Something of an aside
Thanks for that post, gbaikie.
When I was in my teens I used to love observing sunspots, using a 60mm refractor to project them onto a sheet of paper taped to a chair. The amount of detail one can resolve even with a small scope is fascinating.
My young neice would join me sometimes, but I'd have to keep an eye on her--if my back was turned long enough, she'd move the chair to see if she could get the paper to burst into flame. I guess we all have our motivations for spending time with a 'scope.