3 Inch Reflector

[Limbo]

Hi all,

I'm new to all this and I have recently got a new telescope a 3 inch reflector and have been looking at the moon, Jupiter and it's moons and also beatleguse (if that's how it's spelt lol) I know to see more I will need a bigger scope but whilst I'm saving is there any other objects I might be able to see with it

Thanks in advance :-)

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

A 3" scope can show quite a few sights beyond what you have already seen. Many of the Messier objects are visible with a 3" scope. For preference, use a low magnification (except for a handful of objects like M57). Just point your scope at the little threesome of stars below Orion's belt, and you will see M42 (and M43). The Pleiades (M45) are great in such a scope. the book "Turn Left at Orion" is a great guide.

Despite having a bigger scope, I still use binoculars (15x70 mainly) which have a slightly smaller aperture than your scope. A bigger scope will show more (we all want one, that's called aperture fever), but even a modest scope can show a lot.

[Limbo]

Thanks for your time in replying you've give me abit of hope now, after searching on the net alot people seem to just write 3" scopes off and just say get a bigger one, I will do in the future but basically want to live with what I have for now while saving, just need a clear night now

Thanks again!

[nephilim]

Any scope is better than no scope and 'Turn left at Orion' is actually written with a 3" scope in mind.

Steve

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Thanks for your time in replying you've give me abit of hope now, after searching on the net alot people seem to just write 3" scopes off and just say get a bigger one, I will do in the future but basically want to live with what I have for now while saving, just need a clear night now

Thanks again!

I forgot to mention I also do a lot of observing with my 80mm refractor. That is not much bigger than your 3". It has given some great views of wide-field objects like the North America nebula

[Limbo]

I will have to check turn left at orion out and yeah that's very true better than no scope I was just getting abit worried I wouldn't see much and have to make do for awhile but I'm looking forward to the clouds getting out the way now, I have been looking into a pair on binoculars also so I have something easier to carry with me at times

[Scott]

Stellarium is a great piece of FREE software which is also a great help in showing you what's where.

Enjoy your new scope.

[NGC 1502]

A 3" scope will show you a lot if you are keen. Most of us, including myself, have never exhausted what a small scope will do.

As mentioned, the book "Turn Left at Orion" is just the job to use with your scope.

A small scope will show you more than a large scope that's not used because it is too large heavy or complex.

Happy viewing, Ed.

[E621Keith]

OP - Can you be more specific about your scope.

What you can see with a 3" often depends on your local light pollution and your scope, but Andromeda galaxy M31, Orion Nebula M42 and Pleiades clusters M45 should be easily visible with a decent 3" even in a light polluted city.

I second the suggestions about getting Stellarium (free software) and Turn left at Orion (book)

I forgot to mention I also do a lot of observing with my 80mm refractor. That is not much bigger than your 3". It has given some great views of wide-field objects like the North America nebula

but a 3" triplet APO or a top of the line Kumming BA8 binocular is very different to a 3" imitation scope from Jessops, Argos or other department stores.

While you can get all the messier objects with the former in a reasonably dark sky, getting good focused image of the moon can be challenging for the latter.

[Limbo]

OP - Can you be more specific about your scope.

Sorry if you didn't mean me, but I have a Saxon 767AZ 3", I ordered it from Amazon last month and to be truthful it is a good scope but from reading on the net I didn't seem hopeful on seeing too much with it, but from the advice everyone has given already I feel bit more happier

[E621Keith]

Oh dear, I have not seen a case of false advertisement as bad as this. There is NO WAY the Saxon can get images of milky way (far too wide for telescope), or Jupiter like the ones in the product picture.

http://www.amazon.co...w/dp/B004QGXOHA

http://ecx.images-am...51FGaN3+68L.jpg

http://ecx.images-am...316NecrkymL.jpg

Nevertheless, you should have a go on some of the brighter Messier objects like the Orion nebula and Pleiades.

Meanwhile I need to find a way to submit a complaint to Amazon

[Limbo]

Yeah Jupiter looks nothing like that from my scope ha ha! all I see is a bright dot and sometimes 4 dots (moons) sometimes 2 but nothing quite like that, but then again I didn't expect to, I just wanted to start on something that's always been of an interest, even using that 3x Barlow with 25mm I don't get anything like that lol, but then again by the looks of the image I'm sure to be doing something wrong lol

[Guy Wells]

I got a 114mm (4.5") Its fine. Point it towards the heavens. There's stuff up there! You'll see more than Galileo!

[E621Keith]

If that Jupiter image didn't came from a professional observatory or a probe, it was probably taken by a large SCT costing several grand and hours of advanced computer processing. It's not possible to see an image as good as with your eye that regardless of scope. Atmospheric distortion (seeing) alone would have degraded that image by a significant amount.

The photo of the milky way is too wide for a telescope. You can only see something like that with the naked eye in a VERY dark site.

You scope should show the moon, Jupiters moon, and Pleiades . You might even see Jupiter's main cloud bands if you are lucky and if that reflector has better optics than the average department store scope, but otherwise don't get your hope up.

EDIT: Just a quick dig on the internet. Images of Jupiter in this thread is more realistic of what you can expect to see visually in an average night with a good quality 3" scope.

http://stargazerslou...ack-at-jupiter/

[Biggazza88]

Don't let all the bad press put you off, pick it up and feel how light it is, that is somthing that everyone with a bigger scope than you is envious about!

If you have a chance take it somewhere as dark as you can. It will surprise you how much difference that will make! Have fun mate

[ronin]

Just get out and use it, it is a scope and will show more then your eyes or binoculars will show. Stick something like an 8mm/9mm/10mm eyepiece in and point at Jupiter, it should come up as a small disk and 2 bands, you may see more.

Orion nebula will not be a revelation but you should see the general shape of it and if reasonable stars within the nebula - trapesium stars - 4 in a trapesium shape, no imagination in the naming.

After that I would search out some clusters, open and globular - low magnification is OK for these, and then perhaps look out for a few double stars. If you do a search for "coloured double stars" there is a list of 20 or so by the Delaware astro society that are useful. Makes it a bit more interesting to see 2 of different colours.

M31/Andromeda is up there but a bit big, really suggest a pair of binoculars.

Really the answer is to do a bit of forward planning, which I can honestly say I don't do at all or in the least.

One thought is search the Moore Winter Marathon out and do the first section, it is intended for small scopes and binoculars.

[nephilim]

It really does irritate the hell out of me when these advertisers constantly lie about the capabilities of these scopes (I'm talking about the common store ones, Argos & 'now thankfully gone'-Jessops) theres no way on earth that scope will get anywhere near 525x, I've a 200p (8") & that is 'capable' of 400x but conditions here in the UK will never allow me near that. Its companies like this that know nothing at all about the goods they're selling & they'll be responsible for god knows how many budding amatuer astronomers just giving up for good, something really should be done about it (thankfully a member on here is doing exactly that at the moment) sorry.....rant over.

On a more positive note to the OP, as I said earlier the TL@O is written with a 3" scope in mind & if you can ignore the absolute nonsense the advertisers LIE about then you'll still get some very nice views, it'll give u a chance to get out & get familiar with whats 'up there' & it's a good relativly cheap way of deciding wether you want to upgrade in the future. You mentioned maybe buying a pair of bino's which is a great idea and will serve u just as well (and better) than a modest scope, binos give extremely good wide field views that no telescope ever could whatever its size.

Also, as Auspom above mentioned Stellerium http://www.stellarium.org/ is a fantastic free download which once you've put in your home location will show you everything thats in the night sky (and day) at anytime you want, so great to take outside & use with the scope to see whats what & also great for planning future observing sessions ie 'what time is Jupiter out and about & where' etc.

Steve

[Limbo]

Cheers guys I've ordered turn left at orion and also been looking at a pair of celestron 25x70 skymaster binoculars, I've also remembered about the caravan park that is near me thats got a beach at the back (open to the public) but with the caravan park being closed shouldnt have alot of light pollution so going to check that out tonight if the weather man wasn't lying this morning, hopefully get to see what you've all suggested

cheers, Stu.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

With 25x70 you will most certainly need a tripod. If possible, I would go for a 15x70. Even that needs a tripod, but it can be hand held for a short time

[RyanL]

I'm currently using an old 60mm scope and on a good night can just about make out 2 cloud bands on Jupiter at 90x so you should be fine with yours. Turn left at Orion as said is very good and I'm also working through the Lunar 100 which is great fun too. I use a pair of 10x50 bins as well and I love the wide field of view they give as it helps to learn the sky.

[ronin]

As RyanL says the moon is also always worth looking at.

We complain about it a lot but it is something that is easy to locate, big, bright and changes over the month.

[Limbo]

Yeah looking at the moon is always good I will have a go at Lunar 100 ive also just got mobile observatory which tells me the best things to look at on the night which will also be helpful and also tapatalk so I'm not tied to my computer all the time, it says the pleiades are something to look out for tonight so going to give that a try too

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[Peter Drew]

One benefit of using a small telescope is that you have to try just a bit harder to see the details, this will stand you in good stead when you eventually upgrade.

[ScottT]

I have been researching before buying my first scope for the past two weeks , I'm the sort of sucker they are trying to fool with those pics

they didnt catch me out though , because I saw this and it looked MUCH better - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/clearance/hubble-cassegrain-reflector-telescope.html

[ianfiat]

I have seen the ring nebula with a 3 inch scope, looked to me more like a fuzzy blob than a smoke ring though.