Saturn through 130 Astromaster

[the milster]

What should Saturn look like through my scope? I was up at just after 5 this morning to get a look at Saturn but I haven't had a good view at all. I'm 99% sure I was looking at it but at no time could I make out the rings. I think I've got a pretty keen eye but I just wasn't seeing it. I've used all my combination of ep's (10,20,32mm and barlow) but still no luck.

[Demonperformer]

You should be able to see the rings with a 130mm telescope ... they are clearly visible in an 80mm scope. Without wishing to give offence, I think you must have been looking at something else.

[Rufusgj]

I had a similar problem - I could clearly see the rings (and some of the moons as well) in the most minute of magnifications in my 70mm Refractor at 6am this morning, but the moment I zoomed in to see clearer detail they just disappeared!

I might be expecting too much from my little scope but the disc of Saturn had some lovely shading and detail in close up - but no rings!

Simon

[the milster]

Opps, seems like I've been looking at the morning star all morning

Located it now, it's been hiding from me. What a great sight it is too , hopefully I'll see it when it's dark next time lol

Anyway, that makes it two firsts this morning

[the milster]

That's it, the whole family have seen it now.

Looks like I'm gonna be late for work now though

[John]

I'm glad you have spotted Saturn - it is easy to mistake it for another object

Detail on Saturn is pretty hard to see - nowhere near the levels that Jupiter shows. Most of the time a single faint equatorial cloud belt is all there is to see on the planets disk.

The seeing was not good in the early hours this morning. Nothing but the basic Saturnian features visible in my 6" scopes. But if you are seeing the planet for the 1st time it will still be a great experience

[brantuk]

Also to confirm your Venus sighting it's currently approaching it's gibbous phase - but you can't really miss it, it's so bright

[the milster]

I think the reason I thought it was Saturn is I was expecting it to be the brightest thing in the sky, so when I got up and saw a really bright object in the sky I thought "that's it!". Even after checking out where it should be and thinking co-ordnance was a bit out I still managed to convince myself that was it

[Richard C]

I think the reason I thought it was Saturn is I was expecting it to be the brightest thing in the sky, so when I got up and saw a really bright object in the sky I thought "that's it!". Even after checking out where it should be and thinking co-ordnance was a bit out I still managed to convince myself that was it

I did exactly the same on Tuesday night - I wasn't too far off though - maybe about 45 degrees...