Cost is of course a consideration, but their most positive feature is sheer portability. Some manufacturers have tried to make large telescopes more portable (with mixed success), but the opposite approach, that of making small telescopes more effective, is what this book is all about.
Good 2-inch (60mm) telescopes are now available for beginners, and major American manufacturers now offer small, affordable computer-controlled instruments that are capable of superb results.
Stephen Tonkin has gathered the experience of users of small telescopes to provide an insight into just what is possible - for newcomers to astronomy or experienced observers who simply want to use a small, really portable telescope.
