Beginners' observing Poll

[Double Kick Drum]

I guess I had to vote for the great light polluter in the sky (Moon).

I'm not a big lunar observer but to be fair, it is the most obvious target for someone starting out and there is more to see compared to other celestial bodies.

[Ganymede12]

I've voted the moon. Easy to find and the amount of detail you can see is amazing!

[KevUU]

The moon is very obvious, but it's sort of too easy in a way. For me Saturn was awesome and takes a little more understanding and involvement, just enough to get you going with a definite "wow" even in a 3 incher. Even "wow"ier was Jupiter and its moons, still find it amazing now.

I guess what I mean, is any punk can point a scope at the moon, but it's once you move onto the next thing that you really feel like an astronomer

[astronomit]

I'd have to go for the moon, and then Jupiter. The moon just has so much detail through a telescope. I actually looked at Jupiter last night (first clear night in a while!), and seeing it resolve from a speck of light near the moon to a small sphere with bands (along with its moons) was fantastic - I sat and just looked at it for ages!

Tim.

[Mr Q]

Thinking about the choices, for those in the U.K., maybe I should have included ? :grin:

[whooshbang]

The moon is very obvious, but it's sort of too easy in a way. For me Saturn was awesome and takes a little more understanding and involvement, just enough to get you going with a definite "wow" even in a 3 incher. Even "wow"ier was Jupiter and its moons, still find it amazing now.

I guess what I mean, is any punk can point a scope at the moon, but it's once you move onto the next thing that you really feel like an astronomer

It was a toss up between Moon and Planets for me but i have to agree with you. There is a great deal of satisfaction for a beginner when lining up Jupiter and Saturn in the eyepiece.

When giving friends and family the tour, given the right conditions i used to start with the Moon then move to either Jupiter or Saturn and watch their response..... for the rest of the evening they would be talking about the rings around Saturn or Jupiter and its moons nearly every time!

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I think the thing most people look at when they first get a scope is the Moon, just because its big, bright and easy to find lol. I think the planets are the real showstoppers, well Jupiter and Saturn. Saturn for me was my first big wow moment. I remember having to watch Match of the Day AND The Football League Show, because Saturn hadnt cleared the houses yet. After that, i've pretty much always gone out whenever its clear.

[Astro Imp]

Thinking about the choices, for those in the U.K., maybe I should have included ? :grin:

You're right, we're all experts at observing those, unfortunately

[Catweazel]

I voted Moon, as it's just too hard to miss and has the wow factor first time through a scope.

[m12_shakes]

Thinking back to what I first saw through my scope, and it was the moon, it certainly had the wow factor. However, I remember being blown away by the ice-caps on Mars and the rings around Saturn. Which is why "Planets" got my vote.

[glowjet]

The Moon and without doubt the easiest target to locate, the Pleiades Cluster is also wonderful sight

John.

[jonathan]

Biggest wow factor I got through my first telescope was The Great Nebula in Orion. Admittedly I gave myself a bit of a head start by buying an 8" SCT, but this nebula still looks great through any decent binoculars. I voted for Planetary Nebulae.

The Moon is interesting, the inner planets stunning, Andromeda Galaxy impressive, but the nebulae are mysterious, elusive, fascinating, and to be able to see one so brilliantly as the one in Orion is one of the best and also easiest sights in the night sky for binoculars or telescope.

[Lyrated]

I am a complete novice and only just got my scope and will be aiming for the moon (if it's not hiding) but i used jupiter and managed a get a goodish view of it.

1) Moon

2) Jupiter

[Markatw]

It's got to be the moon - you will have been looking at it on and off for your whole life but until you've seen it through binoculars or a telescope you have no idea how detailed and beautiful it is - and as Foundaplanet says at times it's as if you are there and you can reach out and it.

[Aronnax]

I would say Jupiter/Saturn, but there's not option for them.

I voted moon, but my initial thought was Jupiter or Saturn, and as above found no option for that.

I think each to their own, but I think the moon can be a great place to start because it's easy to find, and if you've only ever looked at it with the naked eye, it is amazing how much more you can see, and how impressive it is when you can see that it is actually a 3D object with mountains, and craters poking up, rather than the 2D disc you see with the naked eye.

[Robp]

I voted moon as it is the easiest thing to find for a beginner and seeing the surface close up is a nice experience.

As for the biggest wow factor, I'd say Saturn but its harder to find for a beginner than the moon