Cloudy, Cloudy Night

I have a new toy! The Discovery Channel Stores are going out of business, and everything is 20%-40% off. I went to buy myself a telescope, and came back with a Meade ETX-80BB Backpack Observatory Telescope. It was only 20% off, but I've always wanted a telescope, and I did save $60.

Do I know anything about astronomy or running a telescope? No sir, I do not! But I will learn. I also bought the Astro Pack Astronomy Starter Kit. I kept trying to take it out and test it, but this is Seattle, and the nights have been overcast. A few days ago I focused on a really bright star shining between the clouds, thinking it might be a planet. It just became a slightly bigger really bright star. It was purplish, so maybe it was Venus. As soon as the moon comes around by my back porch I'll have a look at that, but I think I need to go back to the store and buy some extra lenses.

This telescope is pretty cool in that once I zero it out, point to North, enter my zip code and time, little computers and motors whir and click and it will automatically find stuff for me. Excellent for a know-nothing like myself. I'm looking forward to learning how to use it and then taking it away from the city where I can actually see stuff. I plan to take it to Fiddle Tunes in early July and then later to Maine.