David Knisely wrote in message ...
DS090904 RECENT OBSERVATIONS
by David Knisely

DATE: September 9th, 2004, 0130 to 0650 hrs UTC.
LOCATION: Rockford Lake, Nebraska 40.227N, 96.580W, 1400 ft (427m) elev.
INSTRUMENTS: NexStar 9.25" Schmidt-Cassegrain, 78x, 98x, 168x, 297x, 479x.
SkyView Pro 100mm f/6 refractor: 20x, 25x, 43x, 63x, 76x, 122x, 190x.

CONDITIONS: Clear, Temp. 65F (18C), wind calm.
UNAIDED-EYE ZENITH LIMITING MAGNITUDE: 6.6
SEEING (above 45 deg. altitude): 1" arc (Antoniadi II).

(...)

David, enjoyed reading your post. Makes me realize the most
important asset for the amateur astronomer is a dark sky. One
of the great largely unnoticed tragedies of our time: light pollution.
I'm always amazed at how alive the sky looks from a dark site,
and converesly how dead it looks from a light polluted area.
I'd be happy with a small scope if I happened to live in an area
with dark skies.

-Eric (where the limiting magnitude is rarely better than 4.5-5.0)