Hi,
In my two or so years of astronomy, I've learned some important things:
1. The colour, high def pictures of planets you see on the box aren't necessarily accurate for your own telescope; unless your scope is in orbit around the earth...
2. Dobsonian's are awesome
3. Dobsonian's are heavy
4. Old office swivel chairs are cheaper and just as effective as viewing platform seats
5. Venus isn't as boring to look at as I once thought
6. A full moon isn't TOTALLY useless to look at...
7. You can take some pretty cool photos with an I-phone 5 (or, your daughter can because her hands aren't nerve damaged)
8. "Mobile Observatory" is a very good App
9. Until it is at opposition, Mars is a waste of time to look at in an 8" Dob
10. In the Bible where it says that God "stretched out the heavens", it wasn't whistling dixie
11. You are never satisfied with the aperture of your scope...but it is better to be
