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Ettie

By Ettie
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Ettie

Ettie

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Hi, I'm new and so green around the ears it's untrue. I have been interested in stargazing for a while but find it all a bit big and confusing at the mo.

Anyway, just had a look out of my window using a Bresser Quasar telescope just before a cloud covering came over. I think I was looking at Jupiter but can't be sure but it didn't look any different to looking at it without the scope. Is there something I'm doing wrong, could I do with some other/different kit/scope, or am I just expecting too much? :D

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barkis

barkis

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Hello, and welcome to SGL Ettie.

Your view of Jupiter, if indeed it was Jupiter, will depend a great deal on the scope you have. If you could give is some details of the focal length, and lens size, perhaps we can help you.

Jupiter is faily low down in the southern sky. It is the brightest light in the sky after the Moon, which is also in the south sky, but a bit higher angle than Jupiter.

I would point your scope at the Moon, and see if you can make out any detail. Aim the telescope at the left side of the moon, as the surface there will have shadows in the craters, which makes them stand out in relief. If you can get a good focus on the Moon, turn your scope on Jupiter again without moving the focus you had on the Moon.

I shall have a look for the Bresser Quasar to get more info.

Let's know how you get on.

Cheers.

Ron. :D

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Ettie

Ettie

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Thanks very much for your help Ron.

Unfortunately I can't see the moon as I am viewing through my back bedroom window and I think the moon is way off to the left where I can't get to it. Oh, and the clouds have scuppered my view at present.

Sorry, not very up on the tech side either but will give you what I can find on the scope:

Bresser Quasar Refractor F = 900mm D = 76mm

The Lens I was using says K = 25mm and I also have a 9mm & 4mm along with a Barlow Lens and Erecting Eyepiece but have no idea about these either. A real beginner I'm afraid!

Thanks again,

Ettie

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barkis

barkis

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Hi. again Ettie. I found the scope. It is a 3" f12 reflector telescope, The light gathering power of the mirror is not very high, therefore the only objects worth trying to see are the moon and the two brighter planets Jupiter and Saturn. You should be able to see Jupiter as a small disc with some of the bright moons beside it. There are four of these, but depending on their position at the time you look, you may not see four.

There is Venus too, but don't even think of looking at that one, as nothing can be seen, even with a bigger telescope. Besides, Venus is a planet that gets close to the sun, so it is dangerous to just pan about trying to find it

You could also look at some of the brighter double stars, but they are not easy to locate with the type of scope you have.

Please let's know how you get on.

Ron.

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barkis

barkis

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It is easy to tell Ettie. If there is a lens at the front of the tube, and you have to look from the back of the tube, then it is a refractor. It would seem to me that it is most likely a refractor, because f12 is a bit long for a reflector.

Anyway, you can check to see if the lens is at the front.

Don't worry about being a noob, everyone has to start some where, and we are here to help everyone who needs it, so don't be shy in asking any questions, there are loads of helpful people on SGL who are only too pleased to help.

Ron. :D

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The Warthog

The Warthog

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You do have a small scope. Still, it has 95 times the light gathering power of your own eyes, and with that long f/l should be good on planets and deadly on the Moon! You can have quite a lot of fun with it, but as you advance in the hobby, you will probably want a bigger scope sooner rather than later.

If what you were looking at was the brightest star in the southern sky, it was Jupiter. If you have good transparency, you should be able to make out bands on Jupiter's surface, and will certainly be able to see the Galilean moons, and follow their movement from night to night.

Put the Barlow lens and erecting eyepiece in your sock drawer, as well as the 4mm. If they are Kellners (marked with a 'K') they are decent eyepieces, and should serve you pretty well. Your 25mm eyepiece will give you 36 power, a nice power to find things with, and your 9mm eyepiece will give you 100 power, a good general power to see things with, and one you will probably use most after a while.

The 4mm will give 225 power, which is more power than you scope is truly capable of. If the Barlow is a 3x you could use it with the 25mm, but the view will probably not be an improvement over what the 9mm gives you. If it is a 2x Barlow (It will be marked on the side) It will give you 72x with the 25mm ep, which is another useful power.

The reason the Barlow and the 4mm ep are included with the kit is so that the manufacturer can make a ludicrous claim that a 76mm scope can achieve 675x. Most observing is done at powers of 75 to 150 or so. Occasionally, we stick an eyepiece in that gives us higher powers to look at planets or the Moon, or to split difficult double stars with good instuments, or to impress our friends, but usually not for long.

As questions occur to you, drop by and ask, There are no stupid questions, as we were all newbies once.

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Ettie

Ettie

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Thanks to both of you for your advice, it is really appreciated.

I shall digest the info about the lenses thanks!

It sounds like I need to start with the moon next time I get chance to catch a glimpse and have a feeling I will be back to ask much more advice soon. It's quite addictive so a new scope may well be the next piece of advise I may hound you guys for.

Thanks once again!

Are there any astronomy meets or observatories which are worth attending?

Hi Astro_Baby & Phil!

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Ettie

Ettie

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Ok, next stupid question. How clear and big are the images meant to be when looking through the lens? I just don't know whether what I'm seeing is right or not. The light just looked like a light and not a planet (however small) there was no detail of any sort, it just looked like a blob to be honest. I tried focusing etc but then it just looked like a ring of light with a black blob in the middle. Am I doing something fundamentally wrong?

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peeceeTal2M

peeceeTal2M

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Ettie, i've just re-read your post and you said you were viewing through your bedroom window, this will cause your view to be distorted if looking through the closed window and will also be distorted somewhat if looking through an open window by heat currents escaping from the house. You will get a better view with the scope outside, after letting it cool down for an hour or so first :D

Phill

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peeceeTal2M

peeceeTal2M

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I tried focusing etc but then it just looked like a ring of light with a black blob in the middle. Am I doing something fundamentally wrong?

That is how a planet/ star looks when out of focus, the image will move out of focus very quickly so you need to practise turning the focus knob very slowly until image comes into sharp focus. Try looking at the moon and get used to finding a sharp image, it will be a lot easier to do this on the moon than on jupiter. You should get excellent views of the moon although Jupiter will appear quite small in your 3"

Phill

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The Warthog

The Warthog

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At 36x, Jupiter will look about the size of a mustard seed. At 100x, it will look about the size of a BB pellet, but it is possible at that magnification to make out the bands of Jupiter, depending on atmospheric conditions. Pick a bright star, and focus until it is as small and sharp as possible, and you will be in focus. When focusing on Jupiter, focus on the moons, making them small and sharp. You don't need to focus further until you change eyepieces.

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timetraveller

timetraveller

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Hi Ettie and a very warm welcome to sgl as you have already discovered this is a great place to learn about astronomy there are some very knowledgeable people on here and virtually everyone is available to give you whatever help you want and need so just keep those questions coming also don't forget to look in the beginners and tutorial sections its like having an encyclopedia at your disposal best wishes Pete

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