I knew that my first scope experience would come in handy one day!
My first scope was a 50mm refractor. Smaller than your scope, Bill, but it is my experience with it that will help you. Don't be discouraged - this astro thing is a learning process!
First, seeing astronomical objects through a scope is totally different than using a scope during the day for terrestrial viewing. The background is black. Then most things are soft in glow. And then you have the occasional object that is bright, and it is REALLY bright compared to the background AND that you are viewing at night, so your eyes and brain are set for dim light viewing, so these bright objects are really low on their surface contrast.
You need to slow down at the scope. Things will not jump out. We need to give our eyes time to adjust and re-learn how to see in these conditions.
I did see the two main equatorial bands in my 50mm refractor on Jupiter. Of course the Galilean moons as well. Biggest problem was the quality of the eyepieces - rubbish actually with what I know now. But the bands were visible, and it takes time. Squinting is actually a good trick to have to help reduce the immediate glare of Jupiter. Believe it or not, even covering a little the top of the scope, so reducing the amount of light coming in, can help too. It is matter of trying a few different things that will help out immediately. Filters are useful, but not the only trick astronomers have up their sleeve.
The Great Red Spot (GRS) is very illusive. Firstly it is not as cherry red as it once was. Today it is more of a pale salmon pink, and getting paler. And of course if it is not turned towards us, you just won't see it!!! I didn't get to see the GRS in my 50mm refractor. I have my doubts a 76mm scope will too. Yes filters help, but even with filters, the GRS won't jump out.
Saturn is another ripper. Seeing cloud bands in a small scope though may be too much of an ask, especially a modest quality instrument with modest eyepieces. You might fluke a sighting of the Cassini Division in the rings, but this will be a real challenge with your scope. It's up to you to prove that it can be seen in a scope as yours
My 50mm refractor wasn't able to.
Even with larger, "better" scopes, seeing detail on the planets is difficult. Atmospheric conditions are the biggest hurdle. If there is a lot of thermal activity in the atmosphere, then the image shimmers like a mirage, and it doesn't matter the quality of your scope, you won't see anything. Actually in really poor seeing conditions ("seeing" is the term used to describe atmospheric thermal turbulance), a smaller scope actually has the edge over a larger scope! And even with great seeing conditions, these planetary details are VERY subtle, and require real patience and a keen eye to make out. Rush and you WON'T see them. Be impatient and you won't see them. Take your time and let your eye do its thing, and you will be richly rewarded. I still remember the first time I saw the polar caps on Mars!!! And then clouds on Mars! I wasn't expecting to see them, but I wasn't rushing, only letting my eyes do their thing. When you least expect things is when they slap you in the face hardest
I'll tell you what, I still have my 50mm refractor, and I also have an adapter to be able to use my current and better quality eyepieces with it. When the clouds decide to bugger off, I'll have another shot at both Jupiter and Saturn, and see what comes of it. I did this with the Orion nebula a couple of years ago using a better eyepiece, and I was stunned at how much more detail I could see with this eyepiece, my older eyes and the worse light pollution compared with 25 years ago! I also have an 80mm refractor, and I'll give that one a fang at the same time. I'm now curious to know exactly what these beasties can do now with the experience I have gained (
I say, big noting myself!!
).
Alex.