New Stargazer

[Mild mannered]

Hi

I've been a UT member a fair while but only last week got my first scope - for my 42nd birthday. It's only a 6" Newtonian Reflector but the night before last we went out and got it set up (the first decent clear sky for ages in the UK)

First we tuned in on Jupiter as it was very bright and easy to find - I was amazed - and awed to realize we could clearly see 4 moons 3 off to the right and one to the left in a line.

Also there were faint lines on the surface we all saw though with difficulty as we are not very adept at focusing yet (there was a bunch of us)

Then I looked for and found Saturn just down from the moon and let out a whoop - the advert said you could see rings and you really could -no mistaking this beautiful planet.

We stayed out hours and spent ages (until frozen to the bone) looking at the moon - I am hooked!

Can't wait for the next clear sky - just thought I'd pass on this amazing and fascinatimng first experience - why didn't I get to it years ago? :D

PS: We were suppose to be able to see the red spot but no dice - what are we doing wrong?

[Dave Mitsky]

The Great Red Spot (GRS) has been anything but colorwise for close to ten years now. It is currently a pale pinkish or "salmon" hue and can be hard to see in a small telescope unless it is close to Jupiter's central meridian (CM). Bad seeing (atmospheric steadiness) can make the GRS even more difficult to detect.

Dave Mitsky

[Dave Mitsky]

The following sites should prove useful to you:

http://skyandtelescope.com/printable/obser...article_177.asp (http://skyandtelescope.com/printable/observing/objects/planets/article_177.asp)

http://www.weasner.com/etx/buyer-newuser-t...ts-jupiter.html (http://www.weasner.com/etx/buyer-newuser-tips/planets-jupiter.html)

http://ephemeris.sjaa.net/0202/g.html

http://www.astronomical.org/astbook/adv5.htm

Dave Mitsky

[Mild mannered]

Thanks Dave

I'll check those out :D

Mild