I received my new AOE 10x50HR binoculars yesterday. This is the first pair of binoculars I've owned.
http://www.aoe.com.au/7x50hg.html
I also received my new Velbon CX-660 tripod.
I headed outside with my binos & tripod along with a planisphere & the Heavens Above: A Binocular Guide to the Southern Skies book. This is the first session of stargazing I've ever done!
I started observing around 9.30pm. First off I looked at the moon & was blown away by the detail I could see. All those craters just looked incredible!
After looking at the moon for some 20 mins I turned to Orion, which was quite low in the sky & quite affected by light pollution. It was still an incredible sight. I then looked at the Crux & the Carina region & was amazed at the view & the sheer number of stars.
Next I wanted to see if I could locate any planets. My planisphere has a chart with a guide for locating planets, but I had problems working it out. I thought I saw Saturn as an elongated star that didn't twinkle. I really wanted to see Jupiter & its moons, but I understand that this doesn't rise until the early hours of the morning.
I called my wife out to have a look & she was amazed at the views. She was especially fascinated with the moon. The first thing she said to me was "Why don't we get a telescope?".
So I was quite happy with my first experience stargazing. Hopefully there will be many clear nights ahead.