The best telescopic targets change depending on what is in the sky at the moment, but there is always something, whether it be star clusters, planets, or the moon, that will make a worthy show.
The Moon through a Telescope
The moon is hands-down the best object to look at through a telescope, especially for beginners. The moon is easy to find through the eyepiece and can help you to align your finderscope with the main scope. The best time to look at the moon is generally just after new moon to a few days before full. Full moon is not an opportune time for observing because the surface looks flat. When the moon is up in the evening as a waxing crescent, the terminator (dividing line between light and dark) allows stark relief to be seen. First views of the moon show the mountain peaks and deep valleys of the surface. A moon atlas can help you to learn the names of some of the distinctive features.
Viewing Planets through a Telescope
Check the monthly stargazing guide at Suite101.com to find out what planets are visible at the present time.
Saturn is generally the most stunning planetary sight for new telescope owners. When gazing at the planet's rings, try to note the following:
- how the rings are tilted
- if the rings are casting a shadow on the planet's cloud tops
- if the planet is casting a shadow on the rings
- whether there are any visible gaps in the smoothness of the ring
Also look for Saturn's largest moon Titan and whether it is currently visible in its orbit.
Jupiter is another great planet to watch because of its light and dark bands on the atmosphere. The well-known Great Red Spot is not as easy to see as its notoriety suggests. The spot is located in the southern hemisphere and is not a dark red but a creamy salmon color, which can be hard to distinguish from the surrounding atmosphere. The four largest satellites of Jupiter are called the Galilean moons, and you can watch them change position every night as they circle the planet.
Mars is another planet that shows interesting features. Sometimes white clouds or the white of polar ice caps appear on Mars. Other times dust storms can whip up the reddish dust and obscure views of anything else. Venus is interesting to track the phases of, but its thick cloud cover is unchanging and never allows a view of the surface.
Deep-Sky Objects through a Telescope
Targets that are outside the solar system, such as star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies, are called deep-sky objects. The Orion Nebula is easy to find, lying on the middle star of the sword hanging from Orion's belt, and it shows up nicely as a cloudy region around a collection of stars. This nebula is visible in the night sky from late fall through early spring.
The Double Cluster in Perseus is another winter object that provides a dual treat with two collections of stars visible in one eyepiece. Another nice star cluster is the Beehive Cluster in Cancer, which is a constellation found in spring skies. The Beehive lies right at the center of the constellation and is visible as a hazy smattering of stars even with the unaided eye.
For summer, the yellow and blue double star Albireo is a popular target, and it's found in the constellation Cygnus. Nearby in the constellation of Lyra is the Ring Nebula, found between the bottom two stars of the parallelogram shape.
Fall brings the Andromeda Galaxy, the brightest of galaxies visible from Earth (not counting the Milky Way). If you're interested in targeting galaxies at any time of year, the galaxies M81 and M82 are in the constellation Ursa Major, which are found above the head of the Great Bear.
This list should get you started with plenty of targets to observe on your first night out with your new telescope.
Source: Celestron's The Sky Software
Kelly Whitt - I have been a professional writer for more than a decade, covering many topics from science-based articles to do-it-yourself home ...
