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Three suggestions for early tonight (clouds permitting) - all easy finds for a newbie - would include:
1. Jupiter - in the north-west
2. Great Nebula in Orion - in the west
3. Jewel Box cluster - in the south, adjacent to the Southern Cross
That's a really good "starter set" - a spectacular planet (you'll see the 4 moons easily, and a couple of dark belts), a large, bright Nebula, and a beautiful cluster.
Once those three have whetted your star-gazing appetite, check out Mars (rises in the east about 6:30, gets reasonable altitude by about 9:00 or so) and then Saturn (rises about 8:00, starts to get reasonably high by about 10:00 or later.) You may not see much detail on Mars, but you should make out a bit of light / dark tonal changes, but Saturn should knock your socks off!
For a first-timer, start with the 25 mm eyepiece each time you are targeting a new object, and then try the 10 mm once you have the target centred.
Good luck, and I hope the clouds cooperate (I'm in Brisbane too, and I'm super - keen for a change in the weather!) - be sure to give us a “first light" report!
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