Observing saturn with 8" dobsonian

HSK (Tom) · #1 04-01-2010, 04:37 PM

Hi all.
I was wandering how well you can see Saturn with 8" dobsonian and with its standard 10 & 25mm eye pieces. I observed it once and it was no clearer than bright star. I could have been looking at the wrong object but I used star walk iPhone star finder. I was a bit dissapointed not to be able to see any ring.

Thanks

Tom

Kevnool (Kev) · #2 04-01-2010, 04:53 PM

You should see Saturn quite well ........well put it this way you wont miss it.

Even see it in a 4 inch as well.

Yep no problems there.

Cheers Kev.

SteveB · #3 04-01-2010, 05:01 PM

Hi Tom,

I have been able to make out the rings on my little 60mm Tasco, they were very small though. I am looking at buying an 8 or 10" Dob & look forward to seeing Saturn through it.

astro744 · #4 04-01-2010, 05:28 PM

Saturn is rising after midnight and not at its best (hightest altitude) until dawn. Tomorrow morning it will between the Moon and Spica in Virgo. It has a yellow appearance and similar brightness to Spica.

The rings are quite closed (closer to edge on) but quite visible in your 8" telescope particularly with the 10mm eyepiece. If you didn't see rings then it may be possible you had a different object in view.

HSK (Tom) · #5 04-01-2010, 06:15 PM

Thanks for the replies all. I'll be staying up again to see if I can see through cloud tonight.

Thanks

Tom

Esseth (Alan) · #6 04-01-2010, 07:17 PM

Yeah i have been trying to get my first look at it for the last few weeks, but its been cloud and rain every attempt lol

floyd_2 (Dean) · #7 04-01-2010, 08:12 PM

The first scope that I ever owned was a 4" Tasco reflector, maybe 20 years ago (0.96" eyepieces and all). I had no idea how to set it up, or how to point it at anything of note. The first object that I ever managed to point it at turned out to be saturn. There was no mistaking it, rings and all...and I was hooked.

In an 8" you'll see plenty, and there'll certainly be no mistaking what you're looking at. Just make sure your scope is collimated and you'll be on a winner!

Dean

HSK (Tom) · #8 04-01-2010, 09:16 PM

I was looking at jupiter and orion nebula just than and cloud... Hopefully it won;t be at 2 in the morning. Just because of Saturn, everyday I stay up until 3 in the morning and wake up at midday!!!

I'm getting used to it.

DavidU (Dave) · #9 04-01-2010, 09:39 PM

Try a 5mm if the atmosphere is steady.Keep the scope outside for as long as possible to get the mirror as close as possible to the air temperature.
A cool telescope gives better images.
cheers !

mental4astro (Alexander) · #10 04-01-2010, 11:24 PM

A mate of mine, and fellow IISer, Hickny, had an 8" f/6 dob until recently. We spent many hours using and comparing objects with his scope and my f/4.5 17.5" dob. Saturn amoungst them.

As a visual experience, I actually prefer the image provided by his 8" dob. The clarity of detail provided by the slightly slower scope outperformed the overly glary image in my big dob.

Sure, the big dob did show fainter moons, but not by much. On one occassion, where my scope revealed 6 moons, his showed 5. Most impressive.

Titan, Saturn's biggest moon, is the easiest one to spot, especially now that the rings are still quite shallow in inclination. Make a couple of little drawings of what you see with your two eyepieces, noting all the stars in line with the ring system. Then come back to Saturn after 4 or 5 hours and compare your drawings to the new view. Even the next night is OK as the Planet will not have moved too much compared to the background stars. More experience will begin to reveal more.

My first view of Saturn was by chance while tracking Mars some 27 years ago. I think the echo of my 'WOOHOO' can still be heard! This was using my 50mm Tasco refractor at 30X! Absolutely unmistakable. You will surly have no problem with your 8" dob.

HSK (Tom) · #11 04-01-2010, 11:55 PM

I'm excited but the sky better return clear by 2... Thanks for all the informations

Cheers

Tom

erick (Eric) · #12 05-01-2010, 12:00 AM

Tom, I think you weren't on Saturn. In an 8" dob the disc is very clearly seen, as are the rings. Lovely cream/yellow colour as well. Saw it the other night at a Summer School at 4am in an 8" SCT. Got all the "Oooohs and Aaaaahs" from the first timers who got up at that time. I also had it in a 4" short tube refractor. A lot smaller, but just as distinctive.

HSK (Tom) · #13 05-01-2010, 01:01 AM

Thanks I guess I was just looking at a star. In about 2 hrs later I'll be out to observe Saturn and mars. I already got the telescope out too cool.

Hope cloud stay away!!

Thanks

Tom

snoozy (Susie) · #14 05-01-2010, 01:14 AM

Happy New Year

Hi,

My name is Susie and have just registered. I love astronomy and studied this topic a few years ago now. During my studies of the moon, a particular terminology has eluded me and wondering if anyone out there could help me.

My question is: What is the name given to the effect of the moon's edge when not a full moon? The view through a telescope provides such a fine detail of the craters and the curvature (spelling). I do remember from my studies that there was a particluar name for it. Thankyou in advance.

My friend has just recently obtained a dobsonian mounted telescope. We had a fantastic night on New Years Eve observing the moon.

I look forward to discussing topics of astronomy.

Seeya,

Susie

HSK (Tom) · #15 05-01-2010, 01:42 AM

Hi Susie!
Will you be observing tonight? If it's not cloudy you can see mars and saturn now. I'm just waiting for the misty cloudy to clear.

Tom

Visionoz (Bill) · #16 05-01-2010, 01:44 AM

Susie

Welcome to IIS

The term you are thinking about would be probably be the "terminator" where dark & light meets when the moon is not full

Cheers
Bill

HSK (Tom) · #17 05-01-2010, 02:33 AM

Ah I give up! The clouds are going nowhere. Well at least I had fun with my dogs. Will have to try again tomorrow.

Tom

good night... Morning

floyd_2 (Dean) · #18 05-01-2010, 07:33 AM

...and I thought Sydney was the only spot with endless cloud!

Dean

Barrykgerdes · #19 05-01-2010, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HSK

Hi all.
I was wandering how well you can see Saturn with 8" dobsonian and with its standard 10 & 25mm eye pieces. I observed it once and it was no clearer than bright star. I could have been looking at the wrong object but I used star walk iPhone star finder. I was a bit dissapointed not to be able to see any ring.

Thanks

Tom

About 20 years ago I bought my first telescope. A Tasco 114 mm reflector. It showed saturns rings but quite small at about 60 x mag. Any greater mag was blurred (poor eyepieces). I think you must have missed Saturn

Some months later I went to my first Macquarie Uni open night and looked through an 8" Dob. The view was magnificent at around 250 x mag. I was hooked I got myself an 8" Dob kit from Astro Suppliers and I have been spending all my spare cash on astronomical gear since.

Barry

erick (Eric) · #20 05-01-2010, 10:14 AM

Hi Susie

Yes, it's the "Terminator" and, though it was not there on New Year's Eve, it'll be back!

Full Moon on that night would have been interesting but, apart from putting a purple dot in front of your eye for several minutes

, full Moon is only good for seeing the ejector rays from the three large relatively more recent craters. Better to watch the Moon through its phases and concentrate around the terminator to really see the full wonders of the Moon.