multi vision on venus :(

[WhySoSirius]

so i just went out to take a look at venus with my celestron 130 newtonian and and highest magnification (9mm w/ barlow) the image was terrible. it was like 5 or 6 venus' overlapping eachother partially. im not sure if it was doing the same at lesser magnification as i couldnt make out the edges in any detail.

does it just need collimating? its been a while since ive used it, a good few months (dam work) so was kind of gutted to see this having finally got the chance!

[mdstuart]

Maybe. I looked with a smaller 110mm scope and I could see with a 10mm a half moon shape. I think you would do better to try with just the 9mm lens.

To check the scopes collimation is relatively OK look at a bright star, maybe the pole star as it does not move and then focus and check you can get the star to a point of light...Then point over to Venus and you know your in focus..

Look at Jupiter to the left and you should see the moons as little points of light either side of the planet.

Good luck..

Mark

[twotter]

I was up to x150 mag tonight with an 8mm EP in my SW 200P dob and the view was okay, but not mega sharp. Did you allow enough time for your telescope to cool?

[WhySoSirius]

probably not, maybe next time i'll let it cool down a bit more.

i think i was in focus as i could make out the 'half moon' shape of venus, and the edges weren't too bad. there was just so many of them.

do the mirrors disalign themselves over time even if you dont use it?

[Tribal-Wolf]

Tis very fuzzy here tonight, not good seeing at all. The met office says it's cloudy where you are tonight so that could be why.

[Stu]

I would think it more likely to be atmospheric conditions than anything to do with your scope. I don't think I've ever seen a particularly stable image of venus which is why I don't often bother with it. It is very bright, and often low down so you are looking through the thickest part of the atmosphere. Badly adjusted collimation won't cause multiple images as you describe.

Try Jupiter or a star or two higher up to check everything is ok. I bet it is

Stu

[BazMark]

Atmospheric conditions can be a funny thing. I had the best views I've had in a long time this evening. I set up quite early though and was viewing Venus and Jupiter just after sundown followed by Mars a little later. The seeing was so good here for a while I was able to push my scope right up to 416x and still have a good view of all three of my targets. Unusually good was Venus with a clear half moon presentation and even mars presented as a clear disc at 416x. I was amazed! All fogged up now though. (