Howdy.
About three months ago or so I registered here looking for advice about which budget-ish refractors to buy. Mostly against my satisfaction the knowledgable forum members successfully bullied, err *cough cough*, convinced me to rather consider an 8 inch telescope of the preferably dobsonian variety.
Well, three weeks ago my new 8" Bintel GSO arrived.
What can I say - it's been mostly a blast. Apart from a very minor nitpick (I seem to have received the lemon version of the finderscope, screws breaking and such) I am very happy with my new dob. So thanks for that, bullies
My skies are reasonably polluted (I can just so make out mag 5 on a good night and with patience) and my observing time is rather limited, but I love it. The moon is a just a stunner. Saturn is amazing. And lots of fuzzies are very faint.
After bits of randomly poking around I have started to sort of systematically explore the "tea pot". So far I have managed to get good views on M22, M28, M24 (whoa!), M21 a a few others. I would love to see the nebulae, but so far I wasn't able to. Not sure if light pollution is too bad, I need a filter or have to wait until later in the night/better conditions.
One highlight in these "tea pot" sessions has been - and I know that sounds silly - a feeling of familiarity when I know I see Kaus Borealis in my finder because I can spot the smudge of M28 just a bit below it. It's like "oh, yeah, I know where I am again"
Another highlight was fooling around with the telescope and my 4yr old. I focus something and tell her to look, she'll know what is is. She looks and screams "It's Saturn"
So yes, thanks for making me buy that Dob and running this nice place here.
If you'll excuse me - I have to plan my next observing night in Stellarium.
Sven
