You’ve taken the plunge, purchased your first telescope, and are eager to view the celestial expanse—but where do you start?
The night sky is vast, and can be intimidating for the beginning amateur astronomer, but not to worry, because this guide aims at getting you started with some basic tips and a list of the five best objects to view with your brand new telescope.
Be prepared
Before you take your first gander through your telescope’s eyepiece, you first need to prepare yourself. It’s likely that you’ll want to spend a good number of hours with your eye positioned toward the heavens, so you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable; bring a nice camping chair, a thermos filled with your favorite hot beverage, and plenty of warm clothing—You want to protect yourself from the elements so that your first viewing experience is not hampered by discomfort, forcing you to pack up and head inside for warmth.
You should also equip yourself with either a planisphere, a star atlas, or even better—both! A planisphere is an easy to use analog chart that allows you to see what is available to you for viewing in the night sky based on the date and time, and as the night sky rotates at a change of 15˚ per hour, this handy tool will save you a lot of time and effort. A star atlas, on the other hand, is a bit more advanced, and is basically a roadmap to the stars, divides the night sky into sections to make locating object all the easier. If you haven’t purchased these, don’t worry, as there a number of free versions available online.
A third thing you’ll need, and what will probably be the most fun, is your very own observing log. This can be any kind of notebook, but one a graphing notebook or a drawing notebook are the most recommended. With one, you can take notes for which eyepiece attachments and what setups might allow the best view of specific objects. You can draw and map your favorite sights, save a systematic record of your observations, keeping a detailed log of the viewing conditions and your experience. An observation log is one of the best ways to grow your skillset as an amateur astronomer.
Manage your expectations
As the Earth rotates around the sun, different sights in the night sky become available, and others slip into hiding. A number of objects simply aren’t available year round, which is why a planisphere becomes an essential tool for discovering what the night sky is offering on its menu. Sometimes, you just have to be patient, and ready to catch an object when it comes around again. For optimal satisfaction, its best to learn an appreciation for whatever is around you, and exploring the night sky without aim can provide just as much fun.
Also, you might be surprised that some planets might not appear as large through your lens as you might want, and increasing magnification just brings them out of focus. This is natural, and yet despite this,
Many amateur astronomers are drawn the hobby by the fantastic and colorful images presented by astrophotography, such as vibrant nebula and swirling galaxies. The reality is that these images require a great deal of processing, and the layering of dozens, if not hundreds of images, to bring out these details, and that they simple aren’t available in the same means through a telescope. While you will certainly be able to see spectrums of colors in planets such as Jupiter, galaxies and nebulae will appear as milky white clouds, and are often faint. There’s nothing wrong with your telescope, and these objects are still well worth the effort to locate.
Following in Galileo’s footsteps…
Often considered the father of observational and optical astronomy, Galileo Galilei is largely credited for building the first working Refractor Telescope, with which he created the first topographical charts of the Moon, discovered the four largest moons of Jupiter (dubbed the Galilean Moons), charted the phases of Venus, and was the first to be mystified by the rings of Saturn. By aiming your telescope at the stars, you are following in Galileo’s tradition, and a budding amateur astronomer can do no better than starting their journey by retracing Galileo’s first steps.
The Moon
Of course, the very first thing you should aim for is the Moon. Seeing it in the detail provided by the aid of a telescope reveals many features that are hidden from view when seen with the unaided eye, and although it might surprise you, there’s much to the Moon that can keep you busy at all times throughout the year.
Only half of the Moon that is illuminated by the Sun at any given point in time, and as the Moon rotates around the Earth this illuminated half of the Moon follows a cycle of visibility to our eyes on Earth, known as the Phases of the Moon.
There are eight phases, as the Moon transitions from the darkened New Moon toward the beginning of its cycle, to the brightly lit Full Moon at the middle of the cycle, and dims out over the last half its cycle to create another New Moon, and begin again. For observing the Moon under a telescope, it is best optimal to view the Moon either during its First Quarter Phase or its Last Quarter Phase. This is because, from our perspective, half of the moon is darkened and half is illuminated, the division occurring right down the middle—a line of darkness known as the Terminator. As the Terminator recedes or proceeds with the First and Last Quarter Phases, the angles of illumination cast by the Sun are at their highest, casting long shadows along the Moon’s surface features, making them highly visible.
Like Galileo did, it can be fun to use your observing log to graph the Moon’s phases, and all of the details that become unveiled.
Some things to look out for are the Lunar Seas, also known as the Lunar Maria. These can be recognized as collections of flattened plains made of basaltic rock formed by ancient volcanic activity. There are also the Lunar Mountains, vast mountain ranges that span miles in length, or there are the Lunar Rilles, deep channels that cut into the Moon’s surface, which are speculated to be collapsed lava tubes.
And, of course, you will be drawn to the myriad of Lunar Craters and their features, caused by debris impacting the lunar surface. Some Lunar Craters have Central Peaks, where debris from the impact settled to form peaks in the crater’s center. Others have Terraced Crater Walls, where debris was pushed to the outer edge of the crater, creating a raised perimeter. When observing a Full Moon, you can even make out Lunar Rays, which are long streaks of material that stretch out from craters, comprised of material ejected from impacts.
As you graph the moon, you might compare your own drawings to lunar maps, to see if you’ve recognized and recorded any prominent features, and what their names are.
We have also put together a much more detailed guide to the moon.
Venus
Venus is one of the brightest objects in the night sky, and is viewed best just after sunset. This is because the remaining light of the sky reduces the Sun’s glare which is easily reflected by the thick sulfur-dioxide cloud cover that dresses Venus, and this is when Venus is typically at its highest point on the horizon.
This reflective cloud cover can be deceiving, as it turns Venus’s volcanically active surface into a ball of light that you might mistakenly find underwhelming. Unlike the Moon, and some of the more visually complex planets, we cannot see the surface of Venus, nor the any bands created by its cloud cover—this is all hidden by the reflective nature of the Venus’ clouds. It is with repeat visits, however, that the charm of Venus is revealed. Like the Moon, Venus goes through a cycle of phases. It is best viewed for its Waxing and Waning Phases, where the view of the planet takes shape as a bright crescent.
Like Galileo did, chart the phases of Venus, and once you save up some more money, perhaps try to view it with a blue light filter to draw out some extra detail.
Jupiter
As with the following object on this list, Jupiter is one of the most sought after celestial bodies for an astronomer of any proficiency, and fortunately it is easy to see due to its massive size, being the largest planet in our solar system. While Jupiter is the second brightest planet in the night sky, after Venus, it is best viewed in an open field, away from any structures. This is because Jupiter hosts a wealth of visual detail, and anything nearby that might have collected heat throughout the day, such as pavement, houses, or other structures, can release that heat at night and rob you of the opportunity for a clear view.
Jupiter is able to be seen for most of the year, however, it is best seen in the summer months, optimally when it is in opposition—a time when Earth is between the planet and the Sun, so Jupiter appears on the opposite side of the of the sky as the Sun, and the planet appears at its largest, brightest, and highest in the night sky. Although you can catch sight of Jupiter as it rises above the horizon, for the best sight, you should be patient and wait for it rise to its highest point in the sky to avoid any visual disruption caused by the Earth’s atmosphere.
There a number of magnificent sights to beholden to Jupiter, such as its iconic Great Red Spot, a massive anticyclonic storm that has been active for centuries, if not longer. The Great Red Spot is visible roughly twice a day, as both Jupiter and the storm rotate. Jupiter’s gaseous atmosphere is also decorated with a banded series of light and dark clouds. The darker bands are known as Belts. The most easily located of these are the two Equatorial Belts, located just north and south of the planet’s equator. The lighter of the bands are called zones.
In orbit around Jupiter are seventy-nine moons, the brightest four of which are known as the Galilean Moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, which are easily visible and able to be tracked over the course of a few hours.
Saturn
Saturn is perhaps THE planet calls to astronomers and the general public alike, but it also the planet that requires some of the most patience to view. Because of its distance, Saturn is finicky and obtaining a decent view of the ringed planet can be tricky, despite the fact that it is the second largest planet in our solar system and the fourth brightest planet in the night sky. While Saturn might appear smaller than you’d like within your scope, and efforts to magnify it lower your ability to bring its details into focus, Saturn’s banded atmosphere and broad sweeping rings will never fail to leave a viewer in awe.
Getting a clear view of Saturn is dependent on many things, although, like Jupiter, it can be seen for most of the year, and is best seen when it is highest in the sky and during its opposition in mid-summer. The biggest factors in obtaining a great sight of Saturn are atmospheric quality and light pollution, so to minimize both of these, a trip to a secluded area or field distanced from any city might be in order, but rest assured that it is well worth the trip.
Saturn’s rings need no introduction or explanation, and although they might be hard to see in detail, you should be able to pinpoint the Cassini Division that separates the inner and outer rings, appearing itself as a dark central ring. On particularly clear nights, you will even be able to make out Saturn’s bands. The rings give Saturn a particularly three dimensional appearance, something rather unique when compared to views of other planets, especially when you’re able to catch the planet at a tilt.
You should also keep an eye out for Titan, the largest of Saturn’s eighty-two moons.
The Andromeda Galaxy
In Galileo’s time galaxies were misunderstood as nebulae, and as such, so was the visible arm of our own Milky Way Galaxy, which stretches across our night sky as a milky band of light. When Galileo pointed his telescope at this band, he recognized that it was in fact not nebulous, but made up of a series of clustered stars, the earliest hint at the existence of our own galaxy and our positon in it. In honor of this, our list closes out with our nearest neighboring large galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M-31.
Like our Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy and was originally thought to be a nebula. When observed through a telescope you can easily make out the bright and compact star cluster that resides near its center, and the spiraling arms that sweep out from it, and with a decent reflector telescope you can make out these arms in incredible detail.
The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest and brightest galaxy in the night sky, and like everything on this list, can be seen with the naked eye, despite the fact that it rests 2.5 million light years away. To put that in perspective, it takes light only between thirty-five to fifty-two minutes to travel from Jupiter to Earth, depending on Jupiter’s position in its elliptical orbit, and it takes light only an hour and thirty-one minutes to travel from Saturn to Earth!
Andromeda is massive, and is best viewed during late autumn and throughout winter, far away from light pollution with a low power, wide-angle eyepiece so as to fit the entirety of the spiraling galaxy in your view.
