Jupiter and 4 moons first ever sight of another world

[chrisormerod]

Lovely night for it tonight for once since I bought my second hand 130 skywatcher. Didn't come with lenses so I'm borrowing my first scope 12.5 and 4mm lenses for the time being and wasn't Dissapointed and neither was my 7 year old.  Once I located Jupiter without a spotting scope as it didn't come with one which made it quite difficult. He stayed inside in the warm while I struggled away at 830 in the evening trying to line up the scope. Then it came into view a fuzz of light in the eyepiece and I got all excited and turned the focuser knob frantically to focus in and then the amazing sight appeared.  

A bright disc with 4 smaller discs around it with splashes of colour in the larger disc. I quickly lined up the planet in the centre of the eyepiece and quickly got out my X2 Barlow and replaced the ice piece and put in the 12.5mm again. the disc was now larger and I could clearly see two Redish divisions on the planet with a few light brown areas. I called out my son who came running and got equally excited when he saw what was there. I then changed to the 4mm but wasn't as good quality in colour and focus with and without Barlow but won't forget this and can't wait for another clear night. 

 

Edited March 11, 2016 by chrisormerod

[Knighty2112]

Yep! Jupiter is a jewel in the sky. Glad you got a good view of it for you and your son. Didn't get much chance to view it last night with my new 4.5mm Planetary EP last night due to thick fog. I think you'll be equally blown away the first time you see the rings of Saturn too!  

[cloudsweeper]

Nice one!  Jupiter never fails to excite, and every time you see him, the moons will be in different positions, although very frequently in a line.  Getting them as sharp spots is a good guide to being in focus.  Download Stellarium to check out their names each time!  You did well to detect some colour - the belts often just appear as grey.

Those EPs and Barlow give a good range of magnifications - higher values are best for planets and the Moon, although low values are always good too because of the wider view and clarity.

What you need now is a finderscope or a red dot finder, to make life easier.  

Great that your son is involved in this too!

Enjoy!

Doug.

Edited March 11, 2016 by cloudsweeper

[baggywrinkle]

Was viewing last night but a neighbours security lights were going on and off running night vision. I am going to ask him to angle them down as they shine right across the road and into my garden.

[Ohan Smit]

Great report!

Thank you, you got me wanting to view Jupiter too tonight (I've been absent for months ) 

Have a great day

O

[chrisormerod]

Yep finderscope is a must after last night. Will make it 50 times easier 

[laudropb]

Congratulations on your first view of Jupiter and his Moons. Always a wow moment. I would look at getting a Rigel finder. Very easy to use and will make finding targets so much easier.

[todd8137]

Hi it puts perspective on our solar system don't it and were we fit into it ,until you look at the night sky with any telescope big or small, you forget we flying round are sun along with other planets ,daily life makes us forget this .but as soon as you start looking ,it's almost life changing because it lets us know we're just another planet in another solar system in a galaxy ,that's surrounded by a huge amount of other galaxies in the universe .

pat

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Lovely report. Glad the son loved the session as well