My first telescope *( Meade 60az-t )*

[nbpt]

I just got my first telescope the Meade 60AZ-T. It came with the 9mm and 17.5mm eye pieces. I have looked at the moon using the 9mm and the 2xbarlow. I haven't looked at anything else, well I looked at a few stars that looked like stars. I want to see other cool things using this telescope. What is this scope able to view? Any tips? Information on this scope would be awesome. Thanks in advance.<br /><br />Kevin

 

[harmonicaman]

You'll get lots of great telescope advice in here!<br /><br />While you're waiting for replies, I would suggest that you do a SDC search for posts by member <b>TFWThom.</b> He posts lots of great telescope and astronomy advice and I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't already answered some of your questions.<br /><br />Best Wishes!

 

[nbpt]

Ok thanks I will do that. I'm looking for general information on my telescope, and what I'm able to see. Like tonight I will be viewing around 11PM. I see one star on either side of the moon each night....Where to look, and what I'm looking at? Thanks again....<br /><br />Starrynight software and livesky.com has been helpful, but I'm still confused. I tried looking at a few stars the other night, but that's all they looked like...stars....is this how planets will look, until I zoom in?

 

[nbpt]

Ok....I have seen the moon. Starry software that came with my telescope says venus and mecury should be near the moon. All I can see is stars. Is one of these objects that look like stars a planet? How can I find planets from the moon?

 

[formulaterp]

<font color="yellow">Ok....I have seen the moon. Starry software that came with my telescope says venus and mecury should be near the moon. All I can see is stars. Is one of these objects that look like stars a planet? How can I find planets from the moon?</font><br /><br />Using the moon as a guide to find the planets is not recommended as their relative positions will change dramatically from day to day. You really need to become familiar with the stars themselves.<br /><br />Here's the quick and dirty guide to finding a couple of the planets: Look towards the southwest just after sunset. I mean JUST after. The brightest star in the sky will be the planet Venus. You really can't mistake it for anything else, it's seriously bright. You will have about 2 hours before Venus sets. Right when it sets, look nearly straight up and turn a bit to the left. The brightest star in the sky will be the reddish/orange planet Mars. <br /><br />Mercury really isn't visible right now. Finding Jupiter will require you to stay up real late. Uranus and Neptune are also visible, but REALLY tough to pick out. And you can forget about Pluto.

 

[nbpt]

Ok great thanks.<br /><br />How long will Mars be viewable?

 

[nbpt]

The planets mentioned above...I can view them with my telescope mentioned above, right?

 

[harmonicaman]

Yes, you can view all the planets mentioned with your telescope. Mars will look like a red dot, you'll be able to see the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter.<br /><br />Your telescope is small, so you can't gather enough light to see much detail; but if the seeing conditions are ideal, I think you will be very satisfied with what you can observe.

 

[nbpt]

Mars will look like a red dot? Will it have any detail?

 

[harmonicaman]

Here's a link with some nice information about viewing Mars through small telescopes.

 

[nbpt]

Ok thanks for the information. That link is very helpful.

 

[nbpt]

Hmmm ok.<br /><br />So your saying don't waste my time trying to see mars, because it's just a dot with no detail, right?<br /><br />I'm using 9mm eye piece with the 2xbarlow. <br /><br />Just want to know what I should be able to see. This will save me a lot of time trying to locate something I can't see.....

 

[nbpt]

I have Venus locked on my telescope now. It looks like a slice of the moon. Is this correct? Or is my telescope not strong enough to display Venus correctly?

 

[formulaterp]

Yes, Venus shows phases like the moon. The thick cloud layer of Venus prevents us from seeing any sort of detail, even with the largest of telescopes.

 

[nbpt]

Ok thank you.

 

[nbpt]

Damn cloud cover in my area is making it not possible to view anything. I did see Venus earlier, but nothing now <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[atticus808]

when i viewed Mars it seemed like a glowing white ball

 

[nbpt]

Really? Isn't it supposed to be a redish color? Maybe clouds made it look that way...I'm not sure.

 

[nbpt]

ok thanks for the information. I will try to view it tonight. Tonight I will be viewing the night sky around 11PM or so. What should be up in the sky around this time? I'm in Massachusetts if this helps at all.

 

[nbpt]

Ok thanks.....so Mars will be viewable around 11pm or so tonight? It will be in the SW part of the sky? Venus was located in the SW sky early lastnight.

 

[nbpt]

Well, once again the clouds are here. So I won't be seeing anything tonight, Maybe tomorrow nght. O by the way is anything out during the day? I know the sun, I mean anything else?

 

[thalion]

You might want to look for Mercury or Venus in the daytime, but be *very* careful...

 

[nbpt]

Ok. I will try my luck tonight. Maybe the x-mas eve magic will make all the clouds clear. Right now it's all blue skies here.

 

[nbpt]

So far the clouds are back. All day it was nice blue skies. Go figure.

 

[nbpt]

Well, I still have clouds here. Maybe they will be gone by tonight. I can hope anyways.<br /><br />I have a question though. The other day I saw Venus, and it was like a small slice of the moon. It was bright white. It was kinda of small though. Venus is the closest planet to us isn't it? My question is will my telescope be able to view mars? jupiter? saturn? If so will it just be a small dot? Or will it show some detail?