Jupiter and Saturn magnification

[Pitch Black Skies]

Hi folks,

What is the highest practical magnification most regularly used on Saturn and Jupiter from the British climate? 

[Stu]

9 minutes ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

Hi folks,

What is the highest practical magnification most regularly used on Saturn and Jupiter from the British climate? 

A lot depends on the scope, sky conditions and how well/poorly the planets are placed. When low down as they have been over recent years, often x150 is about the best you can use although on very good nights you can go higher. As they get higher in the sky, I tend to find that x180 is a good Max for Jupiter and x220 for Saturn because it has higher contrast features. Even that is just a rough guide, if you luck into an excellent night then more is possible. I think x400 is the most I have used on Saturn some years ago with an 8” Mak and the image held up very well indeed.

Which scope do you have?

[Pitch Black Skies]

9 minutes ago, Stu said:

A lot depends on the scope, sky conditions and how well/poorly the planets are placed. When low down as they have been over recent years, often x150 is about the best you can use although on very good nights you can go higher. As they get higher in the sky, I tend to find that x180 is a good Max for Jupiter and x220 for Saturn because it has higher contrast features. Even that is just a rough guide, if you luck into an excellent night then more is possible. I think x400 is the most I have used on Saturn some years ago with an 8” Mak and the image held up very well indeed.

Which scope do you have?

Thanks, I have a Skywatcher Skyliner Classic 200p. I'm trying to figure out what eyepieces I need. After much debate I'm now considering a zoom eyepiece.

[Dark Vader]

Last year when Jupiter and Saturn were around, my only other non supplied eyepiece was a Starguider 21-7 zoom. Jupiter generally took between 9-10mm (120-133x) and Saturn I could just get to 7mm (171x) on a good night. 

Zooms are a good idea, although they can get a pretty narrow field of view at the low power end. 

[dweller25]

Hello @Pitch Black Skies and welcome to SGL.

You might want to consider the 6.5mm Baader Morpheus giving x185 in your Dobsonian for when Jupiter and Saturn are higher in the sky, it has a nice wide field of view - so less nudging at high powers.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-morpheus-76-degree-wide-field-eyepieces.html

Here is the excellent planetary position chart by @Stu

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by dweller25

[Nik271]

40 minutes ago, Dark Vader said:

Last year when Jupiter and Saturn were around, my only other non supplied eyepiece was a Starguider 21-7 zoom. Jupiter generally took between 9-10mm (120-133x) and Saturn I could just get to 7mm (171x) on a good night. 

Zooms are a good idea, although they can get a pretty narrow field of view at the low power end. 

Yes, a zoom for planetary works very well: The narrow FOV at lower mags is not an issue for planets and the ability to switch magnification at a twist of the barrel is very convenient. You can try the SVbony budget zoom 7-21mm for about 50 quid without investing too much.

[Pixies]

Ditto for the zoom. 

The gas giants are still low in the sky and I agree with the above suggestions for around x150 as a good general magnification (8mm). Getting to observe details from planetary viewing really benefits from relaxed viewing over long periods of time.  Avoiding too much dob-nudging will help, so get the widest FOV high-power eyepieces you can afford (IMHO).

 

[Pitch Black Skies]

2 hours ago, dweller25 said:

Hello @Pitch Black Skies and welcome to SGL.

You might want to consider the 6.5mm Baader Morpheus giving x185 in your Dobsonian for when Jupiter and Saturn are higher in the sky, it has a nice wide field of view - so less nudging at high powers.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-morpheus-76-degree-wide-field-eyepieces.html

Here is the excellent planetary position chart by @Stu

 

Thanks!

What is poly Mars?

Also, how do you think a single FL 6mm would compare to that of a zoom? I'm not worried about FOV but definitely want to see detail.

The Morphous is a bit too steep for me but I was considering a 6mm Baader Classic Ortho. What do you think?

Edited April 28, 2021 by Pitch Black Skies
More questions

[Pitch Black Skies]

25 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Ditto for the zoom. 

The gas giants are still low in the sky and I agree with the above suggestions for around x150 as a good general magnification (8mm). Getting to observe details from planetary viewing really benefits from relaxed viewing over long periods of time.  Avoiding too much dob-nudging will help, so get the widest FOV high-power eyepieces you can afford (IMHO).

 

I recently bought a 16mm Nirvana with 82° field of view as a medium power eyepiece but have to say I don't like it all. Whenever I try to bring my pupil closer to the lens or if I look at the edges or the FOV I am getting lots of kidney beaning.

[bish]

I like to use at least x180. If the seeing poor then I tend to move on. Been up about x360 in excellent conditions (with 8" or 10" scope).

[dweller25]

1 hour ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

Thanks!

What is poly Mars?

Also, how do you think a single FL 6mm would compare to that of a zoom? I'm not worried about FOV but definitely want to see detail.

The Morphous is a bit too steep for me but I was considering a 6mm Baader Classic Ortho. What do you think?

Poly Mars - it’s a smoothing out function for the position of Mars.

The 6mm Ortho would be very sharp but has short eye relief and a narrow field of view.

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by dweller25

[bish]

6 hours ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

I recently bought a 16mm Nirvana with 82° field of view as a medium power eyepiece but have to say I don't like it all. Whenever I try to bring my pupil closer to the lens or if I look at the edges or the FOV I am getting lots of kidney beaning.

I bought a morpheus, but prefer my meade hd 60

Edited April 28, 2021 by bish

[Pixies]

1 hour ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

I recently bought a 16mm Nirvana with 82° field of view as a medium power eyepiece but have to say I don't like it all. Whenever I try to bring my pupil closer to the lens or if I look at the edges or the FOV I am getting lots of kidney beaning.

Yep - it's as if you need to get your eye so close in order to see the field stop, that you can't help getting blackouts.

I'm about to post a topic about his very thing. I don't know if this is a problem with this particular eyepiece or with widefield EPs in general. At least I'm glad it's not just me though!