tips for viewing Saturn?

[joshyouarebaker]

I have the astromaster 130eq-MD and aimed it at Saturn the other night. No matter what eyepiece i used, i couldn't make anything out. All i could see was a very bright star-like object with no familiar shape. It looked neither spherical or even had a hint of any rings. sharp shards of light were poking out all directions of it and it looked very chaotic.  My focal length is only 650 and i tried using a 6, 8 and a 13mm eyepiece (also x2 barlow) to no avail. Any advice? is the astromaster capable of picking up any details of saturn?

[Kirscovitch]

Maybe the collimation is out of whack? Or focus issue? I have a similar scope and using a 3mm EP at 216x I could make out the rings.

[LukeSkywatcher]

You should be seeing Saturn in a 130mm scope and say the 8mm EP. It sounds like a focus issue,if indeed you were looking at Saturn?. The spikes are called "diffraction spikes" and they happen in certain types of scopes, but i am not sure of which scopes. Collimation is another factor to consider.  

Even without a barlow, you should be seeing the rings. Detail on Saturn is subtle to say the least and in a 130mm scope the whole planet and ring system will almost be the same colour.

Other factors also come into play, such as "seeing" and "transparency".

In the UK and Ireland, the local conditions are typically so bad that you really should only expect to get a maximum magnification from your scope that is equal to the aperture of the scope. In this case that would be 130x. Any higher and it will push the scope way past what it can/wants to do.

But most nights...............i dont see a problem with using an 8mm EP. If you use a 2x barlow also, that is like using a 4mm EP and that is way too much for your scope on most nights of the year.

[AstroJon]

I have a 130p scope with a 650mm focal length so similar to yours. I was observing Saturn last night with a 5mm (x130) and the rings were unmistakable. I could even just about make them out, albeit tiny, with a 16mm (x40) eyepiece. So yes, your scope is easily capable. Hopefully you can find out what the problem is.

[ronin]

Should see it fairly well, my best view was a Tal and an 8mm EP, so 125x.

Very sharp and detail of planet and rings easy.

Your 6mm should ahve been OK therefore, depending on which 6mm.

Saturn is not that well placed but I would have expected more then you describe.

[joshyouarebaker]

hmm. I have never collimated my scope and so i would like to do this at some point. Right now i'm not sure if it is necessary. Views of Jupiter and Mars are fine, it was just Saturn that was producing odd results (i'm rather certain it was indeed saturn! lower and more southerly than Mars this last few days at around 11AM). @Kirscovitch you mention a focuser issue, Would this be different to a collimation issue?

[joshyouarebaker]

11PM :/

[brantuk]

The seeing wasn't terribly good last night at 11pm. And Saturn is unmistakable when you do see it. From your first description I would have said you were looking at a star. From your second description I'd say it was poor seeing. Being low at the moment (only 21 degs) means you're looking through a lot of atmosphere which can make it appear to wobble or boil in the eyepiece.

Otherwise your problem may be anything from collimation to focusing. First thing to establish really is that you are looking at Saturn and not a star. If you need a hand collimating/focusing you'd be welcome to drop over and I'll give you a hand with it.

[Owmuchonomy]

You may wish to be sure of yourself it was Saturn. Also to the South of Mars is Spica. At 11pm from here Saturn is ESE and very low. By midnight its visible above the trees here. I know that doesn't help much but check with some free planetarium software like SkySafari or Stellarium before you tinker with your scope.

[stevend]

Over the last few days Saturn has been magnificent, very clear ( I was able to see Cassini and two moons) with unmistakeable rings even at low mag (60x in my case). Just checking, but were you maybe looking at Spica rather than Saturn ?

[stevend]

Sorry to repeat Chris, I was obviously typing while he was posting.

[joshyouarebaker]

thanks for your responses guys. I have Stellarium so i will give it a go. To be honest i just looked for the brightest object more southerly to Mars and could have been looking at Spica. Is Saturn as bright as this? How does it compare to mars for example to the naked eye?

[stevend]

In order of brightness; Mars is brighter than Saturn. Start at Mars, go left/down to Spica and then about double that distance and in a similar direction to reach Saturn. Once you see it in your scope, you WILL know it.

[Pondus]

Heya 

Saturn will also be slightly brighter than Spica, sameish color, but further east. 

Saturn will be: about 40+ degrees east of Mars next days late evening.

You can use this recipe to find your way measuring the sky with your hand.

http://oneminuteastronomer.com/860/measuring-sky/

(start with Mars and measure about 40 degrees from there eastwards, you will no doubt see it)

Rune

[joshyouarebaker]

Thank you guys. OK i think was looking at Spica :-/ oops. WIll try again tonight weather permitting 

[romx]

The seeing wasn't terribly good last night at 11pm. And Saturn is unmistakable when you do see it. From your first description I would have said you were looking at a star. From your second description I'd say it was poor seeing. Being low at the moment (only 21 degs) means you're looking through a lot of atmosphere which can make it appear to wobble or boil in the eyepiece.

Otherwise your problem may be anything from collimation to focusing. First thing to establish really is that you are looking at Saturn and not a star. If you need a hand collimating/focusing you'd be welcome to drop over and I'll give you a hand with it.

You just confirmed what I thought was the reason for the wobble effect I had on saturn last night

[Astro Imp]

Thank you guys. OK i think was looking at Spica :-/ oops. WIll try again tonight weather permitting 

We've all looked at the wrong object and thought something was wrong but not knowing enough to know what the problem was.

Let us know how you get on with your next viewing. 

Good luck.

[cutepetgroomer]

Seeing spica through a scope is pretty good though. You said you never coli,mated your telescope. I assume you have a reflector? If so you might want to try collimating as I understand with reflectors that should be done. A refractor however is less likely to need it done. I own two refractors with different apertures.

[AlexB67]

I am sure when come to see it you will see the rings and everything and be mighty impressed   .

Sounds very much like what you saw was a star, I made this very mistake on my first viewing looking at Spica instead last year.  A 130 scope is plenty good enough to show the rings very clearly, cassini division and variations in contrast from equator to pole on the planet, as well as of those finer more subtle features should be visible too with good seeing.

[SW130p]

I have a 130p and had the best view of Saturn couple of nights ago with a 5mm barlowed to 2.5mm. crisp detail in the rings and see some detail on the planet. even with the 8mm you should see the rings around the planet.

[joshyouarebaker]

So i finally saw the beautiful planet! clear as day. From 13mm down to 6 mm. Amazing.