Stardate

Stardate 1988 was the first star party that I attended. Held at Rahotu in the early years, I bought my first telescope, a 20cm Dobsonian, here for $500. Also attending that year was the irrepressable John Dobson from San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers who personally inspected my telescope and passed it with flying colours. Never being one for hi-tech telescopes, John was delighted that the counter weight on the rear of my telescope was a rock held in place by duct tape.