![]() ![]() Of all our planets, none is more impressive through amateur telescopes than Jupiter. Skill as an observer will only be gained by going out night after night and observing. As time goes on, your eye and brain will become accustomed to seeing fainter, more tenuous detail. Switch eyepieces (magnifications) until you find that perfect view and study it intently. That's normal, so don't be discouraged! Stick with it and observe the planets as often as possible. Most first-time observers only see small, round blurs when viewing the planets. Filters are not a substitute for quality optics and steady skies.įinally, the greatest tool for viewing the planets cannot be purchased anywhere: a trained eye. While filters do help, their benefit is best appreciated by experienced observers. Many observers also recommend using color filters to enhance subtle features on some of the planets. To keep this time as short as possible, store your telescope in an unheated, but protected, place. Depending on telescope aperture and the change in temperature, acclimatization may take anywhere from ten minutes to more than an hour. Frequently, the steadiest nights appear slightly hazy, when our atmosphere is more tranquil and seeing is enhanced.Įven with steady seeing, however, a telescope still won't do the planets justice unless its optics are cooled to the outdoor temperature. If the stars appear to be twinkling, which is caused by a turbulent atmosphere, then conditions are poor for planet gazing. A good way to judge seeing conditions is to check the stars. Even the best telescope will show only fuzzy planetary blurs if the Earth's atmosphere is turbulent. "Seeing" is just as important as optical quality. The best advice is to increase magnification until the image brightness and sharpness begin to deteriorate. Many nights may only let you use 30x per inch, or even 20x. But this also assumes that the telescope and eyepiece are optically perfect and that "seeing" ? the measure of how steady the Earth's atmosphere appears ? is calm. In other words, 240x is the highest you should use in a 4-inch telescope, while 480x is the highest in an 8-inch telescope. Never use an eyepiece that will magnify more than 60 times for every inch of aperture. So, what magnification is best for viewing the planets? That's hard to say, but a rule often mentioned is the "sixty power per inch" rule. Too much magnification will cause the image to become so faint that it becomes impossible to focus, or even see. Low magnification concentrates that light into a small, bright image, while high magnification spreads that light over a larger area, producing a dimmer image. A telescope's ability to gather light from a distant target is based on its aperture (the diameter of its main mirror or lens). It's almost as good as getting a whole new telescope!Ī common mistake made by beginners is to think that high power eyepieces are best for viewing the planets. The same instrument will show much more planetary detail just by switching eyepieces. Most telescopes come with one or two eyepieces that are fine to start off with, but usually cannot reveal a telescope's full potential. This is especially critical with the planets. Regardless of the type of telescope, always use your best eyepieces to get the sharpest views. Reflectors and catadioptric telescopes work very well on the planets, it's just that a larger aperture is needed to give the same view. ![]() While reflector and catadioptric telescopes need small, secondary mirrors to redirect light to their eyepieces, refractors have a clear light path straight to their eyepieces, keeping contrast at its greatest. High-quality refractors have the edge for studying the planets because of their "clear apertures." Any time something blocks a portion of a telescope's aperture (such as a secondary mirror), some image sharpness and contrast are lost. ![]() The telescope must have clean, high-quality optics, a sturdy mount, and good eyepieces. Most telescopes of any aperture will give pleasing views of the planets, at least of Saturn and Jupiter, because they're so big, bright, and distinctive. Each has its own set of characteristics and personality each is a wonder to behold through a telescope. First thought to be gods and goddesses, later believed to be inhabited by alien life forms, today the planets are well known as strange and marvelous worlds. ![]()
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