....But I don't know what lenses are too powerful or aren't powerful enough. I saw Saturn a few nights ago. I have a 20mm, 3x barlow, 1.5 erecting eyepiece and a 16mm-6.8mm lense. I have a Galileo telescope. I've appreciate it if you would help. Thanks!
2007-01-21 06:02:08 · 5 answers · asked by gabi 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
To find deep space objects with a small telescope, you need to know where to look and what you're looking at. Many of the objects will be very faint, and it may take some practice to be able to make sense of what you're seeing. Galaxies in particular are often hard to see. There are a number of books available that can help you find and observe deep space objects; I've listed a couple in the references.
A planisphere is virtually a must, and a simple star atlas will be a great help. If you don't know the sky very well, spend some time just learning to recognize the major constellations and their stars.
It will be much easier in a dark sky. If you must observe from a town or city, find a spot away from any direct lights. If you must use light (and you'll need some to read your book or starchart) use a red light, as dim as possible. Several layers of red plastic over a small flashlight will work, or you can buy adjustable red LED lights made specifically for the purpose.
For starters, have a look at the Orion Nebula. This is the brightest nebula in the sky, and fairly easy to find - it's the middle "star" in Orion's sword (not the belt, the sword). Look here: http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/small/stars.shtml
For the most part you'll want to use your 20mm eyepiece, at least to locate things. You can then experiment with the zoom eyepiece to see if higher power improves the view. The 3x barlow is probably pretty much useless, and save the erecting eyepiece for daytime use. You may eventually want to replace that zoom with a couple of fixed-focal-length eyepieces; they're apt to have a wider field of view and better optical quality.
It's not unusual to have to spend hours looking for things when you first start out. Don't get frustrated - relax and enjoy the sky.
2007-01-21 07:07:16 · answer #1 · answered by injanier 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eye piece is calculated as a function of focal length and diameter of the lense or mirror. FL/D.=power where FL=focal length and D=diameter of mirror or lense. Generally 25mm eye piece works well as smaller ones too. It all depends upon FLandD. It is possiable by the way to blank out the entire sky by using too high power lenses. There are other techniques to view the night sky. I had made a mechanism to hold a binoculars looking into a mirror that was angled 45 deg. This worked quite well. The mirror should be of the first surface type for best results. First surface means the light that hits the mirror is reflected back to the binoculars where as in a second surface mirror light passes through the first surface hits a second surface and is reflected back through the first surface again. Thi causes abberation and is not suitable for viewing much detail. First surface is the way to go. Binoculars can be 10x50 or 11x80 or 7x50. To determine the most effective binoculars the equation is--- D/P D=diameter of lense and P=power. 50/10=5 suitable or 80/11=7=+is better. Any combination rated 5 or better is good.A rating of less than 5 would be more suitable for terrestial viewing.
2007-01-21 06:39:39 · answer #2 · answered by meander 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this may be a trick question even nevertheless there are no longer any widespread comets that are larger than Mercury, (now seen the smallest planet), this would not negate the possibility that one might exist yet we've not chanced on it yet. yet, we could take our question from the stand component of chanced on astrological gadgets. We properly pass from greatest to smallest. First the universe. It encompasses all no astrological gadgets all of us comprehend at this modern time. 2nd, the galaxy. the vast majority of stars are contained withing galaxies. So galaxies are larger than stars. Now comes the challenge. There are stars widespread as Neutron Stars. those stars are supermassive. extra huge than the solar. in spite of the undeniable fact that there diameters are purely approximately 25KM or so. approximately this length of the Island of manhattan. There are additionally stars categorised as White Dwarfs. those stars are approximately the size of the earth. So, this suggests that in basic terms those 2 forms of stars may be smaller than a planet. The solar of path is plenty larger in diameter than even our image voltaic structures greatest planet, Jupiter. So, it is how we arange issues understanding what all of us comprehend now. Small Comet (say 750 meters in diameter) Neurtron famous individual (25 to 40 km in diameter vast Comet (it is thought that some comets are as large as 3 hundred km in diameter) Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann a million is concept to have a diameter of ninety six KM. Mercury sized planet. White Dwarf. (concerning to the size of earth) gasoline enormous Planet (Saturn, Jupiter, etc. Galaxy Universe.
2016-10-07 12:22:24 · answer #3 · answered by milak 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well to see other galaxies you would need a more powerful telescope then yours, but if you want to see close ups of the planets or star clusters you should go to 1 of those observatories
2007-01-21 06:07:05 · answer #4 · answered by guitarhero213 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you could make your own telescope many sights on net just surch them http://www.telescopemaking.org/ have fun and enjoy
2007-01-21 06:35:47 · answer #5 · answered by yourmallthat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋