Magnification Limits, What to Expect, Moon, Sun

Magnification Limits

Every telescope has a useful magnification limit of about 2X per millimeter of aperture. This comes to 200X for the SkyScanner 100mm TableTop. Some telescope manufacturers will use misleading claims of excess magnification, such as “See distant gal- axies at 640X!”. While such magnifications are technically possible, the actual image at that magni- fication would be an indistinct blur.

Moderate magnifications are what give the best views. It is better to view a small, but bright and detailed image than a dim, unclear, oversized image.

Magnification Limits

Every telescope has a useful magnification limit of about 2X per millimeter of aperture. This comes to 160X for the 80mm TableTop. Some telescope manufacturers will use misleading claims of excess magnification, such as “See distant galaxies at 640X!”. While such magnifications are technically possible, the actual image at that magnification would be an indistinct blur.

Moderate magnifications are what give the best views. It is better to view a small, but bright and detailed image than a dim, unclear, oversized image.

What to Expect

So what will you see with your telescope? You should be able to see bands on Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, craters on the Moon, the waxing and waning of Venus, and many bright deep-sky objects. Do not expect to see color as you do in NASA photos, since those are taken with long-exposure cam- eras and have “false color” added. Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color in deep-sky objects except in a few of the brightest ones.

Remember that you are seeing these objects using your own telescope with your own eyes! The object you see in your eyepiece is in real-time, and not some conveniently provided image from an expensive space probe. Each session with your telescope will be a learning experience. Each time you work with your telescope it will get easier to use, and stellar objects will become easier to find. Take it from us, there is big difference between looking at a well-made full-color NASA image of a deep-sky object in a lit room during the daytime, and seeing that same object in your telescope at night. One can merely be a pretty image someone gave to you. The other is an experience you will never forget!

Objects to Observe

Now that you are all set up and ready to go, one critical deci- sion must be made: what to look at?

A. The Moon

With its rocky surface, the Moon is one of the easiest and most interesting targets to view with your telescope. Lunar craters, marias, and even mountain ranges can all be clearly seen from a distance of 238,000 miles away! With its ever-changing phases, you’ll get a new view of the Moon every night. The best time to observe our one and only natural satellite is dur- ing a partial phase, that is, when the Moon is NOT full. During partial phases, shadows are cast on the surface, which reveal more detail, especially right along the border between the dark and light portions of the disk (called the “terminator”). A full Moon is too bright and devoid of surface shadows to yield a pleasing view. Make sure to observe the Moon when it is well above the horizon to get the sharpest images.

Use an optional Moon filter to dim the Moon when it is very bright. It simply threads onto the bottom of the eyepieces (you must first remove the eyepiece from the focuser to attach a filter). You’ll find that the Moon filter improves viewing com- fort, and also helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar surface.

B. The Sun

Warning: Do not look at the Sun with any optical instrument without a professionally made solar filter, or permanent eye damage could result

You can change your nighttime telescope into a daytime Sun viewer by installing an optional full-aperture solar filter over the front opening of the TableTop. The primary attraction is sunspots, which change shape, appearance, and location daily. Sunspots are directly related to magnetic activity in the Sun. Many observers like to make drawings of sunspots to monitor how the Sun is changing from day to day.

C. The Planets

The planets don’t stay put like the stars, so to find them you should refer to Sky Calendar at our website (OrionTelescopes. com), or to charts published monthly in Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, or other astronomy magazines. Venus, Jupiter,