas with an M1 F# of 1.8 made of Zerodur on a Comsat/MERO mount would fit the bill.

But, don’t think you cannot see great stuff or get good views of planets or even asteroids with a good home telescope.

Amanda Martin of Antioch, California got a Dall-Kirkham for her birthday. She found that it came with a good eyepiece. With theoptional motor drive it could follow a planet.

However, she found out that it was a challenge to figure out what to look at.

Probably the quickest way to get up to speed using your Dall-Kirkham is to join an astronomy club. There are many astronomy clubs in most countries of the world and in most states of the USA. Here are a few in the US: Shoals Astronomical Society, Inc. in Florence, AL; High Desert Astronomy Club; Warsaw Astronomical Society in Winona Lake, IN; Yakima Astronomical Society in Yakima Wa; Arrowhead Astronomical Society at the Alworth Planetarium, Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth in Duluth, MN.

In fact, it would be a better idea to start attending an astronomy club before you go out and buy a telescope. They will not only recomend some good scopes to you but can point you toward some beginning projects. To really get your teeth into star gazing attend a few star gazing parties. A good way to start would be to buy a pair of 10×50 binoculars. Take them with you to the star gazing party. They will let you see anything from the craters on the moon to the closer planets.

When you go to your first planet viewing party, you will be surprised at how eager people are to let you share their equipment with you. However, there are a few thinsg to consider. Their equipment is expensive, so be careful. If you have children with you, make sure that they are careful as well. A small child running around will make people nervous very quickly. You may need a flashlight to make sure you don’t trip over things. But, you will want to put a red filter over the end. Red light is the best for night vision. Be sure to dress warmly. Sitting still at night can be chilly - even in the summer.