[masraum]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

I've taught hundreds of people about the sky, about telescopes, and about how to start doing it yourself.
Number 1 rule is, if your equipment is too hard to use, you won't use it. Period. Too complex, too heavy, too expensive, too time consuming, too much work getting set up, etc. If it becomes work to go spend an hour looking at the sky, then you will never do it again.
Beginners need something that gives a huge amount of return for any effort. As you get more and more into it, you will deal with more effort for incrimentally smaller and smaller returns.

The easiest way to start checking out the sky is a good pair of 7x50 binoculars, and a decent star chart (although, the phone based star charts are impressive these days...).
The second best option is a 6 inch dobsonian style. It will take the average new amateur 2+ years to run out of stuff that a 6 inch scope can see. At that point, you'll be advanced enough to know what you're future plans are. Maybe, go with an 8 inch dobsonian if you plan on primarily spending time in your own backyard. If you're going to travel at all (down the street, or drive outside of town) then stick with the 6 inch.

As for 6 inch dobs, any brand is pretty equal (Meade, Celestron, Orion).

After a bit of time, maybe add on some digital setting circles, which will let you start to hunt down things that are harder to find. I wouldn't start with them though.

Excellent point. If you live out in the middle of no-where with little light pollution, then a pair of binoculars is a GREAT option. Using just some super cheap binoculars where my mom used to live, I was able to easily see galaxies that I couldn't see with an 8" telescope back at my light polluted home in Houston. You didn't mention how old these folks are. If they are young and small, then the weight of 7x50 might be tough for them to hold steady in which case, something like 7x35 might be better.