Powerful telescope near me9/6/2023 ![]() If you're hunting for particular night sky objects, it’s helpful to look up what those objects look like through your method of observation (eyes, binoculars, or telescope) so you know what to expect when you find them. Their positions change from night to night, which makes them all the more exciting to observe. With even a small telescope you can also see Jupiter’s four large moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. If you see something that looks brighter than all the other stars, it’s quite likely a planet. Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus are all fairly easy to spot in the night sky when they are up. This way, the Moon’s bright light won’t blind your view of fainter objects like planets. The best time is during a new or crescent Moon. If you aren’t planning to observe the Moon itself, it’s best to do your observing during a time of the month when the Moon isn’t very full. In contrast, when the Moon is a crescent shape (around first or last quarter phase) you’ll get a more dramatic view of its craters since they’ll be well-defined by shadows. When the Moon is full, for example, it tends to be dazzlingly bright and one-dimensional. You can track the lunar cycle, and use binoculars or a telescope to see how your view of it changes. Observing the Moon is one of the easiest ways to get started with astronomy. Once you get hooked on telescope astronomy, you can start researching bigger and better telescopes to use. We recommend that beginners start with smaller telescopes which are generally easier to transport and operate. ![]() Using a telescope will allow you to see many more night sky objects, as well as stunning planetary features like Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s stripes. ![]() They’ll also allow you to see distant Neptune and Uranus, which are generally not visible with the naked eye. Binoculars will help you see the Moon’s craters, Jupiter’s moons, and reddish Mars. You don’t need astronomy-grade binoculars, although these are also available. You can also see what’s visible from your location via websites like and .īinoculars are the next step up from naked-eye astronomy. There are many to choose from, and the best are updated regularly by their developers to keep information accurate and up-to-date. These apps can tell you what is visible from your location on a given night, and where to look. The most useful piece of equipment for stargazing these days is a good smartphone application. You don’t need a telescope to get acquainted with the night sky. You can find out what planets are visible during a given week by listening to Planetary Radio’s weekly “What’s Up” segment, or by subscribing to the weekly Downlink newsletter, both from The Planetary Society. Even in major cities planets are usually still visible since they are brighter than most stars. Planets shine brighter than most stars, so they’re easy to recognize once you start looking up. Learning which bright stars and constellations are visible as the seasons change will help as well, since the position of planets and other objects will often be described in relation to these standards. If Venus is reported to be 15 degrees from the moon at a given time, you'll know that means roughly one and a half outstretched fists. The width of your outstretched fist held at arm’s length covers about 10 degrees of the sky. Sky positions are commonly measured in degrees, where 0 degrees is the horizon and 90 degrees is directly overhead. You can also learn some shortcuts to help estimate positions in the night sky. The Moon also rises in the east and sets in the west, although its position will shift north or south depending on where you live and the time of year. The planets rise in the east and set in the west just like the Sun. ![]() ![]() If you don’t already know, learn where north, east, south, and west are from your vantage point. ![]()
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