I find myself in complete agreement with Guy in his email assessment of the star party at SPOC tonight. Bruce and Steve, you done good. Real good! Looking through the Big Scope at Saturn had me thinking back to the first time I ever looked through a "real" telescope. I was 8 and I was amazed at the site of Saturn. It was that view that turned my interest in the sky into a lifelong passion. I can't help but wonder how many kids' astronomical interest will be ignited this spring by views of Saturn through the Big Scope. Tonight's views of the Ringed World were incredible. Cassini (the gap, not the spacecraft) was a cinch. Looked like a black thread laying on the rings. More satellites than I've ever seen and the detail on the planet itself was amazing. And all this with the seeing not all that great, less than terrific eyepieces and Saturn fairly low in the sky. I can only imagine what it will look like with good seeing and top of the line eyepieces. As for M-42, Siegfried actually thought he saw color in the nebulosity. While others did not see that we all agreed the swirls and festoons and at least 6 stars in the Trapezium were terrific. I think I have a new love in my life... :-) Patrick