I've got a 114mm telescope with a focal length of 910mm and everyone says that I should be somewhat able to see the atmosphere of Jupiter or the colors and detail in the rings of Saturn, but for Jupiter I see an orange globe and saturn I see a white sphere with a large white ring around it. I'm using a 9mm and 25mm eyepiece with a 2X barlow lens. What's wrong? Thanx!
Amateur Telescope Question
- Thread starter spinergy
- Start date
Hmm. Actually, I recall looking at Saturn and Jupiter through a <u>14 in</u> telescope (that's about 350mm) -- and still all I saw was an orange disk with a barely discernible Great Spot for Jupiter, and a white globe with a solid white ring for Saturn. As far as I know, you need telescopes with lenses of meters in diameter to resolve the finer details. (Don't quote me on that, though 
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Spinergy,
Just read your message- This might help.
The 9mm eyepiece with the barlow will give you about 200 power, plenty enough with your objective size to see the 2 equitorial belts of Jupiter PROVIDED that:
1.It's a clear ,crisp night with no atmospheric turbulence, and 2., that Jupiter is near 'opposition' (closest approach to earth)( happens every 13 months.) The great red spot would probably not be accessable.
You certainly could time the orbits of 4 moons though.
Saturn- definitely some moons and the rings, with the same stipulations as above; although the main 'Cassini' division in the rings will only be evident if the plane of the planet in tilted favorably toward the earth (through a cycle of about 14.5 years).
Hope it helps- Happy planet hunting! Energy1
Just read your message- This might help.
The 9mm eyepiece with the barlow will give you about 200 power, plenty enough with your objective size to see the 2 equitorial belts of Jupiter PROVIDED that:
1.It's a clear ,crisp night with no atmospheric turbulence, and 2., that Jupiter is near 'opposition' (closest approach to earth)( happens every 13 months.) The great red spot would probably not be accessable.
You certainly could time the orbits of 4 moons though.
Saturn- definitely some moons and the rings, with the same stipulations as above; although the main 'Cassini' division in the rings will only be evident if the plane of the planet in tilted favorably toward the earth (through a cycle of about 14.5 years).
Hope it helps- Happy planet hunting! Energy1