Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
- Buckethead 2.0
- Milky Way Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 1417
- Joined: Sun May 19, 2019 5:25 pm
- 4
- Location: Maine, USA
- Status:
Offline
Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
I know that Venus is really easy to view with my 10x50's, because I have already seen it more than once with them. But will I be able to see Saturn, Jupiter, or other planets under orange Bortle scale skies? I know I would have to time it when the moon is new, or not risen yet.
~Eric
Binos: Bushnell Falcon 10x50
Binos: Bushnell Falcon 10x50
- JayTee
- Universal Ambassador
- Articles: 2
- Posts: 5619
- Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:23 am
- 4
- Location: Idaho, USA
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Awards Badges
TSS Photo of the Day
Re: Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
10X is enough to see Jupiter's moons but no planetary detail. It is not enough magnification to see Saturn's rings. The oblong shape of Saturn becomes noticeable around 15-18X (depending on your eye's ability), but it is only a NOT round object. You can't tell why it's not round, in other words, you can't separate the rings from the planet at such low magnification through binos.
Also, the planets are so bright (everybody inside of Neptune) that the phase of the moon really has no impact on planetary viewing.
Cheers,
JT
Also, the planets are so bright (everybody inside of Neptune) that the phase of the moon really has no impact on planetary viewing.
Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
- Buckethead 2.0
- Milky Way Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 1417
- Joined: Sun May 19, 2019 5:25 pm
- 4
- Location: Maine, USA
- Status:
Offline
Re: Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
Excellent, thank you JT.JayTee wrote: ↑Sun May 10, 2020 1:45 am 10X is enough to see Jupiter's moons but no planetary detail. It is not enough magnification to see Saturn's rings. The oblong shape of Saturn becomes noticeable around 15-18X (depending on your eye's ability), but it is only a NOT round object. You can't tell why it's not round, in other words, you can't separate the rings from the planet at such low magnification through binos.
Also, the planets are so bright (everybody inside of Neptune) that the phase of the moon really has no impact on planetary viewing.
Cheers,
JT
~Eric
Binos: Bushnell Falcon 10x50
Binos: Bushnell Falcon 10x50
- John Baars
- Co-Administrator
- Articles: 5
- Posts: 2724
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 9:00 am
- 4
- Location: Schiedam, Netherlands
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Awards Badges
TSS Photo of the Day
Re: Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
There is a little trick...I wished I knew when I was a boy back in 1970.
You can use an eyepiece, even a loup will do. Hold it straight behind the eyepiece of the binoculars. Focussing is done by moving the handheld eyepiece out from the binoculars. In the case of an 25mm eyepiece it will magnify the original 10X magnified image even more. To give it more stability try to arrange it in some sort of tube. The image is not of top-quality of course (a 60mm refractor is far better), but you will be able to see the rings of Saturn!!
You can use an eyepiece, even a loup will do. Hold it straight behind the eyepiece of the binoculars. Focussing is done by moving the handheld eyepiece out from the binoculars. In the case of an 25mm eyepiece it will magnify the original 10X magnified image even more. To give it more stability try to arrange it in some sort of tube. The image is not of top-quality of course (a 60mm refractor is far better), but you will be able to see the rings of Saturn!!
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
- Ruud
- Orion Spur Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:56 pm
- 4
- Location: the Netherlands
- Status:
Offline
Re: Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
That's interesting, [mention]John Baars[/mention]. I must try this trick!
Earth is the planet best seen through binoculars, but that's a personal opinion. The best moons are Earth's moon followed by Jupiter's.
Earth is the planet best seen through binoculars, but that's a personal opinion. The best moons are Earth's moon followed by Jupiter's.
7x50 Helios Apollo ✶ 8x42 Bresser Everest ✶ 73mm f/5.9 WO APO ✶ 4" f/5 TeleVue Genesis ✶ 6" f/10 Celestron 6SE ✶ 0.63x reducer ✶ 1.8, 2, 2.5 and 3x Barlows ✶ eyepieces from 4.5 to 34mm
- John Baars
- Co-Administrator
- Articles: 5
- Posts: 2724
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 9:00 am
- 4
- Location: Schiedam, Netherlands
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Awards Badges
TSS Photo of the Day
Re: Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
I just retried. And got a very very contrastarm image on infinity. Focussing is a major problem, one overshoots focus in a wink. I forgot all about that. The memory was romanticized....
I used to show my and other kids the Moon with it when we were on a holiday once and I had no telescope with me. I remember making the cardboard tube in the afternoon together with the little boys. It is absolutely no alternative for a decent telescope, no matter how small. It seems the Moon is about the only object that reflects enough light to get an image. No decent images I am afraid. So forget I mentioned it. Sorry.
I used to show my and other kids the Moon with it when we were on a holiday once and I had no telescope with me. I remember making the cardboard tube in the afternoon together with the little boys. It is absolutely no alternative for a decent telescope, no matter how small. It seems the Moon is about the only object that reflects enough light to get an image. No decent images I am afraid. So forget I mentioned it. Sorry.
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
- Refractordude
- Interdicted
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 1493
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 1:05 am
- 4
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: Planet viewing and 10x50 binos
coolJohn Baars wrote: ↑Sun May 10, 2020 9:29 am There is a little trick...I wished I knew when I was a boy back in 1970.
You can use an eyepiece, even a loup will do. Hold it straight behind the eyepiece of the binoculars. Focussing is done by moving the handheld eyepiece out from the binoculars. In the case of an 25mm eyepiece it will magnify the original 10X magnified image even more. To give it more stability try to arrange it in some sort of tube. The image is not of top-quality of course (a 60mm refractor is far better), but you will be able to see the rings of Saturn!!
Create an account or sign in to join the discussion
You need to be a member in order to post a reply
Create an account
Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute