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Ben, please don't take this wroung but I think you need to learn the sky a bit more as well. I started with a 114\900 reflector as you did and between using Stellarium and just getting out there and searching methodically I could easily enough find M42, planets and even a comet with it. The hard part with a smaller scope I found is that because an object is not eyeball visible just 'blind' searching will not work unless you are lucky and just stumble across objects.
I started around the Cru region with it's little clusters and slowly moved up towards Eta Carina where I could just see the nebula but the scope still easily picked up Wishing Well and other cluster goups in that area.
About that time I decided I needed more aperture and built the 10" Dob so be careful, it is contagious !
The 102mm is smaller than your 114mm so although it might find objects they will not necessarily be easily seen. Aperture is the answer and an 8" or 10" dob is the best cost effective answer to that.
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