Celestron 4se

[Scotty85]

Hey guys new to forums and need some help :confused2:. I just bought a celestron nexstar 4se I have got it aligned ok and working the only problem I'm finding is when I look at planets i.e. Venus and Mars it just looks like a circular star i have it in focus but am just not getting any detail is it something to do with the eyepiece or is the wrong conditions. Any help would be greatly appreciated on the same note I have the standard 25mm plossi and also 15mm kellner and 6mm plossi. Are these eyepieces ok to use for detail?

Thanks again
Scott

[Hans Tucker]

Unfortunately you picked targets that are not in the best position at the moment. Mars will not be in a good position for viewing for at least another year and Venus doesn't offer any surface detail, you can only observe the phases it goes through. Your scope will probably offer the best views on the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter.

[Scotty85]

thanks for the reply are the eyepieces I'm using ok?

[Hans Tucker]

Those eyepieces are fine and offer low magnifications (53X & 88X) but if it were me I would grab a 10mm to give a bit more magnification (132X).

[Scotty85]

Thanks a lot mate

[Scotty85]

Also another question how well should i be able to see Jupiter and Saturn through the 4se will it be a clear image?

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: Yes , but as clear as the atmosphere will allow , start on the lowest power , the 25mm (53x) , look at and enjoy the image , move up to the 15mm (90x) do the same but at this magnification details will start to be seen and if the air is steady move up to the 6mm which is 225x , a little high for most nights , the scope will do this power but the sky wont all the time .
Hence the good advise given by Hans , grab a 10mm plossl for 132x a better useful magnification , but most of all take your time and you will see more and more as you get better at observing .

Brian.

[Hans Tucker]

Also, a telescope needs to be at thermal equilibrium with the outside temperature in order to perform at its best so make sure you allow enough time for your scope to reach equilibrium otherwise the views with be soft and blurred. So set up at least an hour before your intended observing time.

[Scotty85]

Thanks for the help guys much appreciated will keep looking every night thanks again
Scott

[richard2600]

That's something I did not know about the thermal equilibrium with outside temp

[julianh72]

Fully enclosed telescopes like Maks and SCTs take longer to reach equilibrium than open telescopes like a Newt. The bigger the telescope (and the thicker / heavier the glass), the longer it will take, so Maks (with their thick front meniscus) typically take a bit longer than a comparably-sized SCT (which have thinner corrector plates). The 4SE isn't all that big, so it should be quite usable in half an hour or so. (It's "usable" straight away, of course, but you might think you have bought a dud if you don't give it a chance to stabilise!)

Just take your scope outside half an hour to an hour before you are going to start viewing, and you should be fine - e.g. put it outside before you sit down to dinner or to watch the 7:00 News. (Make sure it's in the shade if it's still daylight when you take it outside - the last thing you want to do is to start warming it up!)