Thales

ooooh - just remembered, I was impressed with the views of Jupiter but when I called others to have a look they said they 'couldn't see any moons' it took me some tiime to explain the tiny dots lined up at the equator were actually moons - it was only after this that people could begin to see them. That was an interesting lesson. I saw them straight away because I was half expecting to...

I count myself very lucky as I had a small scope when I was 12 and that was before there were any magazines I think! Patrick Moore's books in those days had photos and drawings made by amateurs a lot of the time. I did see Saturn through my scope and it was very similar to what Qualia has drawn - but I thought even that view was amazing when I got to see an actual planet. I am glad I'd read some astronomy before ever looking through a scope as any view I got was basically going to be awesome. I haven't had a scope for years now, well, except in frustration in 2012 while in Toys R Us buying pressies I grabbed a little National Geographic 50mm!! It has 2 EPs and believe it or not I've had really good views of the moon and also Jupiter (with 2 bands!) and 3 of the 4 moons. I was ecstatic! (very easy to please!!) As others have rightly said a lot of patience is involved. And I think there is something generally mind-blowing about seeing a small planet's disc just hanging there in space....