well there I have been sitting at home these last few nights seeing the clouds scudding across the sky, thinking that going out and setting up would be a waste of time and energy as I wont be able to see anything. Then I read DDs entry here and realise that it may not be perfect, but as i am coming from a base where i just look up at the sky with awe and dont really know what i am looking at, does it matter if it isnt exactly perfect?

so despite the haze and thin cloud i went out last night, with a plan this time, not challenging, but it is about learning to observe as much as getting that elusive sighting at this time. Si I set my sights on the double star in the big dipper (Mizar & Alcor), a further study of Jupiter and it's moons and as it is in the night sky again, a first look at the moon.

M & A well I didn't bother to allign the GOTO features, I could see my targets after all. One lesson to learn, make sure the red dot is turned off before i put the scope to bad at night!!! The red spot is very good and i seem to have it well alighned with the scope, looked through the low magnification EP and there they were in the middle of the field. One thing to note here is that if one doesnt set up the GOTO, the tracking wont be on but managed it fairly well using the buttons. Also need to sort out how to change the slew rates, it took for ever to go between the objects.

The high power EPwas more difficult to use and i ended up having to go back to the low powered one to re-align, I presume that I did not need the high power for this object, but the viewing did not seem so good, ?is the high power EP not as good quality?

Next onto Jupiter, this is my favorite at the moment, managed to see all four moons and several of the rings, no RED spot yet, will carry on

Finally onto the moon, this was the first time viewing as it hadnt been visible in the night sky till now and i didnt get home intime to see it during the day. the detail was amazing, not really sure what i was looking at, but for a first go, wow.

I was only going out for half an hour but ended up out there for an hour and a half, look9ing forward to tonight andromeda galaxy for sure.