Blown away

[DavidAllanPho]

I recently bought a Orion TX8 with 25mm and 10mm eyepieces. The weather here has been horrible so the first break I got from the overcast skies  was tonight. It was still pretty hazy but I got a spectacular view of the moon. I'm totally new to astronomy/telescopes so seeing the moon in that detail for the first time really blew me away. I kept going back and forth between the 10mm and the 25mm just taking in all the craters and ridges. Unfortunately, the overcast was too much to see any other sights like Jupiter or Saturn. But I can say that after two hours of observing the moon I am officially hooked. Can't wait for clear skies. 

Anyhow, I'd appreciate any recommendations for astronomical targets I need to check out. Or any tips/stories y'all might have about starting off in astrology. 

Thanks guys. 

[Pig]

David,

Great report, the Moon is one of my favourite targets and it never seems to be the same each time I look at it. I find it is especially nice to look along the termination as sometimes it appears the ridges of the craters are floating in space as if detached from the surface.

Jupiter and Saturn do have their moments throughout the year and do give some lovely views, of which Iam in no doubt you will get to see when the seeing allows 

[Joel Shepherd]

Welcome aboard. :-)  Jupiter (looks like an especially bright star in the western sky in late evening) is a straightforward and fun target. I actually find the nightly re-arrangement of its moons at least as entertaining as the planet itself. M13 -- the great globular cluster (big ball of stars) -- is approaching overhead in the constellation Hercules; a little more challenging but doable with a bit of patience. M57 (Ring Nebula) in the constellation Lyra -- off to the east now -- is also relatively bright and has two visible stars bracketing it making it easier to find.

Take your time and be patient. The stars aren't going anywhere soon. It took me about three months to go from the moon and Saturn to tracking down M57, but if you keep pegging away at it it will get easier. Seeing for yourself that planets, clusters, nebula and galaxies are out there and real makes the effort worthwhile.

-- Joel.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report, congratulations on your first light, and on officially being hooked :-)

[Chris]

Hi, welcome to astronomy and SGL

[Dave Lloyd]

Hello and welcome.

[brantuk]

"starting off in astrology"

I don't see a bright future for you in astrology and the stars don't bode well for it. But astronomy - now that's different all together lol. Congrats on your first light - if the moon blew you away then your jaw is gonna drop when you get a good view of saturn in the eyepiece.

[cotterless45]

I'm a Gemini. Supposed to be indecisive, don't know about that.

I think astrology is great, especially the looking through scopes at the sky bit,

Old Nick.

[DavidAllanPho]

Astronomy! Not astrology. Haha I was so excited I forgot what the hell I was even talking about. 

Alright thanks guys! Hopefully I get some clear skies tonight.