Here, I'm hoping to keep some sort of record of my observations over time. My handwriting is not the best so rather than lose my notes in an incomprehensible scrawl, it made sense to attempt to log them on the computer. And where better to do that than here, where there is already an active community of astronomers who I can ask my silly questions?

Up until quite recently, I'd been using a pair of 10x50 binoculars and simply sitting in a fold up chair in the garden. This allowed me to learn my way around a couple of constellations but it always left me wishing I could see a little bit more. However, they unfortunatly fell apart a couple of months ago and so I took that as a sign that I should really upgrade.

I purchased a Celestron Nexstar 6se after reading a few reviews as it seemed the most convenient scope for me. It can be set up and ready to go in less than ten minutes and the GOTO feature means that I can spend less time on a chilly night searching for for my target and more time observing. It can also be quite easily stuck in the back of a car and taken to darker skies without too much fuss if desired. So far, I've been very satisfied with this little scope.

Along with the scope I also purchased a Revelation Eyepiece Set to get me started and an additional 7mm Vixen Lanthanum to push the magnification that little bit further. I've found the Revelation eyepieces ok for now, but as a glasses wearer, I'm completely unable to use the 9mm EP. The Vixen EP has certainly shown me the benefits of spending a little bit more on your kit as the wider field of view combined with a longer eye relief means it's very comfortable when viewing planets like Saturn and Jupiter.

To guide me around the sky, I've borrowed a copy of Turn Left at Orion from my local library and installed Google Sky Map on my phone. For a free bit of software, I can't recommend it enough! The ability to just point my phone at the sky and have it tell me what I'm looking at before all the stars have come out has saved me so much time setting up. If you have an Android phone and haven't got Google Sky Map yet, go grab it now!

After a few nights observations with this equipment, I'm starting to think about what to buy next. What I initially thought I'd be buying has had to be pushed back a bit though as it soon became obvious that I needed a couple of more mundane things rather than fancy lenses and filters :)

So there we have it, that was my initial purchase and hopefully, I'll get round to writing up some of my first notes and a little info on what I bought next and why (don't worry, nothing too exciting). Fingers crossed, the summer nights will remain clear for a while yet.