Saturn v Jupiter -seeing quality

[earth titan]

Don't know if its just me, but is Saturn a better (not more interesting, just visual quality) than Jupiter?

Looking at both, through a 6mm eyepiece, Saturn normally gives much sharper views.

Anyone explain why?

[brianb]

Looking at both, through a 6mm eyepiece, Saturn normally gives much sharper views.

Anyone explain why?

Well, at the moment, Saturn is much better placed - Jupiter has just about gone. Try again in July/August when Jupiter will be getting nicely placed & Saturn will be on the way out.

There's a huge amount of detail on Jupiter's disc, not so much on Saturn unless you have a very large scope & superb seeing. What "saves" Saturn is its ring system.

[stafford_stargazer]

Id say the way they are placed now yes,but tonight caught joop for about 20 mins or so before it dissapeared behind a tree,i have to say it was stunning,2 bands clearly visible and shading in places too.

Wasnt for long though as its to low:(

Gaz

[earth titan]

I guess what I'm really trying to find out, is if there is a difference on the general 'ease' of viewing for the two planets. As examples, I can get good resolution almost every time I look at Saturn, but less so when I look at Jupiter.

[stringbean]

I guess what I'm really trying to find out, is if there is a difference on the general 'ease' of viewing for the two planets. As examples, I can get good resolution almost every time I look at Saturn, but less so when I look at Jupiter.

I've noticed this as well. When I last viewed Saturn, the image was stunning and crystal clear. The image was so good you would think the scope was pointing at a still picture. It really did give the wow factor. Recently, this last couple of weeks, I have been observing Jupiter and I feel a bit let down. No wow factor this time. I can see the two bands but the resolution is always poor. Maybe it's 'Poor Seeing" or bad atmospherics but it's the same every time. I'm using a 1200mm focal length f/8 Celestron Refractor with a 6 inch aperture which should be great for planetary viewing.

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Wow this is an old thread

Lots of things can effect seeing, temperature being the biggest. Ensure your scope is adequately cooled (5-10mins per inch of aperture), and avoid viewing over the top of houses or over tarmac, since they'l be chucking out currents like no tomorrow.

Position in the sky plays a part too obviously, you want things near the zenith.

Ideally right now, you want to chuck the scope outside about midnight, then go out and view jupiter at around 1am when its nice and high, and the sky is entering that 1-2 hours of stillness you get around that time.

A few friends of mine have reported great seeing in the south uk over the last week, being able to push 300x on jupiter at those kind of times.

[SiriusB]

I don't know why it is so, but i agree with your observations, i can generally use a higher magnification on Saturn than Jupiter& keep things sharp.

[che guevara]

I don't know why it is so, but i agree with your observations, i can generally use a higher magnification on Saturn than Jupiter& keep things sharp.

What would you go up to, is 130 to little or about right ?

[Stu]

I've been finding x140 to x180 about the most useable on jupiter, although I missed a couple of cracking clear nights recently when I think more may have been possible

[faulksy]

i have managed around 300x on jupiter this time around with a lot of detail, but only on good nights. last night could only manage around 100x. just goes to show what the seeing can do

[Charon]

Best I have managed so far is 56x, I am surrounded by concrete giving off heat- my roof, drive and road are all made out of the stuff so this must have an adverse affect on my viewing. Roll on Winter when it gets cooler.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Its astounding how much heat concrete retains during the day. I used to observe right outside my kitchen on the back path and could never figure why i was getting such bad thermals drifting across my FOV. It was all down to the concrete path beneath me. In winter it was worse. This is because the heating pipes from my boiler to my house are buried no more then 1.5 feet below the path.

I now observe from the middle of the garden (on grass). Its a good 50ft away from the house and 25ft from the path and heating pipes.

[saturn10]

I wish there were no clouds.

[Charon]

Hey Paul unfortunately there is no grass near me only concrete and more concrete and lots of olive groves. But no heating pipes. Also at the moment lots of clouds, not that I care because I have done my back in so I am unable to carry my gear about.