Where to find planets with a telescope

An easier way to find planets is using a sky map or star chart. The advantage of using a sky map is that it shows you exactly where the planet is at a particular date and time. If you have an alt-az mount, you simply raise it to the right altitude and then swivel it to the right direction. You can use a compass to tell directions.

If you have an equatorial mount, first polar-align it. Then use the setting circles to adjust the telescope to the right position in the sky. There are also several sky map apps available for iOS and Android.

The best thing about using a digital sky map is that locations of objects are specific to your location and the current day and time. In addition, most sky maps show the location of more than just planets. A wide aperture mean the telescope takes in more light. It delivers brighter images and allows you to see deeper in the sky. A long focal length results in higher magnification , which proves clearer details on objects in the sky.

However, you get a smaller field of view, which limits deep sky observations. For observing planets , you want a telescope with decent aperture at least 5 inches, but preferably inches and a fairly long focal length at least mm, but preferably 1,,mm.

If you also spend a lot of time exploring deep sky attractions like galaxies, get an all-round telescope that balances between high magnification and a wide field of view. Remember there are many other considerations that should go into your purchase decision including portability, type of mount and type of telescope.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It orbits the sun every 88 days at a distance of about 39 million miles for reference, the Earth is about 93 million miles from the sun. It is too small to retain much of an atmosphere, so despite its proximity to the sun, it is not the hottest planet.

Mercury through a telescope: Because it is closer to the sun than Earth, yellowish Mercury — even more easily mistaken for a star than the other four planets that are easily visible to the naked eye — appears at its brightest when it is west of the sun in the eastern morning sky or east of the sun in the western evening sky, depending on the relative positions of Mercury, the sun and Earth.

You may notice that it has phases, like the moon. Venus , which is the most Earth-like planet in terms of mass and also Earth's nearest neighbor, has a thick atmosphere that traps greenhouse gases and keeps the temperature at around F, hot enough to melt lead and making exploration of its surface an enormous technical challenge.

It is the brightest-looking planet from Earth owing to both its proximity and the nature of its atmosphere. Venus through a telescope: Venus keeps its surface well hidden under its dense cloud cover, but you can probably spot dark variations throughout the generally light-colored atmosphere. The phases of Venus are clearly visible.

Mars , historically, is probably the most famous planet no one has ever walked on. Notoriously serving as the centerpiece of countless early- to midth-century science-fiction books, radio shows and films, it is red, cratered and cold, being million miles from the sun and having a year days long.

Mars though a telescope: The "Red Planet" immediately reveals why, with the advent of telescopes, it became the source of intense and very real speculation about whether life exists, or at some point has existed, on Mars; with this notion came bona fide though unfounded fears about possibly malevolent Martians paying Earth a visit.

Channels visible on its surface could plausibly have been the product of artificial rather than natural processes — a seemingly laughable and quaint conclusion now, perhaps, but not in the days when humankind knew comparatively little about planets up close.

The asteroid belt: Asteroids are essentially large chunks of rock that orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Most of these thousands of whizzing bodies are far too small to be seen with a typical telescope.

But the larger ones, including Ceres, Pallas and Vesta, can sometimes be found by intrepid astronomy sleuths. The four planets beyond the asteroid belt — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — are similar in composition to each other and radically different from their relatively minuscule counterparts on the interior.

Made mostly of hydrogen and helium and other frozen gases, each of these specimens provides a rich visual and learning opportunity for amateur astronomers. Jupiter and Saturn in many ways represent the face of the solar system.

Saturn has long been known for its iconic rings, which can be seen with a decent pair of binoculars, and Jupiter, in addition to bearing the notoriety that comes with being the biggest in any bunch, is also renowned for its "Great Red Spot," an apparently endless windstorm roiling away in the planet's southern hemisphere.

Jupiter and Saturn are the largest and second-largest of the planets, respectively, giving Earth observers ample surface space to examine despite their remoteness.

They orbit the sun at distances of million and million miles respectively. Jupiter through a telescope: One could spend years in intensive study of Jupiter without either finishing the job or getting bored, as new discoveries about it are being made all the time. Its two most compelling features are the aforementioned Great Red Spot and its many moons, with four of them — Ganymede, Europa, Io and Callisto — ranking among the largest in the solar system Ganymede being the largest.

Also note the bands circling the planet horizontally. Saturn through a telescope: Saturn's rings as seen live through a telescope are enough to take the breath from most first-time observers, but they are sometimes more prominent than they are at other times. This is because they are sometimes almost edgewise with respect to Earth, while at other times, sizable portions of the upper or lower surfaces rings present themselves nicely; a dark space between the two largest, called the Cassini gap, becomes apparent under these circumstances.

Uranus and Neptune form a natural pair of sorts, being in consecutive order from the sun and being about the same size Uranus is slightly bigger, but also slightly lighter because of its lesser density. Uranus is greenish-blue, while Neptune is a more distinct blue. Uranus 1. It can be seen as a faint star by keen-eyed people who know where to look, but only using a telescope does it appear as anything else.

Many beginners imagine that astronomy is a complex science that only those with advanced degrees in physics or mathematics can practice. With a little training and patience, it is possible to observe many wonders such as the large cloudy bands of Jupiter, the gigantic rings of Saturn, as well as the Moon. Choose the planet you would like to observe. It is definitely possible to observe the planets with your home telescope. Depending on which celestial body you chose to look at, even the more modest equipment can offer good viewing.

The most important thing is to try to observe them without atmospheric turbulence because the planets usually require higher magnification. The slightest turbulence can blur the image and the finer details are no longer perceptible. Even with the naked eye, it is possible to spot the planets in the night sky. They usually look a little bit different than stars and they do not twinkle as much. Even if you are located in a city with light pollution, you should be able to easily find them.

Our readers frequently ask us if there is one optical instrument that is best suited for planetary observation. Dobsonian telescopes are known to be the best type of telescope for planetary observation because they have a very large aperture and a very long focal length, which is excellent for obtaining the necessary magnification without losing too much brightness and detail.

The inner planets are a little more difficult to observe because they orbit very closely to the sun. From our point of view on Earth, they are never too far away from our home star. They follow it through the Ecliptic an imaginary line in the sky that marks the annual path of the sun.

This planet is among the most difficult to observe as it does not deviate much from the Sun and is often low on the horizon. Depending on the time of the year, Venus can be observed either early morning or early evening. It is the brightest planets due to close it orbits the sun. This planet can actually be observed during the day with a telescope, granted you are being extra prudent that your field of vision does not go too close to the sun. Venus display phases, just like the moon, and many amateur astronomers try to capture an image of every phase that this planet goes through.

The outer planets particularly Saturn are often the reason why people fall in love with stargazing and buy their first amateur telescope. The closest outer planets can be seen even in modest optical instruments. Mars is bright enough to always be visible to the naked eye. It generally looks like a star with a reddish hue, however, it does not twinkle as much as stars can do.

Mars is at its closest position to Earth every two years and for about two months: the ideal moment to take your telescope outside and observe the red planet. With enough practice, you might even be able to see the polar caps! This planet is one of the easiest telescopic targets to observe and does not require an expensive or large optical instrument. Throughout the entire year, Jupiter is usually visible during a big part of the night. Every 13 months, this planet enters a new constellation in the sky, which makes it relatively easy to track for a long period of time.

The ringed planet is the most impressive telescopic target to observe and is often the reason why so many people fall in love with stargazing. Saturn is the easiest planet to admire through a telescope. With a long telescope focal length , you can make out so many details, including cloud layers.