The DSS Cache Storage setting controls how much space is allotted to storing Deep Sky Survey images downloaded from the Object Info view. When the allotted storage is filled, older images are automatically discarded. When using Horizon coordinates, the chart center altitude is assumed to be apparent (i.e. it includes the effects of atmospheric refraction) if the Refraction option is turned on in the Precession settings. If this option is turned off, the chart center altitude is assumed to be the true (un-refracted) altitude.
Other alternatives are red-dot finders and red-circle finders. Should you want to upgrade your finderscope, be aware that there are plenty of options out there. Back in the day when there were no smartphones or computers, the only way to learn the positions of the stars and Deep Sky Objects was by looking at an atlas or a sky map. Nowadays, you can download many interactive sky map apps on your smartphone, the most popular options being SkyView or Stellarium. These apps are extremely useful, as they now have a GPS function that allows you to discover what stars are in a given direction by just pointing your phone there. Solar filters fit directly onto the aperture of your telescope, reducing the amount of light that is gathered.
This is a small refractor, which is great for children to use and anyone who is content to enjoy the brightest objects in the night sky. Expect to see nice crater details on the Lunar surface, Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings. All the light from a planet is coming from just a small patch of the sky (even the full moon is only half a degree across). If you only need to fill your eyepiece with the planet you’re looking at (and not lots of surrounding black sky) you only need a very small field of view. We assess the ease of setup of both computerized and motorized mounts, as well as their reliability, accuracy, and noise level.
Jupiter, Venus, and even Mars when it is near to the Earth, all share this aspect. When it is well-placed, Jupiter can be seen not long after sunset, usually before the stars appear. See our companion article, for a full guide about how to choose the proper magnification and troubleshoot blurry images.
This is because stars are very far away, so that from our perspective within the solar system, they appear to be in the same location in the sky relative to each other. Stars also have the same apparent brightness as they do when viewed from the Earth. Apart from Titania and Triton, the largest moons of Uranus and Neptune respectively, none of the numerous moons between the two ice giants will be bright enough to detect through most backyard telescopes. You’ll need at least an 8″ telescope to be able to spot either one, and if your eyes can’t see them, then a few seconds of exposure can bring them out.
Dobsonians over 6 inches in aperture are quite hefty, physically large and ideally need to be stored out of the way in the garage or garden shed. Most professional observatories are open to visitors only during daytime hours. If you’re after a nighttime experience, the region east of La Serena—especially Valle de Elqui—is also home to a growing number of tourist observatories. The oldest is Mamalluca Observatory, some six miles northwest of the town of Vicuña, which opened in 1998.
It is also visible before the opposition if you stay up late or get up very early. Opposition is just when the planet appears at its largest and brightest. But unlike Venus and Mars, which get much smaller when they’re far away, we were never that close to Jupiter, to begin with, so at opposition, it’s only about 5/4ths larger than average. Through a small telescope, greenish Uranus appears as a slightly elliptical disk because of its rapid rotation. It takes Uranus about 44 days to move the width of the Full Moon.
Looking for the best telescope under 200 – Look no further! Take a look at the best telescopes under £200 right here! is the quickest way to go to a custom object, such as a new comet or object of interest provided by a star chart or online reference. Readout Rate – The readout rate is how often SkySafari requests the telescope’s position from the mount. If you set this rate to “4 per second”, then SkySafari will request the telescope’s position (and update it on screen) four times every second. Set Time and Location – If turned on, SkySafari will send the time and location from your mobile device to the telescope when establishing a connection. This will overwrite your telescope’s previously-set time and location.
This stargazer favorite is a simplistic app for observing stars, constellations, and deep-sky objects. You can conceal all menus and start AR track mode when you point your device to the sky. The $3 ad-free version allows you to look for celestial objects and elements. It also has a 3D compass in AR mode and a night mode switch, which lets you venture beyond the boundaries of time.