First time observing Saturn

[Waiffle]

Yesterday it was the only night with a clear sky for a whole week, i checked the meteo and next week and there is supposed to have alot of clear sky

anyway back to my experience last night...

my telescope: BRESSER Solarix 76/350

 

Yesterday i was stargazing in my garden with the app Star Walk 2, i learned some more constellations, tried to watch a star cluster in the Hercules constellation, i just saw a faint glowing ball but im still pretty proud of myself for aiming at it without a finderscope

i watched the fabulous moon, it's also almost full moon in 2 or 3days  and i hope the sky will be clear when i decide to observe it!

i learned those constellations(those are the french name sorry) : Cassiopée, Céphée, Cygne, Andromède, Hercule

after watching 2 shooting star ( and i succesfully tracked them with my telescope, pretty proud of my aim ), the clouds covering saturn finally disapeared, i quikly tried to spot it by myself without the app in the area the cloud was covering

and then i aimed at Saturn first try because it was the most glowing "star" in the night sky, i aimed at it with my H20mm eye piece, it was clearly shining alot

i then decided to use my 4mm eye piece, it apeared blurry but after i changed the focus i saw it.. the famous ringed planet, it was the first time for me seeing it and it really made me happy! of course there was not alot of detail, but i still saw the giant ball and the ring separated, i observed it for around 10seconds then another cloud covered it.. and then it began to rain slowly and i went back inside with my scope, i really enjoyed this night

i wasnt able to make a picture because i brang my tablet instead of my phone, and my tablet is obviously too big for the phone holder

[Stu]

Your first view of Saturn is one you won't forget, well don't for finding it, an the cluster in Hercules (called M13 most likely)

I suspect the shooting stars were in fact satellites. Shooting stars move far to quickly to locate and find in a scope, satellites move much more slowly and can be tracked.

[djpaul]

I love following satellites .

And yes Saturn is an amazing sight first time . In fact every time i observe it.

[domstar]

That's a great night- Saturn, M13 and tracking satellites. Congratulations.

[Sunshine]

Well done! A great night, and you can’t beat seeing Saturn for the first time!.

[Kn4fty]

Great night indeed! You'll never forget it! That first sighting will stay with you forever!

[bish]

I will always remember seeing Saturn for the first time through a cheap 50mm frac (x30 if I remember). It wasn't much more than a rugby ball but I was amazed to see it as more than just a point of light. 

[Eastman]

4 hours ago, Waiffle said:

i changed the focus i saw it.. the famous ringed planet, it was the first time for me seeing it and it really made me happy!

Superb, seeing Saturn for the first time, I remember my first time Saturn, saw Venus and Jupiter before but those rings arround Saturn are something else!

Now you are hooked for life and that's good?

[ukuleledaveey]

Awesome yeah i know how you feel after my first sighting of saturn the other week,im still amazed by it here it is below the moon now i caught another cheeky glimpse this week of saturn.but it has been cloudy and raining and im not to well at the moment so no gazing for me the last few nights back to my old passion of ukulele now just to combine both lol.

Good luck with your gazing and yep saturn is awesome.

[louizi]

I would love to see saturn too but I dnt knw how to go about that with my reflector F70076 Newtonian telescope...

Can u advice me how?

Thank you so much as I anticipate your reply.

[Stu]

15 minutes ago, louizi said:

I would love to see saturn too but I dnt knw how to go about that with my reflector F70076 Newtonian telescope...

Can u advice me how?

Thank you so much as I anticipate your reply.

At the moment in Nigeria, Saturn rises at about 2.30am, so you will need an early start! Probably best viewed between 4.30 and 6.30am before the sun rises, at that time it is 51 degrees above the horizon in the south east, should be easy to find. Jupiter and Venus also on show. Star charts from Skysafari to help you.

[louizi]

Will i be able to see saturns ring with my F70076 telescope?

 

[louizi]

Thank you

[Waddensky]

2 hours ago, louizi said:

Will i be able to see saturns ring with my F70076 telescope?

 

If you have an eyepiece that magnifies 50x or more, you should be able to discern Saturn's rings. Good luck!

[John]

1 hour ago, Waddensky said:

If you have an eyepiece that magnifies 50x or more, you should be able to discern Saturn's rings. Good luck!

I agree with this. I could see Saturns rings quite clearly when I used to use a 60mm refractor which was about as powerful as your 76mm newtonian. Saturn will look small in the eyepiece but you should be able to see it's rings unmistakably. It should look a bit like this:

 

[louizi]

2 hours ago, Waddensky said:

If you have an eyepiece that magnifies 50x or more, you should be able to discern Saturn's rings. Good luck!

OK... Thanks so much... I wil do d calculation... Thanks again

[louizi]

1 hour ago, John said:

I agree with this. I could see Saturns rings quite clearly when I used to use a 60mm refractor which was about as powerful as your 76mm newtonian. Saturn will look small in the eyepiece but you should be able to see it's rings unmistakably. It should look a bit like this:

 

If I can see Saturn this way I think I will call that a big success... I look forward to achieving something as clear as this

[louizi]

Thanks so much for your reply

[des anderson]

Your journey has just began, enjoy the road it`s going to be great!!! Des

[clafann1]

My first view of Saturn is something I'll never forget, well, I'll never forget the blob with 0 detail I just saw on a 114mm telescope lol, a terrible experience you cant possible forget lol

I knew amateur astronomy would be small, I just didnt knew it would be so fuzzy

How do you guys even observe planets? The more you zoom on them, the faster they run off the screen.

Edited January 30, 2022 by clafann1

[cajen2]

52 minutes ago, clafann1 said:

My first view of Saturn is something I'll never forget, well, I'll never forget the blob with 0 detail I just saw on a 114mm telescope lol, a terrible experience you cant possible forget lol

I knew amateur astronomy would be small, I just didnt knew it would be so fuzzy

How do you guys even observe planets? The more you zoom on them, the faster they run off the screen.

You get very used to nudging the scope just very slightly....I actually use my nose alongside the focuser to help! 😄

[John]

2 hours ago, clafann1 said:

My first view of Saturn is something I'll never forget, well, I'll never forget the blob with 0 detail I just saw on a 114mm telescope lol, a terrible experience you cant possible forget lol

I knew amateur astronomy would be small, I just didnt knew it would be so fuzzy

How do you guys even observe planets? The more you zoom on them, the faster they run off the screen.

What magnification were you using ?

Saturn is usually pretty sharp unless you use very high magnifications and / or view it very close to the horizon. It should be sharp at around 120x-150x with your scope, assuming the scope is cooled and in reasonable collimation.

My old Tasco 60mm showed it and the other planets like this (38 years ago !):

 

 

 

[Pixies]

@clafann1 May I ask what 114mm scope you have?

[clafann1]

I no longer have that telescope, I gave it to a person that wanted it to make a roach killer canon

Edited January 30, 2022 by clafann1

[Stu]

9 hours ago, clafann1 said:

My first view of Saturn is something I'll never forget, well, I'll never forget the blob with 0 detail I just saw on a 114mm telescope lol, a terrible experience you cant possible forget lol

I knew amateur astronomy would be small, I just didnt knew it would be so fuzzy

How do you guys even observe planets? The more you zoom on them, the faster they run off the screen.

Bear in mind that Saturn is way past its best now and is very low so the views won’t be great. Wait until later this year then it will be higher and much clearer.

As others have said, even in a small scope at x50 you will clearly see the rings.