Hello and two question

[Prawny369]

Hello all - newbie here, Have had telescope (basic Skywatcher 130mm) for a little while. When first got it had great views of Saturn but haven't taken it out as much as I should. Anyway tonight I saw Jupiter and four moons - but I am wondering what I should be able to see. I saw two darker bands and possibly a darkish shading near the top and bottom plus the 4 moons - is this what i should expect with a telescope my size? I also feel I should collimate - is there a site or guide that anyone could recommend?

[umadog]

I'm not sure exactly what your scope should be showing you, but you should check the collimation each time you use it. Here's how:

John Reed Home Page Collimation - Cheshire

Telescope Reviews: We cannot proceed.

Telescope Reviews: We cannot proceed.

Astro Babys Guide to Collimation

How To Collimate Your Newtonian Reflector - Do It Yourself - SkyandTelescope.com (but don't do that stuff with the rulers and the primary mirror. Buy a template from Catseye if you want to check the spot position)

Orion Collimating Eyepiece 1.25"

[John]

Hi, welcome to the forum !

Tonight the seeing conditions where I am (North Somerset) are really poor and I can't see any more than you describe with my 120mm ED refractor. On a better night you should be able to make out a couple more, less distinct, bands and, when it's on the right side of the planet, the pale oval in the south equatorial belt that is the Great Red Spot. These additional details take some practice to spot though so spend time studying the planet to let your eye get used to seeing the details and so that you catch the moments of good seeing.