im looking to buy a telescope to view the outer...

[huey_pilot]

I am looking to buy a telescope to view the outer planets. I want to be able to see the different colors of jupiter and maybe even the great red spot. I want to be able to see the rings of saturn. My price range is $200 to $350.

 

[bbrock]

Your price range is the problem. However, viewing the color of the weather bands and the red spot on Jupiter is a problem with most telescopes without photography, filters etx. transparancy and seeing conditions. Lets not get hung up on colors. <br /><br />Within your price range, or close to it, I suggest the Orion XT8 Dob $399 + shipping or the XT6 $299 + shipping. If you can swing it, go with the 8" aperature. There are other Dobs by Hardin, Celsetron etc, but I'm not familiar with their prices. <br /><br />Newtonian Reflectors are not noted for color translation of planets, however you should be able to achieve sharp images, view the weather bands on Jupiter and the cassini division in the rings of Saturn, plus all of the assorted moons.. The 8" you can expect a good view up to 200x to 300x. The 6" you can expect a good view up to 150x to 240x. Seeing and Transparancy permitting, with the appropriate eye pieces. <br /><br />Bill

 

[gregoire]

Your budget should allow for a good used 8" dob. Check with your local astronomy club for reputable dealers or individuals, or try astromart classifieds.<br />

 

[huey_pilot]

I checked out the Orion XT8 Dob seems like a good telescope for me. But lets say I swing it over to mars, will mars be black and white or red and orange? Im a little new to reflective telescopes.

 

[odysseus145]

I have an XT8, and Mars will appear to be red, and if you look closely you can see the ice caps. Good luck <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[ryang]

I just recently bought the Orion XT10 10" Dob and it was $489 in a local store here. I saved the money on shipping by buying local. That could save you a little $$. I think the XT8 was about $335 or something like that.

 

[wisefool]

I concur with the Astromart suggestion. I own two reflectors, an 8" and a 16.25" f4.9. The 8" is an Orion f4, somewhat faster than the newer models. However, you would need to go with something like an f8 8" on a sturdy equatorial mount, which are not being made these days, to get what you are looking for under high magnifications. My big truss Newt gives me exactly what you are looking for, and even is motorized to track objects at high power, but then it is WAY beyond your price range.<br /><br />Even if you had a perfect set-up, you would still be at the mercy of weather conditions. ALL planets, even mighty Jupiter, are very tiny compared with many of the more popular deep sky objects. Andromeda Galaxy, for example, is as wide as six full moons! That's where a "fast" scope shines. I, for example, can easily see the Helix Nebula with my 8" f4, and found it funny that all the hot shots with their f10 SCTs and go-to powers could never see it. And I didn't even need a filter.<br /><br />Old-fashioned astronomy was obsessed with the planets, so f10 refractors were popular, and sometimes much longer than that. But then you are talking about BIG bucks. <br /><br />You want to look at more than a few planets. For every planet in good position, there are a thousand other highly interesting objects. Truth is, if you want to image planets your best bet is with one of those new Meade or Celestron units--but those units by themselves cost about $300.<br /><br />If you want to see the planets "up close," then I recommend you visit a good planet images site. There are several on my astronomy links site. Browse the possibilities, and accept that even the Hubble cannot see planets as well as an orbiting satellite, or a wandering robot.<br /><br />Here's that site: http://members.cox.net/clarkt7/astronomylinks<br />