Heard a kid say 'Jupiter is just a big spot' and it hit me different

I was at my neighbor's barbecue last Saturday and this 8 year old pointed at Jupiter with a cheap binoculars and said that. It made me realize how when you look at planets through small tools like that, they really do just look like bright dots with no detail. Anyone else find that their early impressions from simple gear actually helped them appreciate the bigger picture later on?

2 comments

2 Comments

norag555d ago

Nah, cheap gear just frustrates you into buying a better telescope.

eva_garcia564d agoTop Commenter

Ehh, I gotta disagree a bit. A cheap scope can still be decent if you know what to look for. I started with a 70mm refractor from Amazon for like $80 and it showed me Saturn's rings and Jupiter's bands clear enough to get me hooked. The real issue is buying the wrong cheap gear - like those tabletop dobs with plastic focusers that never hold steady. A used 6 inch dob for $150 is a way better start than a new $100 wobbly thing.