Best scope for planet gazing?

[MysticReverie]

18 minutes ago, John said:

If you are observing from the UK the factor that limits the results when observing Jupiter at present is it's altitude in the sky - it's very low and observing obliquely through the atmosphere takes it's toll on sharpness and contrast.

This opposition I've consistently found that my refractors (100mm - 130mm aperture) give better images of Jupiter than my 12 inch dobsonian. When Jupiter has been higher in the sky the 12 inch dob has delivered superb images of it.

 

I see. Thanks.
Would any filters help with that? Maybe stop the glare and see some detail.
I only have a moon filter at present.
 

Edited October 2, 2019 by MysticReverie

[joe aguiar]

56 minutes ago, MysticReverie said:

Thanks for the info

I don't mind moving the scope too much. I have the viewfinder dialed in so its not to hard locating things again if they go out of view.
I'm pretty confident the scope I have is capable of much clearer planetary views than I've had so far. I've seen many youtube videos of Jupiter etc. The details were pretty good. I'm just unsure which factor is stopping me from getting similar results, but as I say, maybe the sky just needs to be clearer is all.

its not about the object moving in the finderscope but the higher power you look at something like a planet the faster it will drift of the ep view, once it does that you will need to take out the high power ep put low power center it then go to a medium power ep do that all over again untill your back to the high power you were at. so you dont want the objuect to go away you manually re center it. for high power this can be every 20 seconds or so and if u r showing a few people like friends or family then by the time u get to 2nd person it already gone. Not in the ep and you have to restart all over again. so having tracking really helps.

even if you have a high power view using the finderscope doesnt always mean the item is in the ep norm in a low power ep yes it should be there if its aligned.

[RT65CB-SWL]

39 minutes ago, MysticReverie said:

I see. Thanks.
Would any filters help with that? Maybe stop the glare and see some detail.
I only have a moon filter at present.
 

You could always get another moon filter and you then have a variable polarising filter, (bearing in mind they do come in various strengths depending on the brand, so try and get the same type that you already own), or buy one ready-made. Below is the variable polarising filter I use...

...or you could get a Baader neodymium filter. I call it the 'Swiss Army knife' filter as it does almost everything for visual observing. It is only when you are viewing some DSO's or astrophotography you may require specialist filters.

[John]

Filters may bring some subtle improvements (personally I don't find them useful but some do) but the low altitude of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn at the present time from the UK limits the quality of the views whatever measures we might take.

To see what our scopes can really do with them I think that either patience or the ability to get somewhere further south to observe is required.

Saying that, I have had some nice views of all 3 of these planets but not as regularly or of quite the quality that I've seen when they are higher in the sky.