First Saturn Views

[johnd]

So despite a poor forecast Friday evening was pretty good in my SW London views. I was out from about 11:30 to 1am trying to use my new Star Atlas to be more accurate in Star hopping (its still difficult in my upside down 1degree view - I'm another post about this). Had a look at Jupiter (Lovely and clear as always), Mars this time was higher and much better could discern the whitish/Bluish of the caps and also the different red-brownish shades. My 12mm BST was best when I added the 2.25 Barlow its bigger but a little more 'wobbley'. Then, I look low to the SSE and see what I thought was a Bright star? Get my 25mm on it and WOW its only Saturn! I was so chuffed as I thought my views at present would not be good enough to see Saturn (I've some houses at about 10degrees). I then spent the next hour playing with Mag and again the 12mm was best and I could even, fleetingly, make out a separation that split the Rings. I found it surreal looking at Saturn as it moved in my view. Yes, its nothing like the NASA views but I was impressed very impressed by my views and will see how it gets better (Weather permitting) as we move into May?

As a follow on question what is the thinking around a Barlowed 5.3mm view from my 12mm compared to a dedicated 5mm EP view. Logic would suggest that with less glass it should be better, quality of different 5mm EP's aside, or may be not?

[mitchelln]

First view of Saturn is always a "Wow" moment You'll have caught the Saturn bug now!

[Johnny666666]

First view of Saturn is always a "Wow" moment You'll have caught the Saturn bug now!

+1 to that! I looked at Saturn for the first time ever on Saturday night. So wonderfully clear in the EP though the images I took were pretty poor! But, a WOW moment to be sure!

[Northern Soul man]

Hi John, I think your use of the 12mm and the 2.25 barlow - or even a dedicated 5mm EP is going to be pushing the mag a little too much - your using around x 300 magnification with your choice of EP/EP and Barlow, you may get away with it if you were aligned on Jupiter, as its very high up in the sky this time around - but for Mars and Saturn which are quite low down towards the horizon your looking through a lot of atmosphere and the seeing is going to suffer due to this, might be better if you can borrow or try, say, an 8mm EP which would give you just above x 180 magnification, this will give you a smaller image, but you may find it to be a little clearer - I'm not saying that a Barlowed 12mm EP is unusable - but if Mars and Saturn were a lot higher up (say to where Jupiter is at the moment) the views would be much steadier and not so wobbly.  

Usually most say that when you get near to x 200 - this Mag is about what you can usually get away with, some nights of good steady seeing you may be able to go beyond this, as said maybe an 8mm( x 187) or a 7mm (x 214) - or even a 6mm ( x 250) only on the best nights of seeing - but as soon as you start to increase the mag beyond the limits of the nights seeing it all starts to get a little mushy and soft - yes you have a larger image - but I always try to get a brighter and slightly smaller image, then if conditions allow - I increase the mag to see if details at a lower mag can be seen.

All the best John and some nights will be much better than others for seeing but the "first" Saturn is always amazing - I know exactly how you feel mate.

Paul.

[johnd]

Yes, thanks for the comments and my experience would concur with the Mag/Max EP for Mars and Saturn, I think the bug has taken hold yes. Mars is much better than a month ago but I think it a newbie thing to want bigger FOV but I am appreciating the detail with a lower Mag in my 12mm, even Jupiter is stunning in my 12mm at present.  I'm fast approaching the newbie dilemma in that I only have 2 Ep's (12 and 25mm) what next? I think from reading other posts a 6 or 8mm might be my next EP purchase? But, I'll have to wrestle with that problem after I get me a Finderscope. 

What would you say is the Max Mag for the Moon, I use my 12mm and Barlow giving 5.3 and it is very stable and I think I can't get more Mag. So what from your experience is an EP that can be used on the moon, 8mm with 2.25 barlow possible?

[johnd]

+1 to that! I looked at Saturn for the first time ever on Saturday night. So wonderfully clear in the EP though the images I took were pretty poor! But, a WOW moment to be sure!

Yes, WOW indeed and I can see the appeal in taking some Pic's. When I look at Jupiter or more so the moon under high Mag, I feel I want to share these views.

[Johnny666666]

Yes, WOW indeed and I can see the appeal in taking some Pic's. When I look at Jupiter or more so the moon under high Mag, I feel I want to share these views.

I had some great moon images so far, for a newbie. Jupiter was 'so-so' with Mars (and currently Saturn) less impressive. As mentioned previously they tend to turn into a sludgly mess because of their position near the horizon. Observing is one thing, and you have the memories, but imaging is a whole different kettle of fish and far more tricky to do, but to have something tangible that you can share or print, and say "I did that, I was there!" is the way to go for me :-)

[Northern Soul man]

Nice 1 John, yeah the Moon is fantastic at any mag - its so close and so bright that it will stand a lot higher Mag than any planet will - just ramp the power up and have a "cruise" over the terminator, find a nice crater right on the edge of the darkside, and watch for a while until the rim or the centre of the crater on the dark side lights up with sunlight, just get the Sun/Moon angle just right, and see the central piece of the crater light up with darkness around it - it gets ADDICTIVE after a while - nice 1 John and keep us posted.

Paul.

[ronl]

I'm glad you enjoyed your first view of Saturn, I tend to feel 

that way every time I observe it, such an iconic image through

the eyepiece, the longer you can view the better it gets, I use

a black eye patch so I can keep both eyes open, it lets your

eyes relax, so you are not screwing your face while closing

the other eye, it might not work for everyone, but it works for me.

Keep enjoying your scope and lets hope for some prolonged 

clear sky's.

I 

[Northern Soul man]

I had some great moon images so far, for a newbie. Jupiter was 'so-so' with Mars (and currently Saturn) less impressive. As mentioned previously they tend to turn into a sludgly mess because of their position near the horizon. Observing is one thing, and you have the memories, but imaging is a whole different kettle of fish and far more tricky to do, but to have something tangible that you can share or print, and say "I did that, I was there!" is the way to go for me :-)

Great stuff Johnny - I think you've hit the nail on the head!! - the majority of my astro is purely visual - its the memories which stick in our minds - This definitely sticks in my mind - just to be out on a clear night, most people just look up and say "look at all those stars!!" but we know better - some of these stars are the great wanderers of the night sky, just pointing the scope at these gives us a much better insight - wether it be the detail in Jupiters belts and the GRS, the polar caps on Mars, or the tremendous rings of Saturn and doing it in real time out under a clear sky brings it home to me as to what Astronomy is all about for me - just being there and doing that.

Paul.

[Floater]

Just being there and doing that would be great. But I've hardly been able to see across the street for the fog, haar and general murk we've had for days!

Nice to read about what I'm missing, though ...

Enjoy.