I am a middle-aged amatuer astronomer living in the state of Washington. When the weather permits, I open my private observatory and look up to the skies in wonder. I have only been at this for a few years, although I have always had a facination with the sky.

Then one year my wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I thought about it and told her to let me make a list. When looking for something to ask for, I saw a Meade ETX-70. Heck, for $249 a small telescope with a motor drive and goto. Not to expensive, better then the old department store manual drive I had, but never user out of frustration, I figured that would be a good starter to see if it would hold my interest. So I put it on my wish list.

Well, as you may have guessed, she got me the ETX-70. I used it every clear night we had. It was great. I could look at an object, moon, planet or whatever I could see it without having to twist those silly handles and watch the object jerk out of view. I could show them to my wife without the old 'I don't see anything'.