Over the years when Ive spoken with amateur astronomers about their interest in the sky, most have said that it could be traced back to receiving their first telescope at Christmastime.

With the holiday now just behind us, perhaps you now fall into this category. If so, then please read this article carefully, for you are now at a very important crossroad.

Before anything else, if you have not already done so, I would also invest in a couple of good books on the stars and constellations. As the late George Lovi (1939-1993) a long-time columnist of Sky & Telescope magazine once wrote: "First spend some time learning the sky with your own personal optics the set nature mounted in your head."

If you havent yet opened the box that contains your telescope, good!

From over 35 years of both personal observing and teaching many others, Its my belief that you should not hastily rush outside with a telescope before not even knowing whats in the sky or what to look at. Its not unlike buying a catamaran if youve never sailed before.

When you finally start setting up your telescope, take whatever time is needed to learn its use and operation. Be sure that you have assembled everything with great care. In the beginning, practice how to aim and focus your new instrument not on the night sky, but on daytime terrestrial objects. Not only are they bright and easy to see, but unlike night sky objects they will not drift out of your field of view because of the rotation of the Earth.

So, always remember as a general rule of thumb that the maximum amount of magnification for any telescope is 50 power per inch of aperture. If you have, for example, a 6-inch reflector, 300-power is as high as you should ever attempt to go; the maximum for a 3-inch refractor should be 150 power.

"But wait a minute," you may protest, "my telescope comes with a special Barlow lens, that the manufacturer promises will double or even triple the magnification of my eyepiece."

True enough. In fact, that aforementioned 500-power is likely achieved by pushing the scopes highest power eyepiece with that very same Barlow lens, which ultimately will result in a dim, impossibly fuzzy image.

If youre a beginner, you need to understand that that using a Barlow lens is similar to enlarging a photograph. The negative like a telescopes image contains only so much detail, which can be blown up only so far before all you can see is fuzz!

So, if you have purchased a 3-inch telescope even if it is blessed with perfect optics the claim of 500-power is more than three times the limit of the most practical magnification that it can provide.

Truth be told, youll probably be surprised to discover that your most pleasing views with your new instrument will come at much lower powers. Low power, in fact, makes a telescope much more convenient to handle, and if your telescope mount or tripod is a bit shaky, as least lower powers will not magnify "the shakes" as much.

An important caution in regard to solar viewing: Some department store telescopes especially imported varieties may include a dark glass that is designed to screw into the eyepiece of the scope. Supposedly, this filter is to be used to view the Sun. If your telescope came with such a device, discard it immediately!

Unfortunately, by directing your telescope toward the Sun its light and heat are intensified tremendously when it reaches your eyepiece. As such, there is an ongoing threat that the dark glass will be heated to a point where it will suddenly crack. Should your eye be looking through the eyepiece if that were to happen, you likely would not have enough time to turn away. The end result can be partial or total blindness.

Never, ever, look directly at the Sun at any time with your telescope.

If you do wish to observe the Sun, the only way to go is to project its enlarged image onto a white card or screen.

So what is there to see? This weeks sky offers several fine sights to enjoy. Probably the most rewarding object is the Moon. It is bright, easy to locate and filled with fascinating detail.

Venus alone can steal the show and all during this month it has appeared as a beautiful crescent even in steadily held binoculars.

On the opposite side of the sky is the planet Saturn (whose rings can be recognized with a magnification as low as 30-power) and another brilliant planet, Jupiter, which will pass opposition (and hence shines in the sky all night) on Feb. 2. Its four bright moons are a constantly changing target even in binoculars.

The brilliant starry scene in the eastern sky during the early evening hours contains innumerable treats such as the Pleiades and Hyades Star Clusters and the Great Nebula of Orion. Indeed, theres an entire universe of stars double, multiple, and highly beautiful as well as other nebulae and galaxies for you to explore. The choices are virtually inexhaustible.

By attending local club meetings, youll get to meet any number of fellow sky gazers who can offer you valuable advice.

If you own a telescope, but are experiencing problems with it, there is no better place to go than an astronomy club whose members can offer assistance and helpful suggestions. Besides, there is also the camaraderie of spending time with other people from different walks of life who all share the same love for the nighttime sky.

Good luck and enjoy your new telescope!