10
11
worse, then back off the magnification a little by using a lower-power eye-
piece.
What to Expect
So what will you see with your telescope? You should be able to see bands
on Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, craters on the Moon, the waxing and waning
of Venus, and many bright deep-sky objects. Do not expect to see color as
you do in NASA photos, since those are taken with long-exposure cameras
and have “false color” added. Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color
in deep-sky objects except in a few of the brightest ones.
Remember that you are seeing these objects using your own telescope with
your own eyes! The object you see in your eyepiece is in real-time, and not
some conveniently provided image from an expensive space probe. Each ses-
sion with your telescope will be a learning experience. Each time you work with
your telescope it will get easier to use, and stellar objects will become easier
to find. Take it from us, there is big difference between looking at a well-made
full-color NASA image of a deep-sky object in a lit room during the daytime,
and seeing that same object in your telescope at night. One can merely be a
pretty image someone gave to you. The other is an experience you will never
forget!
objects to observe
Now that you are all set up and ready to go, one critical decision must be
made: what to look at?
The Moon
With its rocky surface, the Moon is one of the easiest and most interesting
targets to view with your telescope. Lunar craters, marias, and even mountain
ranges can all be clearly seen from a distance of 238,000 miles away! With its
ever-changing phases, you’ll get a new view of the Moon every night. The best
time to observe our one and only natural satellite is during a partial phase, that
is, when the Moon is NOT full. During partial phases, shadows are cast on the
surface, which reveal more detail, especially right along the border between
the dark and light portions of the disk (called the “terminator”). A full Moon is
too bright and devoid of surface shadows to yield a pleasing view. Make sure
to observe the Moon when it is well above the horizon to get the sharpest
images.
Use an optional Moon filter to dim the Moon when it is very bright. It simply
threads onto the bottom of the eyepieces (you must first remove the eyepiece
from the focuser to attach a filter). You’ll find that the Moon filter improves
viewing comfort, and also helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar sur-
face.
B. The Sun
Never point the unfiltered FunScope at the Sun — this is not only
dangerous to your eyes, but it will damage the FunScope.
Warning: Do not look at the Sun with any optical instrument without a
professionally made solar filter, or permanent eye damage could result
You can change your nighttime telescope into a daytime Sun viewer by install-
ing an optional full-aperture solar filter over the front opening of the FunScope.
The primary attraction is sunspots, which change shape, appearance, and
location daily. Sunspots are directly related to magnetic activity in the Sun.
Many observers like to make drawings of sunspots to monitor how the Sun is
changing from day to day.
C. The Planets
The planets don’t stay put like the stars, so to find them you should refer to Sky
Calendar at the Orion website (telescope.com), or to charts published monthly
in
Astronomy
,
Sky &
Telescope
, or other astronomy magazines. Venus, Jupiter,
and Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after the Sun and the Moon.
Your FunScope is capable of showing you these planets in some detail. Other
planets may be visible but will likely appear star-like. Because planets are quite
small in apparent size, optional higher-power eyepieces are recommended and
often needed for detailed observations. Not all the planets are generally visible
at any one time.
JUPITER: The largest planet, Jupiter, is a great subject for observation. You
can see the disk of the giant planet and watch the ever-changing positions of
its four largest moons – Io, Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede.
SATURN: The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight when it is well positioned.
The tilt angle of the rings varies over a period of many years; sometimes they
are seen edge-on, while at other times they are broadside and look like giant
“ears” on each side of Saturn’s disk. A steady atmosphere (good seeing) is
necessary for a good view. You will probably see a bright “star” close by, which
is Saturn’s brightest moon, Titan.
VENUS: At its brightest, Venus is the most luminous object in the sky, exclud-
ing the Sun and the Moon. It is so bright that sometimes it is visible to the
naked eye during full daylight! Ironically, Venus appears as a thin crescent, not
a full disk, when at its peak brightness. Because it is so close to the Sun, it
never wanders too far from the morning or evening horizon. No surface mark-
ings can be seen on Venus, which is always shrouded in dense clouds.
D. The Stars
Stars will appear like twinkling points of light. Even powerful telescopes can-
not magnify stars to appear as more than a point of light. You can, however,
enjoy the different colors of the stars and locate many pretty double and mul-
tiple stars. The gorgeous two-color double star Albireo in Cygnus is a favorite.
Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out hints of color.
E. Deep-Sky Objects
Under dark skies, you can observe a wealth of fascinating deep-sky objects,
including gaseous nebulas, open and globular star clusters, and a variety of
different types of galaxies. Most deep-sky objects are very faint, so it is impor-