Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the drug store, but that’s just peanuts to space. D. Adams

So you got a telescope for Christmas…

Now the sky is a big place, and telescopes don’t often come with an astronomer to explain how to use them. I’m not an astronomer either, but I’ve been an amateur stargazer on and off for years and I might be able to give you some good advice.

I think one company did offer an astronomer along with the telescope, but it ended badly. They require a lot of care and feeding and are nocturnal by nature, so they tend to keep you awake (Ooh! Come look at this!) even when you don’t want to observe.