Hi I am a newbie with Celestron 50az

[rickygoespop]

Hi i have recently purchased my 1st telescope after an impulse buy in my local asda, it is a Celestron 50az powerseeker which i take is an absolute beginners telescope. I have read and been fascinated by space,planets and the universe since i was young. I pointed my telescope to Jupiter with help from my ipad and a useful app which when you hold your ipad up to the sky it tells you what all the names are of the constellations galaxys star clusters and where the planets are in real time. When i first saw Jupier through my telescope i said out loud" Thats Jupiter !" and then got goosebumps, i have been looking at it through my kitchen window almost nightly and can honestly say i wish to proceed with this hobby as i think im hooked now, I would love to see Saturn through my telescope and was wondering wether anyone can tell me when i will be able to see it from the uk as my ipad always tells me saturn is on the other side of the planet at night, i live near gatwick airport in the uk. Many thanks....Rich

[Helen]

Hi Rich and welcome to SGL!

I see you've got the bug!! If you're looking through a closed window you'll get a better, sharper view if you go outside. Saturn currently rises in the early hours of the morning (about 4:30 am at the moment), but it will be rising earlier and earlier as we go through the winter (approx half an hour a week), so it rises at midnight at the beginning of Feb. So you can get up early now to see it, or wait until its visible in the evening early next year. Either way, seeing the rings of Saturn for the first time is something you'll never forget - just awesome!!!

Helen

[brantuk]

Hi Rich and welcome to SGL

Saturn sure is a jaw dropping site first time seeing it - and is still fascinating every other time too. Hope you enjoy the forum

[rickygoespop]

Hi guys, thanks for the replys, very usefull information and i am very excited about seeing saturn for the 1st time, although i dont think my scope is going to be very good at looking at mars just from some things ive read on forums on here but ill give it a go...Rich

[damnut]

Hi Rickygoespop,

You will certainly be able to see Mars as a disk and probably a bit of colour, but Jupiter and Saturn are lovely!.