My local newspaper, The Daily Messenger Canandaigua NY, just ran a piece on a young (18 or 19 yo) man who has his own backyard obsevatory. He also makes fabricates telescope mounts (my brother had him make one and I was astonished at the level of craftsmanship, even more so when I heard his age).

Anyways, the paper also stated that with his telescope he can see galaxies up to five light years away! My brother and I got quite a chuckle out of it.