A lot of good info has been posted here. Can be overwhelming though and confusing.
What maybe is being forgotten a little is the learning process that must be undertaken through experience at the eyepiece, and how to take advantage of the gear that you have right now. We here are all very happy to spend your money,
, but sometimes it is not spending the dollars that one needs to do...
The following is an article/thread I've written that talks about how to get the most out of your gear AND your human eyes when it comes to the Moon and planets. It also describes what scopes can and can't do, and gives suggestions on what to look for on the Moon and planets. All with the one key point at the forefront - PATIENCE.
Observing the Moon and planets - the good juice and cheats...
I also have a related article to do with deep sky objects that is written in a similar fashion:
Understanding Nebulae - what it is you are looking at
One thing I have done in both articles is use as many of my own sketches that I have done at the eyepiece to show how things appear rather than use photographs as these are less of a true representation of how things appear through the eyepiece.
Take your time, Peter. There is a lot to learn here, and your current scope (be it the dob you have, or a refractor someone else has, or a Cassegrain other person has) it has a lot to offer and teach. Just be patient. It will also help you make much more sense of the good info that has been offered in this thread, not just for you but whom ever should also have the same questions as you.
Alex.