Problems viewing planets

[bigjel]

Hi everyone. I am new to this game and have a query I hope you can help with.

I recently bought a Celestron Nexstar 130SLT. I have got some grest views of the moon and also great views of stars that cannot be viewed with the naked eye.

It is the area inbetween that I seen to be having trouble with. Planets are very small. I initially had problems with the spider and secondary mirror casting shadows over images and was told that this was because the telescope was out of focus. Adjusting the focus so that the shadows disappear makes the images very small. I have been using 25mm and 9mm eyepieces. This happens viewing Jupiter and venus, both low on the horizon at the moment where I live (about 30 miles south of London), but also with Mars which is high in the sky.

Any ideas about how I can get clear large images of the planets? Is there an accessory I should be using or am I doing something wrong?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks.

Andy

[Tinker1947]

Ok, planets will not show as very big Jupiter you should see the 4 moons and a couple of belts going round it, Venus just a white disc sometimes shows a crescent, Mars is as far from Earth as it can get and is just a smallish redish disc not much to write home about.

[haitch]

If you want to see what you can squeeze out of your scope on planets wait until Saturn is high and get a good quality ep that gives around 200x in your scope.

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Jupiter is probably the largest planet you'l see, and even at the best of times, it'l be ~about~ the size of a pea held at arms length. Other planets will be smaller. There isn't much you can do about it, it's mainly due to atmospheric conditions which limit you to around 200x maximum in the uk. Sometimes it'l be more, but most times it'l be less.

Best bet is to get an eyepiece that gives you about 160-180x, and use it A LOT. After a few sessions you'l find your eyes/mind get much, much better at picking out small details from small objects. After a while it becomes so easy, you don't realize how small the images are any more.

[Qualia]

This site might give a hint of what you could expect: http://www.12dstring.me.uk/fov.htm . Personally, I think you'll get better views, but at least there's a rough guide here to work with. For this month I'd concentrate on Saturn and I believe you should be able to get some very sweet views. Perhaps investing in a Baader Ortho and/or barlowing would do the trick?

[puregeordie]

Just to jump in.

A generalisation, What would you suggest is a good quality eyepiece around these days and the place to get em.

cheers.

[Mr Moff]

Last night was my second night of viewing and I used celestron x-cel lx eyepieces and the views were amazing.

I got my first look at Jupiter and started on 25mm.I could just make out its shape and the 4 moons were razor sharp.

I then went to the 9mm and could make out the details and it did look amazing.

I tried the 5mm and it got me in closer with still good detail but couldn't quite focus it.I think for me a 7mm would be best suited for planets.

There's tons of eyepieces to choose from and I plan on trying others but at £69 I'm very pleased so far with these x-cel ep's.

Danny.

[Qualia]

A generalisation, What would you suggest is a good quality eyepiece...

For planet work, I'm currently using Baader Ortho eyepieces with my refractor and I have had spectacular results (viewing from my inner-city flat window) with Saturn (can't get to Jupiter for I finish work too late and Mars is just too far away to do it any justice). After a chat with a couple of members here, reading through a number of site reviews, for a more general, wider view I've been recommended the X-Cel LX series and have just purchased the 12mm and 7mm.

[Zachariah]

I manage to get a good image on Mars with my skymax127 using a a 12mm celestron lx ep plus a 2x barlow. I can see some surface marks. Just grey tbh and sometimes a ice cap. I live in a very lp area so dso's are not good with only m42 good.

[bigjel]

Thanks for all your words of wisdom.

Andy

[puregeordie]

Yes thanks for the added input their. If I may add what I have at the mo as looking for some good uns,

Just I'm looking for some eyepieces and maybe go for the ones on Skythelimit. The TMB designed ones look OK and to have the option and try them for free as well sounds good to me.

I have a 3X barlow the standard 25/10mm eyepice that comes with the SW 200p/8inch/1200mm

so theoretically I have

25mm

8.3mm

10mm

3.3mm

I think I should go for and choose something between 160X-200X realistically,

So looking for 6mm or 7mm TMB planetary maybe?? And a X2 barlow but which one.mmmm

What you think.

thank you