Wanting to get closer to the features of the moon

[DPF]

As a rookie, I’ve grown more interested in lunar observing and want to get closer details of the surface of the moon, as I’m interested in lunar sketching and don’t just want to sketch the whole of the moon each time. As much as I don’t have the envious setup of most on SGL contributors have, I own a Celestron Travelscope 70, I’d like to see how much I can push this scope to see what detail I see on the lunar surface.

I have a variety of eyepieces and a 2x Barlow - do you have any suggestions (apart from purchasing a new scope) on how I may be able to get closer to the features of the moon???

Thanks in advance

[Guest]

Well lets be real about this.  Basically you have a 3 inch telescope there which tops out around 140 to 150x, you might get a bit more out of it depending on the eyepieces. I don't know what eyepieces you have but assume one is a 10mm which gives you 40x (assuming it is a 400mm focal length scope), put it in a 2x Barlow and now you are at 80x.  Drop down to a 5mm eyepiece you will be at 80x and 160x, which will just about max you out. 

[Earl]

37 minutes ago, DPF said:

As a rookie, I’ve grown more interested in lunar observing and want to get closer details of the surface of the moon, as I’m interested in lunar sketching and don’t just want to sketch the whole of the moon each time. As much as I don’t have the envious setup of most on SGL contributors have, I own a Celestron Travelscope 70, I’d like to see how much I can push this scope to see what detail I see on the lunar surface.

I have a variety of eyepieces and a 2x Barlow - do you have any suggestions (apart from purchasing a new scope) on how I may be able to get closer to the features of the moon???

Thanks in advance

you need Aperture and as much of it as you can get for this kind of goal.

[Mr Spock]

It's a 70mm f5.7 achromat, and as such will suffer greatly from chromatic aberration. The supplied eyepieces are Kellners which are very basic.

You could get a 5mm eyepiece to go with your Barlow, giving x160, however, I suspect the resulting image quality would be very poor. The Barlow itself, unless purchased separately, is likely to be poor too. I'd suggest, at £55, a BST Starguider 3.2mm giving x125 would be as good as you'll get.

You say apart from purchasing as new scope, but I'm afraid that is what is required. Your scope is a very basic model and is already pushing its limits. 

[Guest]

I have a Celestron 70 AZ sitting in my front room.  It came with 3 eyepieces.  One of them is a 4mm.  Now I won't sit here and say it gives amazing views of the moon, but i will say it gives nice, sharp images for what it is.  So i wouldnt be afraid to give that a try in your scope.  The other option might be to consider a 3x Barlow.  

[bosun21]

I agree with @Mr Spock that your best way forward is to buy a better quality high powered eyepiece like the BST Starguider 3.2mm and forget about the barlow. Your existing barlow would just add more aberrations to your view.

[mikeDnight]

In December I added a 2X barlow and a binoviewer to my 60mm Carton refractor, and was rewarded with a beautiful, almost 3D view of Mars. In 2014 I spent several months with an 80mm Equinox refractor and binoviewer observing the Moon and Jupiter. The binoviewer transformed these small aperture scopes into something with much more punch. Id go out to observe with the intention of having a quick five or ten minutes viewing the Moon and find myself still sat on a frozen garden bench an hour later. That 80mm with a binoviewer was a wonderful lunar scope!

[RT65CB-SWL]

Alternatively you could always get zoom e/p. 8-24mm tends to be the most popular. Prices of zoom e/p' vary as does the quality and view.

I use a 7-21mm [image below] which is OK'ish that I purchased from AstroBoot, before they left GB/UK 🇬🇧 for Europe 🇪🇺 a few years ago.

[Louis D]

Since the moon is basically monochromatic, try using a #56 Green filter to cut the poorly focused violet/blue and red ends of the spectrum.  It will dramatically sharpen up your views.

[ollypenrice]

I think that building your skills in seeing what your scope can give would be more productive than trying to get it to give more magnification. From memory, O'Meara said, 'seeing begins with seeing.'

Olly

[AstroMuni]

@DPF also remember that when you increase the magnification, you will find that the slightest touch to the scope will cause the image to jitter. So bear this in mind and you may wish to go for a more sturdy tripod to reduce this jitter.