Considering a Sky-Watcher Heritage-150P Flextube Dobsonian for first telescope....what are the views really like?

[HiveIndustries]

So much of this has to do with positioning and presentation of expectations. I get 0 disappointment from kids if I say that the planets are so far away we can barely see them even with a powerful telescope and then tell them the moon is going to be the coolest thing they've ever seen. In fact, being new in the hobby and having kids and having had this experience recently I'm finding I like to go in reverse order of what would seem intuitive on showing them. Jupiter first, Saturn second, Moon last. I find that order of presentation keeps the wonder while gradually increasing in the visual details and clarity.

With adults I just start off before even putting them to the scope, "every picture you've ever seen of space has been from the Hubble" (I know that's not true but you gotta keep it simple) and then go through the same presentation.

If you show someone a moon crater a 1km resolution and then tell them you're about to show them Mars, they're going to have their expectations shattered in the course of your showing. Just because you're super excited you can see the polar ice cap barely, they see a blurry dot when they had a mars orbiter in their heads.

Edited October 23, 2021 by HiveIndustries

[tripleped]

Heritage 150 p  in stock at telescopes .net for 280 USD.   Anyone know of this vendor? Reputable?