Hello folks

I'm just wondering if veiwing in dark places is really different.
I've been observing planets for about 2 months from my house yard, still haven't been to a real dark place, is it worth it?
Do city lights have anything to do with getting clear shap view for planets ? Saturn for example, it's a bit blurred when I use a 4mm eyepiece with a 2x balrow, it's big enough though!

Scope Specs. :
900-130mm 5"
1.25 eyepiece size
Reflector

Less important for bright planets than it is for deep space objects.

__________________
"I'm as accurate as any psychic. And I'm a cartoon!" -- Squidward

"Arrrgh, the laws of physics be a harsh mistress!" -- Bender

1) Dark skies are not as important for planetary observation as for "faint fuzzies".
2) There are absolute limits as to how much magnification you can use. These limits are set by the laws of optics. Even with perfect optics and absolutely still air, any more than 60 times the aperture (in inches) just results in a larger, blurrier image. Under normal conditions, 50 times the aperture is a more realistic limit.
With a 4mm eyepiece and a 2X barlow and a 900mm focal length, you have 450 power. This is nearly one and a half times the theoretical limit and nearly twice the practical limit. It's no wonder that Saturn looks blurry. Lose the barlow and although it will be smaller, it will be much sharper.

__________________
Any day you wake up on "the right side of the dirt" is a good day.

T. Anderson

In addition to what Kaptain said, I'd add that if you are viewing in town it does matter what you are looking over. For example, if you view an object over a rooftop, the roof would probably be giving off heat and would affect the steadyness of the seeing.

__________________
"I'm as accurate as any psychic. And I'm a cartoon!" -- Squidward

"Arrrgh, the laws of physics be a harsh mistress!" -- Bender

YES.

everyone should view the sky from dark places. otherwise they will never know what they are missing.

__________________
"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


-Cross
My travel blog

Some of my Astrophotography


Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

As mentioned, planetary observation doesn't need very dark skies. It is more important to have a good, steady mount, preferably with a clock drive, and good seeing conditions. As aurora mentions, some objects (buildings) or places (parking lots) will give off much of the heat that they have absorbed during the day and cause air currents that may muddle up seeing. As I have mentioned before, you must also take time to learn to observe. Planets are fun observe, but it takes time to catch those fleeting moments of very clear seeing. But when you catch those time, WOW!

tbm

__________________
Paddle faster!! I hear banjo music!!