ActiveOutdoorsOutdoor TechWhat size telescope do you need to see the rings of Saturn?The sixth planet from the Sun is a jaw-dropping sight, but how big it looks depends on your telescope. Here’s how to choose the right telescope to see the rings of SaturnWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ActiveOutdoorsOutdoor TechWhat size telescope do you need to see the rings of Saturn?The sixth planet from the Sun is a jaw-dropping sight, but how big it looks depends on your telescope. Here’s how to choose the right telescope to see the rings of SaturnWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The sixth planet from the Sun is a jaw-dropping sight, but how big it looks depends on your telescope. Here’s how to choose the right telescope to see the rings of Saturn
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty)
(Image credit: Getty)
You can see the rings of Saturn in any telescope – even a smalltelescope for beginners. But the views you get will vastly differ depending on what telescope you have.
If you want to get the very best views of the sixth planet from the Sun and its incredible ring pattern it pays to know the difference between ‘slow’ telescopes that are best for planetary astronomy and ‘fast’ telescopes that are better for observing deep sky objects. Here’s everything you need to know about choosing thebest telescopeto see the rings of Saturn:
What size telescope do you need to see the rings of Saturn?
If you just want a glimpse of Saturn’s rings (and its largest moon Titan) then almost any telescope will give you that – even a 50mm/2-inch refractor and a 25mm eyepiece – though don’t expect it to be anything other than tiny in the field of view. For a noticeably better view use a 102mm/4-inch telescope, with real detail in the rings becoming evident when you reach 125mm/5-inch.
According to Celestron, the best telescope designs for seeing Saturn areMaksutov-CassegrainandSchmidt-Cassegraintelescopes, largely because they gather the most light, have longer focal lengths and can accommodate eyepieces offering 150x magnification or more.
How to get the best views of the rings of Saturn
How far a telescope can seedepends on a range of factors. Since Saturn is about 845 million miles from Earth at its closest, the best telescope for seeing the rings of Saturn with extra resolution is naturally going to be the one that can gather the most light. That means choosing a telescope with as much aperture as possible. However, it also means choosing a telescope with a long focal length that can take eyepieces with a higher magnification (higher power).
The bottom line is this: the longer and heavier your telescope the better it will be for seeing the rings of Saturn.
When is the best time to see the rings of Saturn?
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