dostergaard

I believe if u look around you will dig out lots of more detailed discriptions of what you might see through your scope but none i have read cover such a range and depth in one post as per the OP's. I still remeber my disapointment of first light on Andromeda but part due to a better scope, part to better technique and big part due to better unddrstanding of the mechanics/physics, so basically evertything about what i am doing and viewing, my experience is a world away from that first light of this beautiful galaxy. Or simply with time ones experiences become more fullfilling.

Steve

Really good points! I recognize that repeated sessions will improve my observing skills and I'll be able to notice more detail.

However, when you talk to someone about buying a scope and they say, "Oh sure! You'll be able to see all the planets, the rings of Saturn, and some deep sky objects with that! No problem!" well, then your expectations usually get set higher than the reality. This post really helped me reset those expectations.

Thanks so much for this! For a while I wondered what might be wrong with my telescope. Now, you've confirmed that I actually saw the things I thought I saw even though they didn't look like the images that I used to try and recognize what I was looking for!