Top Tips For Improving Planetary Views - Orion Telescopes

This Video from Orion Telescopes and Binoculars' Video Gallery was produced by Orion Staff and covers Top Tips For Improving Planetary Views.
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Since 1975 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars has been offering telescopes for sale direct to customers, with an unswerving commitment to best quality products, value and unmatched customer care. Our 100% satisfaction guarantee says it all. Orion offers telescopes for every level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert. From our entry level beginner telescopes for amateur astronomers to our Dobsonian telescopes to our most advanced Cassegrain telescopes and accessories, you can find the best telescope for you.

[@selfliftandcarry6050]

I want to go to the Orion store just to thank the staff who had help me along my 5 years of experience since I started back in 2013.thank you Orion for a great experience

[@rodneyjohnson4794]

thank them for me, too!

[@epic_playz4283]

@@rodneyjohnson4794 yeah!

[@karim1485]

Summary: - collimate - avoid location with hot surfaces & heat sources (asphalt, house roof, chimneys) - climatise telescope (let cool down) - align finder - try not to look though too much atmosphere (high lookup angle) - get great magnification - don‘t go above aperture in mm*2, or max 300 magnification. - maybe use colour filters

[@kakarot5760]

Hello Can you please tell weather it is neccessary to buy a collimator with a reflector type telescope

[@skygazerII]

@@kakarot5760 It is not necessary, but it is recommended. You can roughly collimate by removing the eyepiece and looking into the focuser. If your eye is centered, you are roughly collimated. At night, focus on a star (Polaris is good, because it won't move out of the frame.) Defocus it. If you see a blurry donut that is equal on all sides, you are collimated. if one side is thicker, adjust the collimation setscrews until the donut has equal sides.

[@kakarot5760]

@@skygazerII ok , thank you very much I will try this method when my telescope come As I cant buy a collimator currently so I will try this method to collimate Thanks🙂

[@leonjones7120]

Amazingly this lecture is shot with no retakes! Well done sir!

[@Mr.Laidukas]

I always enjoy your voice and calm talking with all the information you share. Thanks.

[@Nottsboy24]

TheLaidukas.....☺ agreed

[@joenic4303]

Same here.

[@beardedbehr4105]

I wish he was my uncle.

[@kakarot5760]

@@beardedbehr4105@Joe Nic Hello I am an amateur astronomer this is my first telescope Can you please tell weather it is neccessary to buy a collimator with a reflector type telescope

[@Huntington12345678]

So simple. So flipping straight forward. FINALLY, I understand how to determine which eyepiece power I want, to get the magnification right where I want it! Thank you, Ken and Orion!

[@nobrakes3765]

This is a great presenter. Well spoken and clearly organized info. Good job!

[@deans2790]

Ken, you have forgotten more about astronomy and telescopes than I will ever know. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!

[@donaldmartin7109]

Thank you for your sharing and listening my refresher course. Have a great weekend. Excellent class..

[@Youbarkimeow]

I got my first reflecting telescope recently but i have to say I much prefer the refracting telescope. The reflecting one I just received is going to take a lot of getting used to.

[@SeanDS89]

Wow, thanks so much! There's a lot of useful info here, and you explained everything very clearly, which I appreciate. I should be getting my new SkyLine in a few days and I'm very excited!

[@Stephen-wb3wf]

Binging all of these videos waiting for my Skywatcher 8" Flextube Dobsonian to arrive and I've really enjoyed watching this guy as he explains everything to me, very good at his job.

[@kakarot5760]

Hello I am an amateur astronomer this is my first telescope Can you please tell weather it is neccessary to buy a collimator with a reflector type telescope

[@Stephen-wb3wf]

@@kakarot5760 I'm assuming your scope is a dobsonian base reflector like the one i now have and love. The answer would be yes a collimation cap may come with your scope or you can buy one. Also you could laser collimator if you prefer. Feel free to ask whatever ? you have or you can chat with orion staff on their website they know alot more.

[@kakarot5760]

@@Stephen-wb3wf hello Thanks for replying I am about to buy newtonian telescope With az mount Can you personally tell the disadvantages with az mount Or is it fine Should I go for eq mount instead?

[@kakarot5760]

@@Stephen-wb3wf i am a bit confused(actually V.V.confused) between a dobosonian(orion xt6) or a newtonian reflector(celestron 127eq)

[@Stephen-wb3wf]

@@kakarot5760 go here www.telescope.com/Orion/2160.home. Click the chat button on top of the page. You should be talking to an expert with these questions not youtube.

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

I am new to the hobby and this seems solid advice. Don't got an Orion (Sky-Watcher) but I wish everybody with a scope clear skies!

[@reflactor]

This was extremely helpful. Thank you!

[@tedwilliams3875]

Great video Ken! Great information for people to know and follow. :) Clear Skies.

[@soldtobediers]

For me, it was my first cosmic connection, on par with a first kiss. No other planet looks as unworldly or surreal as Saturn. When you see it floating in the eyepiece of your telescope, you feel as if you've uncovered mystery in the cosmos. Carolyn Porco

[@geoffreywood5808]

As a resident of the Sonoran Desert, I’ll just like to make a couple of observations. NO criricism intended, just a couple of facts. 1. There is very little to no grass in the desert. 2. The soil ( a n extremely hard, concrete-like clay called “Calichi”, and it gets almost as hot as asphalt.

[@spamcan9208]

Great and fascinating tips. I liked the atmosphere as a swimming pool analogy. I'm surprised that a hot tub throws off enough heat to distort the imagine. I'm guessing someone figured this out after a lot of frustration lol.

[@stevendavis3991]

Thanks for the infos. I'll use these for sure

[@Bobbyg4315]

Thanks! Great info!, filled in some gaps, i had no idea on alot of that. I liked you provided actual numbers, if needed, i did't think about overmagnification!... lets get the highest we can I got a 114 zhummel

[@mavericklast2555]

thank you for the information and your service

[@Mike10131994]

Would you say that a Bahtinov Mask would be a helpful tool to improve planetary observation? I've only ever used it for astrophotography, and I'm unsure if that level of precision in focus would be noticeable enough that it would warrant buying and carrying one, especially for larger scopes.

[@Nottsboy24]

Mike10131994....it does work perfectly with my 9.25 celestron nexstar evolution...I carry mine every time i stargaze :)

[@yucas997]

Hi. Thanks for the great info you share with us. It's very helpful, expecially for us beginners. ; ) I'd like to know a thing about filters. When I observe the planets with my Mak 127mm aperture, 1900mm focal length, f15 ratio at 73x using my 26mm SP eyepiece (it's the only one I have for now), I always see them very very shiny. For example: I can recognize the shape and the red bands of Jupiter, but the white clouds are too brilliant, making all the planet look fuzzy. Can I solve this problem with a filter? Should I simply rise my magnification? Thanks in advance. : ) Clear skies.

[@zanofaris9334]

what is the difference between the star blast 4.5 equatorial mount and the ORION 10015 Starblast 4,5 Astro Reflektor Teleskop?!

[@BillMarion]

Very helpful video!

[@knightclan4]

Great video Just getting started with astronomy

[@mathewdavis-adventuresandd6643]

Great job Ken. Perfect for us beginners.

[@Jupitor108]

Thank you! good informative video.

[@acavals8080]

A lot of awesome tips! Thanks a lot

[@bullshitvendor]

Is that reflector one of the chinese generic rebrands same as the infamous Celestron PowerSeeker 127 with the Bird-Jones relay lens SPOS telescope?

[@mauriciopeterlevitz8902]

Great tips. Straight to the point. Thanks for sharing

[@GHP15300]

I Agree about this

[@kelrico1]

Thank you!

[@tamjacobite4758]

Excellent video very helpful

[@raygurgainous8645]

I have the Orion Spaceprobe 130 st eq and the 2 view pieces that came with it all I see is the really small view of the planets just like you see it with your naked eye. It doesn't zoom it when I adjust it it just gets out of focus

[@TOMFOOLERY511]

Same happens to me

[@TOMFOOLERY511]

All I see is a dot and this is getting me mad

[@fattyfat-fat6639]

Hey! Nice vid! Suggestion: Understanding optics begs for close attention to every detail. If you slow your presentation down a bit, it will be easier to absorb. Staccato speech is difficult to take in with demanding subjects. If a viewer misses a single beat, it can be difficult to catch up. It's always better to pace a presentation for the audience rather than the clock.

[@jaek_898]

Hey ken, I've been enjoying my xt10 plus, but when I look at jupiter it's just too bright. I can make out cloud bands and the spot but it mostly looks like a white/tan ball. Would a color filter solve this? Thanks.

[@Nottsboy24]

Jæk....try a lower powered or different eyepiece's if that doesn't work then try a moon filter if you have one because that filter can also bring out the the different colour cloud bands :)

[@Astronomater]

I like the #11 yellow green and orange #21 more than the often stated 80a. I second the idea of using a neutral polarizing filter if using under 100x. I like Jupiter most at about 200x. YMMV

[@oriontelescopes]

Hi there! It's common to see this this kind of thing on the big 10" Dob; it gathers so much light which can make for some really bright planetary viewing. As others have mentioned, filters can help. It's great to use various color filters to see what kind of results you can get, and a neutral density filter can help reduce the overall brightness. We do have a set available that includes all our color planetary filters, a variable polarizing filter and a light pollution filter all in one kit: bit.ly/2JloVtN If you're looking for just one filter, the variable moon filter can be helpful in this situation: bit.ly/2GXhhHu

[@Mike10131994]

Variable polarization filter hands down

[@Zegery]

the starblast 4.5 has a 34mm secondary mirror obstruction, does that make the effective aperture only 80mm?

[@oriontelescopes]

The 34mm secondary mirror covers 30% by diameter but only 9% by area. The area of the mirror is what collects the light so if we're doing a direct comparison of clear aperture, it’s the area that matters. Another way to think about it would be if the 4.5 was a refractor with no obstruction, we can roughly estimate that it would be similar to a 104mm refractor in terms of light grasp (91% of 114mm).

[@Zegery]

@@oriontelescopes thank you for the clear explanatjon, is the obstruction visible through the eyepiece?

[@oriontelescopes]

@@Zegery No, the view through the eyepiece is clear.

[@lesmorley7439]

I've just bought an Orion Tritech II Field Tripod for my spotting scope. The vertical movement is very smooth and a pleasure to use. However, the horizonal movement is not so smooth: it requires a slight over-force to get it moving, making small horizontal scope movements tricky. Am I doing something wrong, how do I make the horizontal movement as smooth as the vertical movement?

[@oriontelescopes]

You can adjust the tension that is on the horizontal movement when it is unlocked, if you remove the head from the tripod there is a screw inside of the 3/8th threads that attach it to the tripod that can be adjusted with an Allen wrench to the desired tension. You shouldn't need to loosen it much, maybe 1/8th of a turn.

[@RedOctober_]

I'm trying to find a suitable place to observe but all the parks and public spaces in my area dont stay open past dark and my street has this really bright streetlamp on it. I'm a kid so I can't go very far on my own, what do you recommend?

[@django1364]

can you use a goto or star tracker mount with this Orion starblast 4.5?

[@oriontelescopes]

There is currently no motor drive or GoTo kit for the StarBlast 4.5.

[@roz4747]

How’s power calculated also?

[@Nick-uz6cu]

Is a 240x magnification good for viewing mars jupiter and saturn? The telescope is 8 inches and using 2x barlow

[@oriontelescopes]

Hi Nick. Yes, a magnification of 240x is great for planetary viewing.

[@Nick-uz6cu]

Orion Telescopes & Binoculars thanks i really want the xt8 classic!

[@rclines001]

At that much power, you really need a telescope with auto tracking. Just FYI.

[@SoulSeeker770]

What do you mean by power?

[@mindymoretti5166]

I got this exact telescope for my son and we are able to see Jupiter right now as well as Saturn. I expected the planets to appear larger and more defined than they are. You can't really see the rings on Saturn...just the shape of a saucer with a small ball in the middle. In wondering if we can upgrade our lens (we have 15mm) or if we just dont have the right telescope to get a good detailed view. Any recommendations?

[@oriontelescopes]

It sounds like a higher magnification eyepiece or a Barlow lens would be helpful. A 15mm eyepiece is only about 30x magnification on the StarBlast 4.5, and the telescope is capable of much higher magnification, the maximum under good conditions is about 220x magnification with this telescope.

[@mindymoretti5166]

@@oriontelescopes THank you! I actually just ordered the Barlow. :) Could you recommend a higher magnification eyepiece?

[@Nick-uz6cu]

Hey orion i just used a laser collimator and put it in and the dot is very close to the center. Do i need to collimate?

[@cygnus1129]

Flag pole trucks make the best calibration targets.

[@thomasmorgan2346]

Can you tell me the name of the software to use for a smartphone to locate where the planets are in the sky thanks for any help with my question

[@NjNets56]

Thomas Morgan SkyView in any App Store has been my go to for locating planets and stars. Very easy to use.

[@Nottsboy24]

Cool video 👍:)

[@oddsandwindsocks5905]

When is Jupiter in view over the UK. And how do I know where in the sky to look, thankyou

[@oriontelescopes]

You can use an app like our StarSeek app which helps you identify what's in the sky. It's available on the iOS or Android app stores and you can read more about it on our website here: bit.ly/2E3ne2H

[@danfoley3657]

Hi, I recently purchased an orion spaceprobe 330st and I found jupiter a few hours ago, but even with the 10mm lens it still was very small (yet still breathtaking) but it was so bright that I couldn't see the cloud bands. I've just purchased a Barlow lense to make it a bit bigger but it's just too bright! Any advice would be massively appreciated!

[@oriontelescopes]

Hi Dan. Your telescope excels at capturing a lot of light and for very bright objects, like Jupiter, it can be very overpowering. Filters like the variable polarizing filter or planetary filters can help you reduce the brightness and bring out surface detail. We have a video about planetary filters here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2GzeIqMhbx3isk

[@danfoley3657]

Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Thanks for replying. I will be buying filters soon, my Barlow lens has just arrived so I will be using it tonight! Will I be able to use filters with the Barlow lens?

[@oriontelescopes]

Hi Dan, yes the Barlow should be threaded for filter use.

[@danfoley3657]

Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Thankyou!

[@heyitsjacob1773]

And stay away from light pollution 😃nice

[@alexyu6928]

On the contrary, you don't need to be under a dark sky to observe planets. Planets are being so bright and low contrast if your eye is dark-adapted under the dark sky the planets' brightness can be overwhelming that you can't see much contrast from Jupiter or Saturn. Observing planets is the only time (night) when light pollution doesn't matter much if at all.

[@SubZero_NH3]

Nice video! What star tracking software do you recommend for iOS?

[@oriontelescopes]

Hi Jake. If you're looking for a great app on iOS that has a wealth of information, shows you what's in your night sky and helps you identify what you see, we recommend our own Orion StarSeek Astronomy app: bit.ly/2qkmajM

[@asifafarooqi6417]

@@oriontelescopes d

[@TOMFOOLERY511]

@@oriontelescopes hey orion I wanted to ask I just got mine and I look at a planet or star I dont know but when I do all I see is a bright dot what do I do?

[@epic_playz4283]

Can we take reflectors out on a cold 30c° and under night?

[@bennybooboobear3940]

30c is not cold

[@epic_playz4283]

@@bennybooboobear3940 here in Tennessee it's freezing

[@leonjones7120]

There is a separate shot, however, but still good going!

[@dinomash379]

How come non- of your videos, especially the ones about setting up your starblast 4.5, talk about adjusting the mirror? Talk about everything except the mirror adjustment. Thanks

[@oriontelescopes]

You can find an older video we did that demonstrates how to collimate a telescope here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3K5eJZ9eqegeac

[@Just-a-Orion-on-the-internet.]

do you need to collimate a 76mm reflector?

[@kadenkrebs9948]

Any reflector needs to be.

[@jimconnoy6133]

The Orion telescope that I was wanting to buy Orion no longer has it. It was the Astroview 120ST

[@salkhanmurmu1730]

I want to buy Orion 8946 skyquest xt10 ,, but it is too costly.. I live in India.. 🙁😯😑

[@Nottsboy24]

GURU OF TECHNOLOGIES...the Celestron nexstar evolution 9.25 is a good telescope to purchase ☺

[@elpistollero7]

Go for GSO. You get the same specs for much much cheaper price in India.

[@realflow100]

Lately the planets start out just above the treetops as it turns night time. so i only get an hour or so before they go below the trees! Terrible! what do i do? just wait until the planet i want begins to start higher in the sky later in the year?? jupiter is almost impossible to view. its plenty bright just really blurry. saturn is smaller but a bit clearer because its higher up. maybe 25 to 40 degrees in the sky or so. Theres not very many planets in the skies at night that i can view because i also have really bad light pollution and i live in a densely populated city with tall buildings and trees everywhere. bright streetlights also obscuring my view too. orion nebula is incredibly faint completely invisible with naked eye. only visible with a telescope. and not very bright either. Pleiades is the only deep sky object I can see with my naked eye. and its indistinct too. i'd have to go probably at least 10 to 50 miles out to find a good location without tons of trees. buildings. or streetlights. andromeda is also impossible to see with naked eye even if I go out into a nearby open field with the least amount of streetlights i can find. and its very faint with a telescope too. Cant really see the milky way either. Its in between barely perceptable if i know what im looking for. or invisible.

[@jasonknotts1854]

Bromance commenced.

[@jack002tuber]

Having a clear sky is always a problem, so to do this use trial and error, you can't planet

[@sweet2def]

Legend!

[@lisaferington8028]

😏 Punny.

[@bestamerica]

' i have a very good used telescope with 2 cable handles controllers and wooden tripod... see the saturn to venus plus moon... also a small white flat board safety shield the sun... already video in here youtube

[@vascoribeiro69]

An avoid aircraft routes...

[@MajorBorris]

So the last few nights I've waited for Jupiter and Saturn to get to their highest points in the sky and I've had good seeing and my telescope has been perfectly collimated but still fuzzy at higher mag(255x) so I kind of wondered about how high they were in the sky and it looks like I have to wait till next year to get 35*>, dammit LOL

[@selfliftandcarry6050]

Hey ken,how come my 16 inch telescope can do 450x every night without the image dancing what does that mean?

[@ir8free]

john green Your air conditions must be good.

[@ccsully4101]

I'm a beginner and this was way over my head

[@MJOLLNIR720]

Preach!!!

[@rdgmobile6882]

How can one possibly trust somebody telling you stuff about optics and image quality who uploaded a 360p video in the year 2018?

[@greenwall380]

☺💚💚💚👍👍👍

[@coffeecatto3375]

You sound like Neil DeGrasse Tyson

[@roz4747]

I can’t even find a planet, how’s it gonna be fuzzy…….🧐

[@dedskinprodcerdj4273]

no look at that eyepiece , that is for starts not 6mm eyepiece , it has a barlow aleardy in it , so adding another barlow will give you nothing , 1 barlow ok ,2 barlow's just a bigger pictre with same detail , even less . This scope just desnt have magnification ,the end

[@Tornado77]

Your video's are very nice but the quality still honestly very bad for 2019, even for 2018

[@TheSJeske]

Tornado 77 quality? Explain please. They are very beneficial.

[@kidquo9827]

114 x 2 is 228, just sad bro.