Viewing Mars

[spudicus]

Hi All,

I've just had a little play around with Skymap Pro and if I'm right I should be able to view Mars in about 4-5 weeks time. As this is the first planet I will have seen you can imagine I'm a little excited by this

Will it be best viewed through my 5" refractor in low mag(x48) or high power(x190) or should I just play about with both?

Spud

[OXO]

Will it be best viewed through my 5" refractor in low mag(x48) or high power(x190) or should I just play about with both?

Hello Spud,

Start off with your low power eyepiece get mars centred in the eyepiece take in the view then centre mars again and pop in a high mag eyepiece having centred in the low power EP mars will be easier to centre in your high Mag EP.

Sometimes it's better to use a Low power EP the reason for this is down to the seeing condition's on the night alas if it's good seeing up the power as much as you can before the image starts to look blurred or near impossibale to focus. You will know when the seeing isnt up too much as it will look like wobbley waves in the eyepiece. Seeing is down to atmospheric condition's ie heat,cloud,tubarlance etc. Normally the higher the object your viewing the greater the seeing will be for you..

Good luck with Mars you can get a glimps of it now in the early hours although seeing wont be the best of things..

James

[Jamie]

Hi Spud here is how i think it works.

The higher the magnification you use the more difficult it is to focus-

i don't mean you can't get focus but you do have to be a little lighter handed

and take more time turning the focusing knob slower.

At lower magnification you get a smaller image at higher magnification you get a slightly larger image.But sometimes the low magnification can resolve a better image quality.

To answer your question yes you should play about and find out what suits your taste best everyone has their own preferred settup.

You won't be long in finding out what one is yours.

Hope this helps.

Also give your eyes time to adjust to looking at any particular item through an eyepiece as the longer you look at things the more detail you end up seeing this also applies to swaping eyepieces/ upping / downing magnification

[spudicus]

Thanks James,

I think I'll hang on so I can get a really good view. I have plent to keep me occupied so I'll try and be patient!