I started out with a very old pair of 7x50 binoculars as my observing instrument. To give you as idea of just how old they are, they are labeled "Made in Occupied Japan!" For astronomical viewing, these old binoculars were, well, shall we say, not able to perform at optimal levels! The optics were fuzzy with a bit of a build up of smudge on the inside. They were definitely superior to the light gathering ability of my own eyes, but significantly inferior to a good pair of new 7x50 binoculars. Therefore, I was faced with a question. I could pay $150-$175 for a new pair of good binoculars, or I could pay just a bit more than twice that and get a good basic introductory telescope. I went with the telescope!

Like most people buying their first good amateur scope, I decided on a Dobsonian Reflector as my first scope. I am lucky to have a good telescope retailer in my area. I found out when their next star party was scheduled, and then attended the star party so that I could sample the various scopes and talk a bit more about them with the staff there. After the star party, I decided on the Celestron 8" Dobsonian Reflector. I mounted a 9x50 finder and a Telrad is on the way!

I am very, very pleased with this scope eventhough the first two weeks that I had it there was only one evening of favorable "seeing!" But that very first night I did view M57, or the Ring Nebula! And I saw lots of other great sights that first night as well! I saw Saturn and its rings, Jupiter and its moons and M45, the Pleiades, a quite visual open cluster of stars. Several stars of this cluster are visible to the naked eye and are known as the "Seven Sisters."