When I was about 13-14 I wrote to NASA and they sent me a whole bunch of freebies about space ( in those days probably better funded!),
I bought a small pocket scope from the local pharmacist with my part time job money at the same time- it was terrible.
My first major purchase was a TAL IM clockwork RA drive scope from the back of the Sunday papers. Was quite good actually- that gave me my first Saturn views and also Jupiter. And started the slippery slope...
