No.2130
Sorry for Blogposting
I recently got into amateur astronomy, having this shaky tube standing around (pic related).
700mm main mirror, for 70 eurodollars.
It's really shaky, but I learned using it. I got pretty good at it by observing Sunspots (with a proper objective sun filter, of course). 2x Barlow + 20mm stock objective is perfect for this.
The Sun seems pretty inactive right now.
Other than that I also observed Jupiter and Saturn (both very bright right now, I'm from Luxembourg btw) and saw Jupiters 4 main moons and his stripes. I can't take pictures of these things because I've got neither an expensive camera nor the right telescope to put said expensive camera on for good results. I started drawing the Sunspots on paper, though.
Does anyone here know of something I could use to further filter Sunlight? I watch her in white light only, so watching different visible wavelengths might reveal some currently hidden things, right?
Also, are there filters for planet shine? Jupiter is always very whitish when I observe it.
No.2140
I also just got a telescope around Christmas time as a gift, I like it. I have wanted to do it for a while, but sadly I live in the city. I would love to get some info or books to where I can learn what I am actually looking at. In the US btw
No.2151
>>2140
A very basic primer is that stars twinkle while planets don't.
Stars seen through the telescope will just appear as points, while planets appear as disks.
Right now, Saturn and Jupiter should be visible in the US, Saturn is really bright and Jupiter slightly dimmer. They appear at an angle of approximately 90° on the horizon, on the line that the Sun forms at day.