Llanzlan, its nice that you are getting a "free" scope...but
I should point out that with our hobby, equipment (except for
binoculars) comes LAST, not first. Learning the night naked-eye
sky comes first (you may have already surmised this).
For if you can't point your finger to Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy,
or the Beehive star cluster in Cancer, all naked-eye objects in
a dark sky, how are you going to
point a scope (which only has a field of view of 1/2 degree, or
less)? at them?
Its kind of like me giving you a brand new car, plunking you
down in the middle of Northern Canada, and say, go to it!
And you would say, I can't go anywhere or do anything...I don't
know the area...where can I go? Same with scopes and the night sky.

Also, if you are very new to the hobby, you as yet don't know what
you want to specialize in....(and you will eventually specialize)..we
all do. Lunar/Planetary details, deep sky objects, asteroids, variable
stars, splitting doubles/multiples, comet hunting, etc etc....
There is a scope out there that maximizes each of those activities...
Scopes are kind of like airplanes...all airplanes fly, but you don't
send a bomber to do a fighter's job or a cargo planes job.
(Otherwise, we'd all have the SAME scope)!
Sounds like yours is in the first catagory...lunar/planetary details..
so don't expect it to perform well (or as well as) on the other
catagories....just thought I'd let you know ahead of time, so you
are not disappointed.

Proper way to get into astronomy to avoid disappointment:
Start learning the night sky with a star chart and binoculars. (we all
have to do it).
Find and join a Club...attend some of their star parties and look
over and learn about various scopes, and which do what, the best.
Decide what your main interest is in, after talking and viewing with others.
Then after 6 months or even a year, acquire a scope that meets your
needs of what you decide is your primary interest.

You are kind of doing it backwards, which is Ok, but realize this
ahead of time, to avoid disappointment later....the most
common question or comment we get is...."I can't see or find anything
with my scope"....people make the assumption that equipment comes first
in our hobby...it doesn't. Telescopes come LAST. Knowledge comes FIRST.

Knowledge of the night sky, and where things are located, and what
types of objects they are (globulars, nebulae, open clusters, planets,
etc) and what you can expect to see with your particular scope, comes
first, and foremost. Just thought I'd let you know ahead of time.
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting

PS: I'll probably get 'flamed' for all this, as I'm sure there
are differences of opinion on this topic, but its how I feel,
so flaming me won't change my opinion.




Llanzlan Klazmon The 15th wrote:
"rick" wrote in
:


Hi,

Before we begin, I know that this telescope is a very basic one, I
know that there is better models for a few dollars more, etc. But I
will buy it using AirMiles points, so in a sense it cost me nothing
and this is the only model of telecope available with AirMiles. So
don't bother to recommand me bying another brand, this is THIS
telescope or nothing. And the "nothing" means that my wife will grab
all the AirMiles points to buy something else for her... haha! ;-)

Telescope specs are at the end of the message.


So, what can I expect to see with this telescope?

Saturn rings?


Yes. Saturn is currently an early morning object and doesn't get high in
the sky before the sun rises. You will have to wait a few months to get
good views.


Jupiter?


Is visible with the naked eye. So I would be highly surprised if you
couldn't see it with your telescope. Note Jupiter is setting early
following the sun, so again you will have to wait for several months
before it is well placed for good viewing. Your scope will be able to see
the four Gallilean moons and maybe some detail on Jupiter depending on
the quality of the optics.



Neptune?


Visible with 10 X 50 binoculars but will take a bit of finding. You will
need computer generated star charts to help find it. Download Cartes Du
Ciel http://www.stargazing.net/astropc. This is a good time to be
tracking it down as it is well placed at present.



Other galaxies or nebulas???


Messier & Mechain saw the Messier catalogue objects with scopes not much
if any better than yours. You will probably need to go to a dark site
well away from a city though. There wasn't much light pollution in
Messier's day.



Asteroids???


Certainly some of the brighter ones when well placed.

Some other suggestions:

1. The moon.

2. Mars is rapidly closing in on opposition. This is THE planetary target
at present.


I have absolutely no idea what can be seen with this telescope, and at
which size and quality. For example, how Jupiter will appear in that
telescope? Smaller then a dime nearly without colors, or bigger?


Small but you may be able to make out some detail.



Or course the Moon will be viewable, but what more can I see that I
don't already see with my eyes? What kind of details will I see?


Lots. The moon has lots of fascinating detail.


Of course the best way to give me a good idea is to direct me on a
website with images taken with a telescope of this power. An image
worth 1000 words! ;-)

So, even if the telescope is "free", I want to be able to have fun
with it and not only looking at the moon.

Thanks for your comments everyone.
Jack

TELESCOPE SPECS:

Bushnell Deep Space Series
MODEL # 78-9512
SPECIFICATIONS: 420x60mm Refractor
FOCAL LENGTH (mm): 700
EYEPIECES: 5mm, 20mm
MAGNIFICATIONS: 35, 105, 140, 420


This seems a bit odd. The 20mm eyepiece will give you 35 X, and the 5mm
eyepiece will give you 140 X. Not sure how you are getting the other
mags? Is there a 3X Barlow lens that you haven't mentioned. If so forget
about using it with the 5mm eyepiece (that is where the 420 X could be
coming from). A mag of 420 X is way beyond what you can expect to get
with a 60mm objective. All that will happen is that you will get a fuzzy
and dimmer view. Just as a matter of interest, what diameter is the
focuser?.

Llanzlan.