As a beginner astronomer, you might be searching for the right telescope for you without breaking your bank. So you keep thinking if the smaller ones are enough for you.
That’s why you ask, 80mm telescope: what can you see with it?
80mm isn’t that big but it shows you all you need to see. The Moon can be seen with high clarity. And other planets, comets, and asteroids can be seen quite well too. You also get decent views of bright deep space objects. With a clear dark sky, you can even catch the brightest whirl in the M51.
Now you have a basic idea of how much you can see using an 80mm telescope. But I’m sure you will want to know more. That’s why we prepared a full article for you.
So, let’s dive right in!
What Does 80mm Actually Refer To?
Astronomy is a very interesting topic. And many astronomy enthusiasts have a telescope with them to see the heavens.
But astronomy is a specialized subject, and it has lots of depth too. And choosing the right telescope can be hard for a beginner. Because you’ll be presented with lots of options to choose from.
Also, you should find lots of terms and numbers on the telescopes in the market. You might see 80mm or 110mm specified on a telescope.
What that actually means, the main mirror of the telescope has a diameter of 80 mm.
And this kind of large mirror usually refers to a reflective telescope.
80mm refers to the diameter of the main piece of mirror used in the telescope. There are several mirrors to fully aid the functionality of the telescope.
But the name is attributed with the biggest primary mirror.
80mm is a pretty compact size for a telescope. You can easily carry it in hand in airplanes and travel.
Despite being compact, it still has a lot of range while seeing.
So the compact size and ease of carrying make it a very good candidate for your first purchase.
What Will It Show you?
When you are a beginner astronomer, you will want to think for a while before buying your first telescope.
As a newbie, you don’t want to spend a lot on something really over the top, nor do you want to settle for something that will not satisfy your thirst.
If you can get to know what you will be able to see with an 80 mm telescope it will be pretty helpful for you to make that decision.
Let’s check out what an 80mm telescope can show you:
Inside The Solar System
The first thing that you should want to see with your telescope is the moon. You’ll be able to see the moon in astonishing detail.
You’ll be clearly able to see all the craters and domes on the moon. While observing the moon you can study and verify what you’re seeing.
Talking about planets, you will be able to see the phases of mercury, venus, and mars. You’ll also be able to notice the surface features of mars.
The great red spot on Jupiter, the Gallien moons, Saturn with Cassini’s devotion, all look really lovely with an 80mm telescope.
You’ll be able to notice comets and asteroids too. But maintain caution while seeing the sun. Sunspotter solar telescopes are more fit for this job. But you can use a solar filter if you really want to see the sun.
Deep Space
It’s true that 80mm is not big enough to see everything in deep space. But it certainly can show a lot.
For deep space, bright objects are your best bet. Double stars look amazing with an 80mm scope.
Casually, you can see Pleiades, Orion, M27, M57, Omicron Cygni, etc objects. You don’t necessarily have to have very dark skies to see these. These can be seen in any type of sky.
If the object is bright enough it will show quite nicely with your 80mm. Like a few years back you could see a supernova as a star next to M101’s bright core.
Under very dark skies you could see some fainter objects. The M33, the veil, the helix are some of them. You can also get great views of the Magellanic clouds. The brightest whirl in the M51 spiral can be seen as well.
To capture the faintest images, a hydrogen-alpha filter does a really great job.
This shows that 80mm may be small, but it will not show you any less. As an amateur astronomer, it will show you everything that you want to see.
And as you grow experience you can upgrade according to your requirements.
Is It A Good Choice?
A 80mm telescope is a very capable telescope. Some might say that with an 80mm you can see everything that is worth seeing.
The compact size makes it a very good choice for travel. And even if you upgrade to a bigger telescope, the 80mm stays a good telescope to see close things in our solar system.
You can always use an 80mm for taking a quick look at the moon and a casual look at planets. If you get yourself a good steady tripod, it can show you basically anything.
This has an array of eyepieces that you can choose from. Each varies in magnification and color accuracy according to your work.
The 80mm is easily airline portable. And a good 80mm is something you never get tired of. It will always come in handy in various situations.
Being a newbie astronomer, this will be a very wise choice for you.
Here’s our recommendation for the best 80mm telescopes out there.
Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Telescope
Telescopes aren’t normal gadgets that you can just buy and start using. It requires practice, passion, and to some extent, luck.
There are some factors that could change the feel of a telescope from user to user. To one person the telescope can be unusable and for someone else it can be the last thing they do.
To make the most out of your telescope you need to follow some pointers.
Firstly, choose your schedule according to nature. You can’t expect great images if the sky is not dark enough or covered by clouds.
You need to have sky charts and know where to look. And if the sky is dark and clear you will get amazing views.
Another thing is, telescopes are sensitive to heat. Many people think their telescope is bad when the problem is with their surroundings.
You need a cooled place to store and set up your telescope if you want good images.
These are all we had to say about the 80mm telescope. Hopefully, this answers your questions and will help you make the right decision.
FAQs
Do You Need Electricity To Run A Telescope?
No, you don’t need electricity only for visual purposes. However, if you want to do long exposures while taking pictures, you need to adjust according to the Earth’s rotation. That will require electricity.
Can You Use Telescope Without A Eyepiece?
No, you can’t. The image that the main mirror forms in a telescope cannot be processed by our eyes. So without the eyepiece, we can’t see and figure out anything. So to use the eyepiece functionally we need to have an eyepiece.
How Much Can A Telescope Zoom?
A telescope can zoom nearly twice its aperture in millimeters. Counting in inches, it is 50 times its aperture. But a zoomed-in image doesn’t necessarily mean a detailed image.
Parting Words
We hope this article will be a great asset to aspiring astronomers. As we tried to answer all the questions about the 80mm telescope: what can you see with it?
As a beginner, this is a wonderful telescope to start with. And you might upgrade to better and bigger ones due to aperture fever. But the 80mm will always come in handy.
Until next time, keep reaching for the stars!
