Hi Matt,

wrote:
Hey all-

I have a friend who has expressed interest in getting started in
astronomy. He is wheelchair bound. This unfortunately limits what types
of scopes and mount designs he could use. I was thinking that a
parallelogram type mount with some big binocs or a 4" refractor would
work as it would keep the scope/bino away from the tripod, giving the
necessary clearance, plus he could easily share his views with others
that are standing. I was wondering if anyone out there is or knows of
somebody in the same situation that could give me some tips or
suggestions. Thanks.

Matt

It depends on the level of mobility of your friend, but something
like the Orion's StarBlast may work very well for him. He can put it
on a table and scan a pretty large part of the sky while sitting in
the wheelchair. This DOES require some significant upper-body
mobility, however.

Alternatively, some simple tray can be devised to be put between
the armrests of the wheelchair. The StarBlast can sit on this tray.
This will also require some upper-body mobility, but much less than
if using a table.

If he is just starting in astronomy, probably he would not want to
invest a lot of money in something that he may eventually find not
to enjoy. The StarBlast costs only $169, and Orion have 30 day "no
questions asked" return polict. Finally, all the setup (especially
with the tray) could be done with one hand in less than a minute.

Regards,

- Alex