Hi Alexander & All,
I can relate to your experiences. Although mine was not as drama filled.
I was viewing the moon with my Celestron 200mm SCT. A visitor enquired what I was doing.
"That's not a telescope! That's not the moon... You gotta' photo in there. Or a movie or something. "
After a little more viewing at Saturn he was finally convinced.
I rarely bring out the scope when visitors are present now.
Cheers Marty