Telescope targets
The most commonly-viewed celestial objects are the Moon, planets and deep sky objects. Below are some simulated views through an average telescope.
Solar System Objects
The Moon
The Moon is the obvious target for new observers. It will look good through any half-decent telescope and you should have no problem seeing craters and mountains. A good time to look at the Moon is around the quarter moon phase as the shadows provide plenty of detail. The worst time to look at the Moon is when it’s full – it’s too glary and lacks detail. The Moon is very bright and the glare can hurt your eyes. You need to be careful as you might not notice how it’s affecting your eyes until you look away from the telescope. You can use a Moon filter or partially cover the telescope aperture to reduce glare. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a very powerful telescope you can see incredible close-up details on the Moon’s surface.
Planets
Planets are relatively easy to find but smaller than you might expect. Once you get past any disappointment about the size, they do look impressive. A good telescope can show some detail such as the weather bands of Jupiter. Saturn and Jupiter are among the most visually impressive things you’ll see through a telescope.
Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and appears bigger than any of the other planets through a telescope. With a good telescope you can see the weather bands around the planet. It may be difficult to see any real detail but hopefully you’ll at least be able to make out the two most prominent bands. The Great Red Spot is harder to see – you’ll need a good telescope and clear viewing conditions. Jupiter’s day is only ten hours long so if you are able to see features such as the Red Spot, you can actually watch them moving throughout the night. Around the planet you should be able to see Jupiter’s four brightest moons. They look like stars but if you observe them over a number of hours you can see them changing position as they orbit Jupiter.
Saturn is one of the most visually striking things you will see through a telescope. The most obvious feature is the beautiful ring system. Even a relatively cheap telescope can make out the rings. With a very good telescope you might be able to see the dark gap (called the “Cassini Division”) between the two main rings. Although the image will probably be very small in your field of view, it’s an unforgettable experience to see the rings with your own eyes. The weather patterns on the planet are not as clear as those on Jupiter but you might be able to make them out. You should also be able to see at least one moon and maybe up to six. Saturn is smaller and more distant than Jupiter so it will appear smaller in the telescope. However it is much bigger than Mercury, Venus and Mars, so even though it’s more distant it will appear bigger than them.
Mercury is quite challenging to see and is not recommended for beginners. Venus and Mars are easier to find but still surprisingly small in a telescope.
Because Venus is covered in clouds it is featureless. However you can make out its phases (similar to the phases of the Moon).
Mars appears as a small red disk. With a very powerful telescope at the right point in its orbit, you may just be able to identify some features such as the icy poles.
Comets
Vary a lot in challenge and visual appeal, from awesome to lame.
Asteroids
Quite challenging to spot – not recommended for beginners.
Deep Sky Objects
Distant objects such as nebulae and galaxies tend to be faint and fuzzy. They can be challenging to find but immensely rewarding when you do finally line them up.
Nebulae
Popular targets, not so visually impressive but exciting to find.
Star Clusters
Another popular target, some clusters are quite clear and beautiful.
Galaxies
Rather difficult to find, look like faint smears, but galaxies are the largest, most distant objects you’ll ever see.