The Celestron NexStar 5SE Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope is our top pick due to its all-around accessibility and ease of use. Its primary 5-inch mirror offers crisp, intimate views of the moon and bright planets, and provides an entry into views of distant galaxies and star clusters.

Besides, Which is the best telescope to view galaxies?


Best Telescope for Deep Space Galaxies and Nebulae

  • Budget Option. Orion SkyQuest XT6.
  • Most Popular. Celestron NexStar 8SE.
  • Huge Dob. Orion XT10g.
  • Perfection? Celestron CPC1100.

Keeping this in mind, Can you see galaxies through a telescope? Galaxies are some of the most distant objects we can observe. While most planets, stars, and nebulae are usually pretty nearby to us, we can observe galaxies that are millions of light-years away. … Even if a galaxy is bright, the most you might typically see is its core with a 4-inch telescope.

How big of a telescope do I need to see Andromeda?

These targets can be seen with a refractor under 4 inches or a reflector/SCT under 6 inches. With bigger telescopes, you’ll see a galaxy with spiral arms that’s similar to the Milky Way.

Which is better a reflector or refractor telescope?

If you are interested in astrophotography, purchasing a refractor is a better option because of it’s specialized optic design that captures deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae. If you are interested in brighter celestial objects like the Moon or planets or a beginner, a reflector telescope is ideal.

How big of a telescope do I need to see Mars?

What you need to see Mars in any detail is a telescope with an aperture of 5″ or larger (ideally 8″ or larger) and as much magnification as the telescope and the local atmospheric conditions will allow.

How many galaxies can you see with a telescope?

In 2012, again using upgraded instruments, scientists used the telescope to look at a portion of the Ultra Deep Field. Even in this narrower field of view, astronomers were able to detect about 5,500 galaxies.

What magnification do you need to see galaxies?

In practice, the optimum magnification for most objects is somewhere between about 8× and 40× per inch of aperture — toward the low end for most deep-sky objects (star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies) and the high end for the Moon and planets.

Can I see Andromeda with my telescope?

With the eye, or with binoculars, or with a backyard telescope, the Andromeda galaxy won’t look like the image below. But it will be beautiful. It’ll take your breath away. The Andromeda galaxy and 2 satellite galaxies as seen through a powerful telescope.

What type of telescope do you need to see Andromeda?

Andromeda can be difficult to observe in detail because of its large size in the sky. In fact, if you want to observe Andromeda in its entirety, a low-power, wide-angle eyepiece is best. You can actually get some fairly good views with a very good pair of large lens binoculars.

Can a home telescope see Andromeda?

The good news, however, is there are plenty of telescopes in more manageable sizes which you can use at home to observe moons, gas giant rings and maybe even deep sky objects such as nebulae or the Andromeda galaxy.

Do astronomers use reflecting or refracting telescopes?

Reflecting telescopes use mirrors to gather the light. … Refracting telescopes use lenses. There are different kinds of reflectors, but in general the refractors all follow the same basic design.

Why are refracting telescopes no longer used?

Limitations of Refracting Telescopes

This occurs because as light passes through a lens, different colors are bent through different angles (like in a prism) and brought to a focus at different points. … Glass also absorbs most ultraviolet light, and visible light is substantially dimmed as it passes through a lens.

Are reflector telescopes any good?

Reflector telescope offers the best price and performance ratio for visual observation of the night skies from the Moon and the planets to star clusters and deep-sky objects. If you are a beginner, then the best reflector telescope is a safe way to start your stargazing journey.

Can I see Mars with a 70mm telescope?

With a 70mm telescope, you will easily be able to see every planet in the Solar System. You will also be able to take a great look at the Moon and clearly distinguish most of its recognizable features and craters. Mars will look great. … The magnitude limit of a 70mm telescope is about 11.9.

Can you see Mars with a home telescope?

Telescopes, Eyepieces, and Filters for Observing Mars. Binoculars make Mars brighter and may resolve its tiny disk. But if you want to see any surface detail, you are going to need a telescope. Nearly any telescope is better than none.

What can I see with a 130mm telescope?

130mm (5in) to 200mm (8in) or equivalent

b) Stars: double stars separated by about 1 arc second in good seeing, and some faint stars down to magnitude 13 or better. c) Deep Sky Objects: hundreds of star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies (with hints of spiral structure visible in some galaxies).

How many galaxies can you see without a telescope?

There a few of them…more exactly are about 51 galaxies in the Local Group.

Are any galaxies visible to the human eye?

The Andromeda Galaxy is the only other (besides the Milky Way) spiral galaxy we can see with the naked eye.

Can you see the whirlpool galaxy with a telescope?

It eventually earned the nickname “The Whirlpool” because it resembles a vortex in the water. M51’s companion galaxy (NGC 5195) is clearly visible in photographs, and even detectable through the telescope eyepiece (with enough aperture).

How much magnification do you need to see Mars?

To see much detail on Mars you would need in excess of 100x magnification (same for Saturn, less for Jupiter), and ideally a lot more. Your scope should be able to manage 100x.

What can you see with 100x magnification microscope?

At 100x magnification you will be able to see 2mm. At 400x magnification you will be able to see 0.45mm, or 450 microns. At 1000x magnification you will be able to see 0.180mm, or 180 microns.

What magnification do you need to see whirlpool galaxy?

The Whirlpool Galaxy is located 3.5° to the southeast of Alkaid. It is best viewed at a low magnification and, to make out the spiral arms, one needs at least a 4-inch telescope. The Whirlpool Galaxy is approximately 60 light years across.