In this book I have tried to suggest some of the activities which may be pursued with your 20-cm S–C telescope. In doing so, I have necessarily skimped in some areas such as nature photography and sketching simply because there are so many different other observations which can be made with the instrument (and because frankly, I don't do much nature photography or sketching). There are probably thousands of uses which haven't even occurred to me. If you do invent some new uses, please let me know. My address is in the heading to the index.

While writing this book I was asked by a colleague working on artificial intelligence computer systems if the book could be turned into an ‘expert system’ type of computer program. Such programs operate on a set of rules and can answer general questions about their area of expertise. I am unsure as to whether such a program can (or should) be written. In elaborating The Rules For Using Small Telescopes, however, I realize that part of the rules depend on what the observer wants out of the observation. Some folks want a hobby, a diversion, something to take their minds off of the job. Tough observing projects aren't for them. Some folks want to conquer something, make a ‘personal best’. Them, we give a list of faint double stars to split.