Help with a Meade ETX 70?

Question

I have an ETX70 that came with two eyepieces(25mm&9mm). I can barely see anything other than the moon. Mars is just a dot with the 9mm. What can I get to see more? Is there anything that I can read to help me learn more(in plain english)?

Answer 1

There's nothing wrong with your telescope. Even in larger telescopes like my 8" Maksutov-Cassegrain, Mars is just a dot even at the highest magnification I can use (400x). The 9mm eyepiece is probably too strong for a 70mm telescope which can only handle 150x. It would make everything look dim and fuzzy. Try looking at other planets that are more visible at this time. Saturn is up almost all night and makes for a beautiful view. You can also easily see Venus which sets just a little while after the sun goes down in the west. Jupiter rises in the southeast about 2 am EDT and it also makes a good object to observe.