When was the last time you had the 'WOW' Factor?

[sabana]

Would be interesting to know when this was. And more importantly what were you looking at?

[twotter]

Sunday morning, around 02:00, as Jupiter came into view. First time I've seen my favourite planet this year and the conditions gave some great views

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Last night, got a wicked view of a low, orange moon through my 12x50 binos (my only equipment at the moment). It's the first time i've looked through them steadily - i've been using them freehand, but have recently found i can "mount" them on the washing line and get really steady views. It makes a MASSIVE difference.

Edit: Jupiter was also pretty cool. Halfway between a star and a disk, with 4 perfect pinpricks of light strung out next to it (as opposed to the usual bright star dancing around the eyepiece with "i think" 2-3 moons alongside it).

[brantuk]

Just now - finding out about tachyons and neutrinos that travel faster than light - I was looking at the TV lol

[David Smith]

Last night, M92 at 313x...Wow!

[scoobymike]

Splitting the 'double double' a few weeks ago.

And seeing as this afternoon I bought a SW 200pds (awaiting delivery rather impatiently ) I'm kinda hoping I'll get a few more over the next wk or so!

[brantuk]

Yes I split the double double for the first time last time I was out with the scope - pretty cool it was too

[great_bear]

Any time I get a high power view of the moon.

[RikM]

Last weekend.

First look at Jupiter with my new Pentax 7mm XW. x171 in the Dob, seeing was very good, nice contrast on the bands and lucky timing meant it was the first time seeing the GRS after 2 years of looking.

Was also my Sister's Birthday and her and her Husband had come over for dinner and it was their first time looking through anything bigger than Bins. The brother in law's exact words were "wow....gota get me one of these". He he, I think that's brother in law no.2 hooked.

Having a wow moment myself and sharing with two people I love their first wow moment made it extra special.

[WayBig]

4 weeks ago, M2 for the first time, stunning

[John]

Jupiter was pretty good a few nights ago - I was getting the best views I've had of the planet in many years with my ED120 refractor.

With a wide angle eyepiece and an O-III filter the Veil nebula complex was pretty stunning earlier that same night with the same scope.

[Steve]

two weeks ago, produced my first deep sky image.

[spaceboy]

Seeing M42 for the first time this year. It was early hours of the morning and M42 was high in the sky and for the first time I could clearly make out the colour pink.

[Tommy B]

Every single time I am out imaging. After a few subs I get this realisation of what I am actually doing and I get a shiver in the spine. I don't think anything will beat the experience of seeing saturn for the first time through the telescope however...it was a very mind altering experience.

[Moonshane]

I get one every time I look through my 16" dob. even old familiar targets through the 12" look different again.

last time out (in between clouds) it was double cluster and M31.

[Double Kick Drum]

About an hour ago. I found a dark sky with v good southern horizon just 10 minutes drive away near Cobham, Kent.

Wow! Could see most of Piscis Austrinus and thought "Must bring the scope here - for a Sculptor galaxy maybe" but it was very spooky and so after 10 minutes with the 15x70s, I'd had enough of the eebeegeebees and decided to leave!

I know, not the most spectacular constellation but from 51 degees North, I was happy!

[Chris H]

Last Sunday night watching the moon rise over the sea, beautiful sight with just my x1 mag eyeballs.

[MjrTom]

Seeing Saturn is always top of my wow list

More recently seeing the GRS and an Io transit in the same night.

Seeing Mars for the first time though a scope last week after not being able to sleep so got up and dragged the telescope out in the early hours.

Slept like a log after that

[JohnnyD333]

Seeing the Milky Way in the middle of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, love my DSO imaging but I have never seen anything like that with no equipment or cameras.

[cantab]

My first view of M31 through the 10x50s. Took a while to find, but eventually, it was there. Sure, there's no detail in that size binoculars, but still, millions of light-years away and with hundreds of billions of stars, that's something special.

[fbassett]

This evening saw Jupiter and I think 4 of its moons, tried to get some pictures........failed miserably!

[pvaz]

Dust lanes and the bridge in M51 never fail to impress me. M57 and M13 where my the 1st DSOs I ever saw and I always enjoy looking at them.

Saturn is very good too. I also like to observe Jupiter to see transits of the moons and GRS, it's like seeing the universe in action.

[matsey]

For me it was about a week ago when I got my first look at the Orion Nebula. Absolutely stunning, it really took by breath away.

May have had to get up a couple of hours early on a work day, and might have been almost falling asleep at my desk by the afternoon but it was most definitely worth it

[rory]

just a few nights back when the largest meteor ive ever witnessed with my own eyes streaks by, with parts breaking off , glowing little fireballs. wwwooowww.

oh, and m15 was a wow too.(18th oct) 2 nights ago.

[Charon]

It's the Moon for me.