Hi All
I'm back, it has been a pretty awful summer for sky watching, I have only had a few opportunities to run out the backyard with the Celestron and get a half hour in before the clouds return. Ahh well, more to discover later I guess
I have been learing all I can about the night sky, but mostly from programs due to the skies. However, now that Mars is getting up reasonably early in my neck of the woods, I have been loooking for gaps in the clouds to glimpse it.
And I did.
Last week I was lucky enough for a clear interlude, and I am sure I had the location right, but found Mars a little disappointing. All I could make out was a red disc slightly larger than a star. My scope is a 4 inch and I went down to a 10X eyepiece, am I doing something wrong, or do I need a larger scope/eyepiece/knowledge? Jupiter seemd far more impressive, I could make out the bands and at least 3 moons. I see Saturn is on the rise now, but the clouds have kept me from that view to date. Would a more powerful eyepiece help? A Barlow? The pictures I have seen are far more impressive - one can even see the polar caps. Will I be able to make out Saturn's rings?
http://space.newscientist.com/articl...ine-news_rss20 this looks cool!