In some aspects, this scope actually showed objects better than photographs. But with this huge scope, the eye was actually seeing the great spiral arms of the galaxies. The first object we looked at was the Whirlpool Galaxy . This galaxy looked very different than photographs that we usually see. The arms extending from the central core were very pronounced and dark spaces between the arms.
Photos usually show nebulosity between the arms.
Using an O-111 filter the nebula was actually brilliant. No color, but much detail could be seen inside the nebula. There were many swirls and dust lanes easily seen. There was a definite mottled affect to be seen. The scope brought this globular in so close and broke it up into so many stars, that it appeared more as an open star cluster than a globular.