Greetings from southern michigan!!

[TRNunes]

31 year old childhood space enthusiast from Hillsdale Mi, Always wanted to be an astronaut. Finally bought me a decent scope. Celestron 130eq. Celestron lenses: 20mm Erecting, 32mm, 17mm, 13mm, 10mm, 8mm, 6mm, 2x Barlow. Filters: nd 0.9 moon, 80A blue, 58 green, 21 Orange, 12 deep yellow, 56 light green, 25 red. Celestron 10x25 binoculars. I've been quite successful at finding both solar objects and deep space objects, but unsuccessful getting good views of anything but our moon. From my reading I should be able to see the rings of Saturn. The best view of Mars I've gotten looks little more than another star, hardly bigger yet alone round. What am I doing wrong? My math says my maximum achievable magnification is about 216x (6mm, 2x Barlow, f/5) and the scope should be ok with this, but my views look like binoculars. Please help?

Greetings, southern Michigan, from northeastern Illinois! (smile)

First of all, you're probably not doing anything wrong. What clear (and dark, non-light polluted) skies do for you (in the experience of another admitted newbie) is provide clarity and detail. Even at the maximum magnification your 'scope can achieve (which, depending on light pollution and other environmental factors, ISN'T the maximum you can expect to be able to use on any given night), Mars or other planetary objects might end up being just a few millimeters in diameter (which is still a heck of a lot better than via the naked eye!). In other words, DON'T necessarily expect Mars to ever fill out even a portion of your eyepiece, but DO expect to see more detail when conditions are ideal.

Also, keep in mind that, if you've been looking at images others have captured (possibly on larger 'scopes and via clearer/darker skies), said images were likely stacked (e.g. potentially thousands of *.AVI frames that, when put together w/appropriate software, make for a more detailed image). Here's an example of a non-stacked image of Mars (which wasn't much more than a fuzzy red dot through the eyepiece) I took awhile back, compared to a stacked image.

The really cool thing though is that, imaging aside, you're seeing everything with your own eyes. And, again, I'm not sure what the condition are like in your area of Michigan, but you might also want to visit your local astronomy group, as they may also have their own dark sky sites they share with members.

Anyway, stick with it, and clear (and dark) skies!

[TRNunes]

With your clearer skies in the States you should be able to achieve reasonable views approaching the scopes maximum mag capability and certainly using less magnification the scope should perform well.

John,

While I'm unsure of the viewing conditions in this particular instance, just an FYI that "the States" don't universally enjoy clear skies (pained smile). For example, if you compare satellite light pollution maps of London with Chicago (in the suburbs of which I live), you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference... Which would also apply to NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, DC, Atlanta, SF, LA, etc, etc, etc. ;-)

[TRNunes]

Great news even though tonight ended up partly cloudly and hazy I was able to get a good view of Jupiter as well as three of its moons!!! I attempted to take a picture with my phone and Jupiter itself turned out ok but the moons of coarse did not show up. I tried to upload from my phone but its not corporating, lol. I was hoping for the "big red spot" but seeing conditions were not favorable and I'd dunno if it was even facing us. Still feeling a lot better about this purchase.

YAY! I started with Jupiter as well, and highly recommend it for getting your feet wet (should've mentioned that in my previous post. Sorry!). And the moons are phenomenal, aren't they? The light conditions weren't cooperating with me last time I viewed it either, but I was visually able to observe at least FOUR moons, which were aligned almost in a strait line out from the planet! How cool is that?!?

Anyway, again, CONGRATS!!!

[Mr Spock]

Hi, welcome to SGL

[Muppetonawave]

Hi and welcome

[peteruss]

Welcome to sgl

[whytespyder]

YAY! I started with Jupiter as well, and highly recommend it for getting your feet wet (should've mentioned that in my previous post. Sorry!). And the moons are phenomenal, aren't they? The light conditions weren't cooperating with me last time I viewed it either, but I was visually able to observe at least FOUR moons, which were aligned almost in a strait line out from the planet! How cool is that?!?

Anyway, again, CONGRATS!!!

I know I was way impressed by the near perfect line they formed, with two on one side and two on the other. Way cool!! I viewed Saturn for first time tonight and could see the rings quite clearly and was able to barely make out the "cassini division" also. Which again was way awesome. I'm looking for a really good sky charts book for outside on hand purposes, got any good suggestions?

[TRNunes]

If you have an iPad or iPhone, I'd recommend SkySafari Plus, as it's charts are in real time, and both time of day and directionally aware. For paper charts, I plan on asking for "The Backyard Astronomer's Guide" for either a Father's Day or birthday present, which has star charts in it as well (NOTE: I can't recommend it based on first-hand experience like I can SkySafari Plus, but I've seen so many recommendations for it over the past six months since getting my 'scope that I'm pretty sure it's worth it).