First views of Jupiter & Saturn successful - any tips?

[Tiny Clanger]

24 minutes ago, MiladyB said:

Hi,

I'm so glad I'm not the only one with this question! 

Last night was the first time I've properly had my Heritage 150p dob out properly. Jupiter was SO bright I just couldn't resist!

I located it in the 25mm eyepiece, and then switched to the 10mm (finding that focussing without my glasses on was better).

In the 10mm eyepiece I could see something like the below (my spectacular mockup using the doodle tool in my photo editing app 😂). Jupiter was still small, moving fast across the FOV, and VERY bright, but I could see a band! Your description sounds about the same @Bongo.

I could also see two moons (Ganymede and Callisto, I think going by my comparison against Stellarium.)

Jupiter was quite low in the sky at 12:30am, so I know I was dealing with a lot of atmosphere, and I live in a Bortle 6 area. I found myself wondering what else I could do to get a better view with some more details.

I'm going to make a light shroud for the scope, but I was wondering about filters and/or other eyepieces as well. The Baader Hyperion mk IV zoom is on my wish list, as I know that will scale to a bigger scope. I've noted down a few things from the comments in the thread.

Have you been out again @Bongo? 

Here's to clear skies!

MiladyB x

Heritage 150s are great 🙂 First thing I ever saw in mine was Saturn, I doubt I'll ever forget seeing that tiny bauble hanging in the sky .

Have you had a chance to look at the Moon with it yet ? I found the view just too bright, and had to get a moon filter to make it bearable, otherwise I was just knocked back from the eyepiece by the dazzle ! The Moon filter is just sunglasses for a 'scope, I don't need it for my 102 mm or 127mm 'scopes, but essential on the 150mm . Some people don't find they need one at all .

Moon filters can be bought quite cheaply,  around £10 should get you a basic one, and if you need it for the Moon,  you  can try it on Jupiter to cut some glare. FLO have several choices : https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters.html

I'm not keen on  Moon filters which impart a green tinge to the view, (which is what I bought, a celestron version), I'd much prefer a straight ND (neutral density) , and for use in the 150 for the Moon would go for the 0.9 version out of the 3 offered densities on that page if I was buying again .

A pair of polarising filters (one of which rotates) will give an infinite range between cutting a little light, and cutting all of it, but they are a pain to use in a dob/reflector, as you have to put both on the bottom of the eyepiece and keep  taking it out to rotate  one filter and change the effect. (Polarisers do work well where a rerfractor or mak has the facility to put one half of the pair in the diagonal and one on the eyepiece, then turn the eyepiece though)

There is a free alternative method of cutting down the dazzle though ...have you noticed the little removable cap within the main tube cap ? Try using that to reduce the aperture ! Seems a bit barmy to buy a big aperture 'scope and reduce it to a tiny aperture 'scope, but it  can't  hurt to give it a try , I've not got round to trying it (now I have other 'scopes, I don't tend to use the dob for Moon and Jupiter/Saturn/Mars) so please report back !

Heather

[MiladyB]

5 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Heritage 150s are great 🙂 First thing I ever saw in mine was Saturn, I doubt I'll ever forget seeing that tiny bauble hanging in the sky .

Have you had a chance to look at the Moon with it yet ? I found the view just too bright, and had to get a moon filter to make it bearable, otherwise I was just knocked back from the eyepiece by the dazzle ! The Moon filter is just sunglasses for a 'scope, I don't need it for my 102 mm or 127mm 'scopes, but essential on the 150mm . Some people don't find they need one at all .

Moon filters can be bought quite cheaply,  around £10 should get you a basic one, and if you need it for the Moon,  you  can try it on Jupiter to cut some glare. FLO have several choices : https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters.html

I'm not keen on  Moon filters which impart a green tinge to the view, (which is what I bought, a celestron version), I'd much prefer a straight ND (neutral density) , and for use in the 150 for the Moon would go for the 0.9 version out of the 3 offered densities on that page if I was buying again .

A pair of polarising filters (one of which rotates) will give an infinite range between cutting a little light, and cutting all of it, but they are a pain to use in a dob/reflector, as you have to put both on the bottom of the eyepiece and keep  taking it out to rotate  one filter and change the effect. (Polarisers do work well where a rerfractor or mak has the facility to put one half of the pair in the diagonal and one on the eyepiece, then turn the eyepiece though)

There is a free alternative method of cutting down the dazzle though ...have you noticed the little removable cap within the main tube cap ? Try using that to reduce the aperture ! Seems a bit barmy to buy a big aperture 'scope and reduce it to a tiny aperture 'scope, but it  can't  hurt to give it a try , I've not got round to trying it (now I have other 'scopes, I don't tend to use the dob for Moon and Jupiter/Saturn/Mars) so please report back !

Heather

My shopping list is getting longer and longer! 😁 I haven't even had the scope out to look at the moon yet - a filter seems like a great option, but I'll certainly try the dust cap reducer whatsit as well!

Seriously, though, thank you very much for the advice - it's hugely helpful. 

MiladyB x

[Tiny Clanger]

1 hour ago, MiladyB said:

My shopping list is getting longer and longer! 😁 I haven't even had the scope out to look at the moon yet - a filter seems like a great option, but I'll certainly try the dust cap reducer whatsit as well!

Seriously, though, thank you very much for the advice - it's hugely helpful. 

MiladyB x

Ah, the infinite range of accessories and upgrades 🙂 !

I'd only buy an ND/Moon filter if the reduced aperture cap trick fails you , no point in wasting £s . The only thing I've bought that sees no use is a Barlow ( a skywatcher one) I just don't like using it.  I think the thing to do is use your 'scope for a while,  see what irritates you most, and sort those things as you come across them .

If you can't find any sheets of craft foam locally to make a shroud for the open part of the heritage, do a search on here, I've given links a few times to an online vendor I used to get black 3mm closed cell for about £11 for a 1m x1m sheet, which is enough to leave plenty to make a dew shield and for other projects too.

Heather

[Bongo]

On 14/08/2021 at 14:00, MiladyB said:

My shopping list is getting longer and longer! 😁 I haven't even had the scope out to look at the moon yet - a filter seems like a great option, but I'll certainly try the dust cap reducer whatsit as well!

Seriously, though, thank you very much for the advice - it's hugely helpful. 

MiladyB x

Hello fellow East Yorkshire person!

I'd definitely agree with @Tiny Clanger about the moon filter. My scope is only 130mm aperture and its pretty blinding when viewing a bright full moon. Personally, I don't notice more or less detail, but I am able to spend more time before my retina begs for mercy. I got one of these:

https://www.astroshop.eu/moon-filters-polarizing-filters/omegon-filters-moon-filter-1-25-/p,5085

I've nothing to compare it to, so I can't tell you whether or not its a 'good' one, compared to others on the market.

[ottoerago]

On patience:

My visual oberving experience is very limited, but about 5 years ago I was privileged to spend about 3 hours tracking Saturn across the sky with an 8" dob.

I spent most of the time with the 10mm eyepiece.

Around 4 or 5 times during those three hours the atmosphere seemed to magically "line up". Either the light was coming straight through, or the distortions were cancelling each other out. But each time, for what seemed like only a second or two each time, Saturn just clarified itself. Crisp it seemed. Cassini division visible. And then it was gone again.

I guess this is what "lucky imaging is about". Take one photo every second for 5 hours and keep 4 of them.

Mere mortals, clutching straws from the sky.

[Stu]

On 14/08/2021 at 16:03, Tiny Clanger said:

I'd only buy an ND/Moon filter if the reduced aperture cap trick fails you , no point in wasting £s

Trouble with using the small aperture mask is that you reduce resolution as well as brightness. Resolution is directly related to aperture so using the small aperture will mean you may as well be using a smaller scope, which will show less detail.

[Bongo]

Just as a footnote to my original post...

I collimated my telescope at the weekend (for the first time!) and that seems to have been the key. For anyone who's nervous about collimating (as I was), it was dead easy and  took about 15mins max.

The result has been that I saw the bands of clouds on Jupiter for the first time, which was pretty amazing. OK, it took some concentrating and waiting while seeing improved, but I got there in the end.

Very pleased indeed. Thanks to all on here for the hints and tips.