Saturn (again)

[Dennistutt]

I decided that once again I would get up early to try to see Saturn. So at 0400 I went in to the back garden to have a look. Unlike last week when there was complete cloud, this week there was mostly clear skies with a bit of cloud. In the east the crescent moon looked wonderful but there was not much else to see in the sky.

About 10 minutes later quite low in the west I saw a point of light. I went to get my wife's 10x50 binoculars but these did not resolve much more. My 20x80 Celestrons allowed me to see the globe and the bands. I was very pleased and continued looking for 30 mins or so.

I bought a Heritage 130p and tried to assemble it yesterday but could not get it to work - I will post in the equipment forum and hope someone can help me. I try not to thing how it would have looked throught these on the first night.

Anyway, I was so pleased I celebrated in true british style - I went to bed with a cup of tea.

[alanjgreen]

Dennis - Nothing better than getting up early to see something new!

[Torin]

Congratulation Sir on your success (cuppa was certainly well deserved). I've got the Heritage 130p and saw Saturn for the first time the other night. Was a wonderful view, 3 moons (I think) lovely defined gap between the rings and the planet and the hint of a band of colour on the surface. I'll have a look at your other thread as the scope I feel is a really nice easy one (as others have told me).

[Dennistutt]

Thanks - unfortunately I was so excited the tea went cold before I drank it.

[RonVen]

Sounds great. In NY I was able to view it in my AM 114Eq two nughts ago. It was quite small with the distinctive ring (pea size at best). But pleasing, none the less.

[Neil_F]

I had my first ever viewing of Saturn last night through the Skywatcher 130, wow, what a great sight it was too. I celebrated with a cuppa and a lemon curd tart

[Moz]

Ditto with you guys , but since I've not sorted my synscan out yet I had to point look ..repoint look ...repoint...you get the picture it's amazing how quick it moves in the eyepiece pesky blighter . Wonderful sight amazing it's been there all of my 49 years and I've ignored it thinking just another star ..off to accurately align sight today so I can set handset up and track ...no repointing .

Oh and lemon curd ...no , wrong rock bun and tea no mess I'd have curd on the eyepiece in a flash

[DMA]

I also saw Saturn for the first time on Thurs night with my new 130p dob.

Although I could clearly see the rings and some very faint moons it was very

small at 65x using the supplied 10mm eyepiece.

I purchased a meade 2x barlow & meade plossl 15mm

Saturday night was clear so out came the scope & new eyepieces.

I could easily focus on saturn until I used the barlow, I tried moving the focal length by part

collapsing the scope but no joy.

I have since learned from the forums that I collapsed the scope by too much as only 0.5-1cm

required.I am not disheartened and will try to hit the focus sweet spot for the barlow

soon as we have clear sky's.

p.s. I have also today ordered a meade 6.4mm & 9.7mm as I want to see a bigger saturn

& eyepieces are a good long term investment you can take from scope to scope.

Thanks for reading

[DMA]

update Managed to find the sweet focus spot with the barlow by collapsing the scope down a small amount now seeing Saturn at

about 125x and still nice and bright.

Can't wait for the Meade 6.4mm to arrive as this will give me 200x