![]() Long focal lengths generally result in less chromatic aberrations (color errors and colored rings around the objects).With long focal lengths, it is easier to achieve an optimal focus.Long focal lengths perform slightly better than short ones when it comes to observing planets for a few reasons. ![]() If you really want to optimize your planetary viewing experience, focus length is an important factor to consider. More information on our guide to focal length. Focal length to see planetsįocal length is the distance the light travels in the telescope’s tube to get from the frontal mirror to the exit pupil. You will need to know the telescope’s focal length, which is also the next topic. To calculate the maximum magnification that a telescope can reach, try our magnification calculator. For example, using max magnification on Mars with a decent telescope will allow you to see its poles and the difference in color tonality of some of its regions. Magnification is only going to play a role in how much detail you are going to get out of the image and how much of the field of view is the planet going to take.įor planetary viewing using as much magnification as the telescope supports is possible because planets are close enough to Earth that we can see some details, geographical features, and richer colors. What magnification do you need to see the planets?Īs long as a telescope has an aperture of 70mm or more, the magnification is not going to determine whether or not you can see the planets. If you want a detailed comparison of apertures vs the level of detail that you can expect from each of the planets in the Solar system, check out our guide on planets that you can see with a telescope. For example, check out our post on what can you expect to see with 130mm telescopes so you can compare the difference. This means that depending on your location, you have to leave some room as the magnitude of the objects you can expect to see with a telescope can be reduced by these factors.Īfter that 70mm aperture minimum, the higher you go, the more detail you can expect to see. This is the reason why observatories are built in remote areas away from everything. It reduces the number of stars that you can see in the sky and it decreases the maximum magnitude a telescope can reach. Light pollution is the effect city lights cause by illuminating the sky. However, one important thing to consider is that those numbers work only under good weather and light pollution conditions. That is more than enough to reach Neptune. Less means brighter.Ī basic beginner’s refractor telescope with a 70mm aperture and a 10mm eyepiece should be able to look at objects with a magnitude of 11. Here are the magnitudes for the planets in the Solar system. Likewise, every telescope, depending on its aperture and magnification can reach a certain limiting magnitude. This is called apparent magnitude and it can be measured. Well, every object in the night sky has a certain brightness when seen from Earth. This will let you see a few details on Mars, Saturn’s rings and is enough to reach the farthest planets, Uranus and Neptune although you won’t get any detail out of them. To see the planets in the Solar system, a telescope with an aperture of 70mm or more is recommended. When it comes to aperture, bigger is always better. The more light it gets, the more you can see. This number is going to determine the amount of light that can be captured. It refers to the size of the frontal lens of the mirror. ![]() ![]() The aperture of a telescope is its most important specification. Skip to the telescopes What aperture do you need to see the planets?
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