Opened My Eyes for 1st Time!

Well I got a 60mm tasco telescope as a gift from my sister after borrowing a
friend's 60mm scope to see Mars.

I'm new to astronomy (haven't learned to polar align yet) but I have been
having a very enjoyable experience observing the Moon and Mars.

From the eyes of a untrained seer I must admit a little shock, as I was under
the delusion that Mars would be this deep red planet with gouged craters and
vivid ice cap through my little telescope. What I saw was the size of a pea at
arms length with a dark swatch through the middle and IT WAS MOSTLY WHITE! I
was so confused I thought I was looking at the wrong thing for a while, that
is when I could find it and keep it in the scope. One twitch or bump and it
took another 5 minutes of searching.

But am I disapointed? NOT AT ALL... THIS IS AMAZING!!!!

Luckily in my 3ish weeks of being a new guy I've flooded my brain with all
things astronomical. I now understand to not expect hubble imagesand also
realize to keep the magnification down to reasonable power. (anyone want a 4mm
lens? cheap?)

It really is a grand adventure and I look forward to learning to see better.
Even after dodging the sprinklers at the local football field on a late night
view.

On to the Moon, (TO THE MOON ALICE!) this is big enough that even I can find
it. I remember the first look worrying that I would go blind from the
brightness (yup I need a moon filter) and too foolish to realize that a partial
moon is better viewing.

STILL, I remember being facinated by one thing. I saw craters in such detial
as never before. I saw one crater that had a dot in the middle- right in the
center- and wondered all night if that is some huge chuck of rock sitting there
that made the crater. Just imagining the impact mad my mind swim. Even when I
couldn't conferm that the moon was made of cheese.

Back to Mars... So I do the best I can with my telescope, try to stop it
shaking or bumping it, and do my best to focus and keep Mars in view. I guess
I'm hooked now for sure. As I see Mars I can't help but think of all those
great storys of Edgar Rice Burroughs... John Carter on Mars. I know some of
the science that tells me the logic that it's a little cold there for aliens
in loincloths... but that only adds to the richness of the multi-fold
experience. My mind finally wonders to the fact that even my little 60mm scope
likely has a better view (with finer optics) than Galleleo had, and think of
what he had done with his.

This universe we have to explore is the best hidden treasure before our eyes,
and a tremendous blessing. - Rabbidgerbal