Bought wrong scope???

[WEASEL007]

Celestron nexstar 8se. Try as i can i can't get a clear view of Jupiter. The moon no problem.  Jupiter always blurry, shimmering. Tried eps with, without x2 barrlow, 25, 12, 6. 🤬🤬

[johninderby]

First thing have you collimated the scope?

Edited December 1, 2021 by johninderby

[Ricochet]

Jupiter is quite low so you will have to look through a lot of atmosphere which reduces the quality of the view. You should try to: 

1. Observe Jupiter when it is at its highest in the sky 
2. Try to observe Jupiter when it is over nature, not man made objects (roads, houses). Even observing when it is between two houses can show a substantial improvement. 
3. Get your scope out to cool at least an hour before high power viewing. 
4. Only use the 25 and 12mm eyepieces. The 6mm and barlow are too much for your scope. 
5. Sit at the scope for a long time and watch for the moments of best seeing. You won't get the best views from a 2 second look. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Ricochet

[Jonny_H]

Both of these 👆

I had the same issue when observing Jupiter last month whilst it was low in the sky.

As @Ricochet has pointed out you have to look through a lot of atmosphere at this angle hence why you are probably getting a 'wobbly/shimering' image.

To @johninderby point - have you collimated the scope? Just to rule that out as being an issue also!

[johninderby]

Jupiter was poor tonight. Not good seeing at all.

[WEASEL007]

Thanks to everyone,  probably trying to run before able to walk. Keep trying. 😀

[Elp]

Persistence is key, last time I looked at it was in the nice week long heatwave of July whereby there was 4-5 straight clear nights in a row and each session was different. It was much higher in the sky then so less atmosphere to look though but warmer air to look through overall.

[ONIKKINEN]

You still have time this year to observe Jupiter, although it is quite difficult due to the seeing. Good seeing tends to be more likely long after sunset, but Jupiter is also gone long after sunset so its a bit of a gamble whether you get good views anymore or not. Below 15 degrees the views will be increasingly worse very fast with each passing degree of altitude lost. Jupiter is at 15 degrees at best for me now and its been a long time since the views were good and usually its just a shimmering mess with no real detail to observe. Collimation issues also possible but since the moon looks great i wager its just the atmosphere in the way.