Beginner with question on Saturn watching

[starpilot]

Hi

When I look at Saturn I can clearly see the rings but not in enough detail to pick out

the Cassini divisions. Is this a limit of my 114mm telescope or will a different lense help me out ? I have a K2, a SR4 and a 3x barlow that came with the scope. With the lower powered K20 (with or without the barlow) I can get a nice sharp image. With the SR4 it's very difficult to get anything better than a slightly fuzzy image.

Any thoughts ?

Thanks

[lunator]

SR

I have to ask a couple of questions

What is the focal length of your scope? It will be something like 900-1000mm.

The SR4 eyepiece will be a high magnification and combined with the eyepiece quality probably won't provide sharp views.

There is also the scopes collimation. Basically making sure the mirrors are lined up, if they are not then the image will be 'soft'.

I had a celestron 114mm scope as a 1st scope. The views imporved significantly when I bought a 9mm celestron eyepiece. It cost me £20 new and made all the difference.

Cheers

Ian

[FLO]

I'll second that. The eyepieces supplied with most starter telescopes are 'adequate' at best. Nail the collimation and upgrade the the eyepiece. Also, leave your telescope to cool down for at least 40 mins (rough guide: 10mins per inch of aperture). You should also find your viewing will become more steady after about midnight when heat stored during daytime (particularly in concrete and brick) will have radiated back into the atmosphere.

[themos]

Hey starpilot, I have the same setup as you! Thanks for the advice, people. It looks like I'm in the market for a collimator kit, a decent 12mm e/p (Plossl about £27, orthoscopic £55) and I would really like one of those with the illuminated crosshairs. The good thing is, they will all be useful on the Next Scope.

[lunator]

Thermos

You can get a Ortho for £20 second hand (with out the cross hairs)

Cheers

Ian