The other night I was binoviewing Saturn with a pair of Radians. The diameter of Saturns rings took up almost one-fourth the width of the Radians 60 degree AFOV. I was wondering at what approximate magnification was I observing Saturn?
What magnification am I viewing Saturn?
Started by Gary Palmer, 09/15/2002 03:33PM
Posted 09/15/2002 03:33PM
Opening Post
Posted 09/15/2002 04:03PM
#1
No idea, Gary! If you can give us the focal length of your scope and the focal length of your Radians, we can figure it out for you. Also, does the binoview have a 2X barlow built in? Or you can figure it out yourself with this tools (for the lazy type like me ;-).
http://www.atmsite.org/contrib/Prewitt/fieldOfView/
Ron B[ee]
http://www.atmsite.org/contrib/Prewitt/fieldOfView/
Ron B[ee]
Posted 09/15/2002 11:36PM
#2
Here's a rough estimate: The angular diameter of Saturn's rings is ~45 arcseconds (you can look up the exact number, which varies). If that occupied a quarter of the Radians' field, then you were magnifying a 45 arcsecond object so that it appeared about 15 degrees across. Convert everything to arcminutes:
0.75 arcmin X magnification = 900 arcmin
So magnification = 1200x
Either the seeing was ridiculously good, or you've overestimated the fraction of the apparent field occupied by Saturn's rings, or you were magnifying waaay more than is usually recommended (though if you liked the way it looked, I guess that doesn't matter).
Does that agree with what you'd calculate?
Paul
0.75 arcmin X magnification = 900 arcmin
So magnification = 1200x
Either the seeing was ridiculously good, or you've overestimated the fraction of the apparent field occupied by Saturn's rings, or you were magnifying waaay more than is usually recommended (though if you liked the way it looked, I guess that doesn't matter).
Does that agree with what you'd calculate?
Paul
Funding Member
