By far the nicest setups I've seen used at public sites were 10" to 12" SCT's on altitude/azimuth forkmounts. Three easy picks are the 10" and 12" LX200GPS and the 11" Nexstar GPS. Set the tripod low so the kids can reach the eyepiece. It's the most comfortable setup (most consistent eyepiece location and orientation) I know of for folks unfamiliar with telescope use. I usually have a widefield refractor on top for extended objects, but the main scope gets the most use.
I believe this is the year we will finally retire the big EQ Newtonian in our Club observatory so we can stop asking kids and seniors to climb that !@#$ ladder in the dark. There can be a big difference between the instrument we might choose for our own enjoyment and one we would choose for public edification.
I hope you intend to open a similar thread on suggested objects for such sessions. I dunno how many times I've seen people walk away puzzled after being invited to view some "averted vision" object in the first telescope they've ever tried to look through.
-------------------- John C
Urban Observatory Tele Vue Pronto
A&M/Astreya 76mm F/6 APO
TMB/LOMO 80mm F/7.5 APO
Tak FSQ-106N F/5 APO
Meade 152ED F/9 "APO"
152mm F/10 achromat
Tak CN-212 8" F/12 classical Cass/ F/4 Newt
Teeter 20" F/3.8 truss Newt w/ServoCat
LXD750, EM-200, CI-700
ST-10XME
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