scope was breaking down, and they made great suggestions with how to get the most out of my gear.  Amateur astronomers are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, and they're always willing to share their passion with you with all the patience and enthusiasm that a beginner has.  Though it is the most ancient profession, ironically, astronomy never gets old for anyone. And Another thing.... If you can't find a local group, the folks over at Sirius Stargazing have a helpful youtube channel .  If you're interested in buying something more substantive than some magazines, I recommend perhaps the greatest book for amateur astronomers in existence, NightWatch , by Canadian Terrence Dickenson ( whom I'm name-dropping ).  When I go out stargazing, I like to listen to the wonderful Astronomy Cast on my iPod, hosted by the silky-voiced Pamela Gay and Canadian Fraser Cain.  These two do a wonderful job at explaining complicated astronomy principles for the non-expert , and it's one of my favourite podcasts out there. * * * I hope this entry helps at least one person get into amateur astronomy.  It's been my wonderful pleasure to show my telescope to young children and grandparents alike.  It's easy to get jaded in this information-saturated world these days, but I feel certain that even the most cynical individual can reluctantly look through a telescope for the first time, and see a mountain-range on the moon, the bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, or the