Higher magnifications reduce the field of view, which means that most of the cluster is lost to view. It is best to view this cluster from a dark site, and at a low magnification. However, even a small telescope (2.4″ to 4.5″) will reveal most of the stars in the cluster, which incidentally, are hot blue stars of roughly the same age, and composition. The rings are only a few tens of kilometers thick, so wait for a few months, and look at Saturn again- you will be glad you did! The “gap” in the rings to the right of the planet is caused by the shadow of the planet as it falls across the ring system.Īlso known as the “ Seven Sisters”, this small cluster in the constellation of Taurus consists of several dozen stars, of which only a few are visible without optical aid. The ring system changes its inclination to our line of sight, and at certain times the rings disappear altogether when they are face-on to earth. Even modest equipment, such as a 4″ telescope will reveal the splendor of the ring system, but be aware that you may be disappointed at your first sighting of the planet. When Saturn’s rings are tilted with respect to our line of sight, the planet offers the most spectacular sight in the entire solar system.

See how well you can track this storm (that is larger than the earth) on the “surface” of Jupiter. Since its discovery, the Great Red Spot has moved more than a 1,000 degrees, and at one point, it was even out of sight on the far side of the planet. Once you start tracking the movement of the Spot, you will want to return to Jupiter for as long as it is visible. Of particular interest is the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, which is visible during good seeing conditions with even modest equipment. However, fine detail is only visible in larger amateur instruments, but even modest equipment, such as the photo taken by the 130mm (5″) telescope opposite, will reveal the equatorial bands and the four Galilean Moons as they weave their way around the gas giant. The King of the planets always offers a rewarding viewing experience, since the detail on its colorful bands is forever changing. Venus may not offer any detail other than it’s phase, but you will want to see it again and again. Venus also displays phases, just like the Moon, and although it may sometimes be difficult to obtain a fine focus on Venus, with good optics, and some practice with the fine focus control, it is possible to view the phases of the planet as its illumination from the Sun changes. If you don’t have a go-to scope, Mars offers an excellent opportunity to learn your way around the night sky, since during certain times of the year it is easy to confuse the Mars with Antares located in the constellation Scorpius, which is a giant red star. One thing is certain, though, you will keep coming back to moon!įinding Mars is one of the most rewarding experiences any novice star gazer can have, and while it first may look nothing more than a small reddish disc, with a bit of practice even a small 4″ telescope can reveal tantalizing detail, such as the Red planet’s darker regions, and the formation, and subsequent disappearance, of its polar ice caps as the seasons change there. High magnification are not always the best option, so use the moon to practice using different magnifications under different conditions before you venture further into the solar system, and beyond. The moon is an excellent training ground for new observers, since many features become visible only during some illuminations, but mostly because the use of the correct magnifications is required to see some features. A good time to observe the moon is during daytime when it is visible, and quite often, you will discern detail that is not visible at night. The play of light and shadow, the amount of illumination, and the libration of the moon can sometimes obscure some features, but bring them sharply into focus at other times. It is possible to spend a life time observing the Moon, and still discover something new every time you observe it.

Best telescope for amatuer astronomer