Ok so I see this red non twinkling star in the sky here in Australia and it is low so I get my telescope out because I know it is a planet (Mars I am assuming) I put in the Barlow and the K20 eyepiece and it still looked the same size as I could see with the naked eye. I put in the SR4 eyepiece on its own and it looked the same and then did the Barlow with that one and couldn't see anything. Shouldn't I be able to get a closer view? I have the Celestron Power 127mm .
2007-12-24 22:28:34 · 5 answers · asked by canadiangirlinaussieland 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
So there ws no point in me buying telescope to have a closer look at the planets then??
Thanks for all the answers, I think I will be really hanging out for the astronomy class that is being held in March. Hope I don't get bored of the moon by then..
2007-12-25 19:26:23 · update #1
In my opinion, magnification over 150x is a waste, you're only magnifying defects in the optics, no matter what quality of scope you use. The closer you zoom to an object, the harder it is to keep in the field of view.
2007-12-25 14:12:19 · answer #1 · answered by Thomas E 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are looking at Mars with _any_ telescope, it should look like a tiny disk, quite different from the sparkling point of light that a star looks like. But it will be very tiny, especially with your 20mm eyepiece. As I think I told you in an earlier answer, both your Barlow lens and 4 mm eyepiece are probably of very poor quality. What you need is a good quality eyepiece in the 7mm to 10mm range, preferably a Plössl design. Any telescope store hould be able to sell you one of these. I don't know why Celestron supplies a 4 mm with this scope, as that is way too much magnificattion to be useful. But I guess that lets them advertise false magnifying power.
2007-12-25 02:51:43 · answer #2 · answered by GeoffG 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think you were looking at a star, because even in a poor quality eyepiece,Mars will show a disk that gets larger as the magnification is increased. It shows a tiny but unmistakable disk even at low power. You definitely need better eyepieces that the ones that came with your telescope, at least get some good Plossls. Mars would be low in the northern sky from your location, and because of that, you also would have poor seeing to contend with. It is very small in the eyepiece unless you employ magnifications of 300X or more, and your telescope is realistically able to go up to 250X or so. If it's still a point of light even with that much magnification, you're looking as a star such as Betelguese or Aldeberan which is a red super giant or orange giant respectively.
2007-12-25 01:21:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don´t use the Barlow. Focus it with a 20mm eyepiece, or a 12mm eyepiece. Using Barlow lens increases power but at the same time blurs the image.
2007-12-25 01:13:07 · answer #4 · answered by Asker 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Firstly,
Dont use barlows..
Use the eyepiece having minimum focal length like around 10mm to 12mm...Dont use high like 1/2 inch or something....
When you are practiced,
Set the mars in the field of view and use a barlow having less power firstly - 1.5x to 2.5x......
Well mars itself is small to look by a telescope,
you will nt find any more than a small , orange, glowing ball...
2007-12-25 00:23:52 · answer #5 · answered by Vipul C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋