Dad dropped off his binocs (8x40) today and the clouds scattered enough for me to get in the back yard. In about 10 minutes my son and I Identified:

Venus
Jupiter
Saturn (possibly, wasn't able to see all of orion at once to locate it...spotty clouds)

Betelgeuse
Rigel
Polaris

I know this is no big deal, but i was officially my first time out. I cannot tell you how amazing it is to see the moon and Venus in the same field of view. I was even able to pick out minor crater detail along the terminator.

I'm headed back out to see if I can spot Mars!


/edit chalk up mars too!

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Bravo!! =D> So tell us, are you totally hooked? Have you already bookmarked all the major telescope makers websites and are you busily making comparison lists? It's the next step down that slippery slope, my friend. And congratulations on a darned good first night.

Psi-less

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"Given only the ships and right sails for the heavenly space, there will also be men unafraid of the terrible distances."--Kepler, to Galileo

Here is one amazing thing to spot for a first timer which is great when you're not expecting it:
Locate orions belt, and follow the line of the 3 stars 'upward' until you come to a 'fuzzy patch' (slightly smaller than your thumb at arms length) and look at that. Do you know what it's called?
My guess at your comment is "Wow! I wasn't excepting that!"

Of course if you follow the line of orions belt the other way (downwards) you come to Sirius (The dog star) which is the brightest star in the sky from our perspective.

The Watcher

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While we're on the subject of Orion, look under his belt for three stars in a smaller line perpendicular to the belt (the sword). Guess what the fuzzy middle star is!

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Pretty darn good for a first day! See if you can find mercury tomorrow.

Congratulations, and welcome to the obsession.

If it's visible from your location, take a look at Mizar at the bend in the Big Dipper's handle.

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"Purpose isn't something the universe gives us; it's something we give the universe."

After you find orion, you can find pretty much every star in the southern sky. Sirius is also very easy to spot-it's the really bright star that should be close to the western horizon.

Well we were fighting spotty clouds last night, I never could see ALL of orion at once.

As for my scope I am looking at an Orion 8" Dobson, with a 2x barlow and a Telrad. I will also be getting the computer with it, but I will NOT use the computer until I have found at least 100 of the Messier objects on my own.

I have been researching scopes for several weeks now but i am not making any final decisions until I attend a few gatherings, However From the people I have talked to in person and on the boards, I cannot go wrong with the 8" dob.

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The More I learn, The More Ignorant I Become

Eagle Eye Observatory