75
For safe solar viewing, use a Celestron solar filter. This filter reduces the intensity of the Sun's light, making it safe to
view. With this filter you can see sunspots as they move across the solar disk and faculae, which are bright patches seen
near the Sun's edge. Be sure to cover the lens of the finder or completely remove the finderscope when observing the Sun.
This will ensure that the finderscope itself is not damaged and that no one looks through it inadvertently.
Solar Observing Hints
•
The best time to observe the Sun is in the early morning or late afternoon when the air is cooler.
•
To locate the Sun without a finder, watch the shadow of the telescope tube until it forms a circular shadow.
•
To ensure accurate tracking, be sure to select the solar tracking rate.
Observing Deep Sky Objects
Deep-sky objects are simply those objects outside the boundaries of our solar system. They include star clusters, planetary
nebulae, diffuse nebulae, double stars and other galaxies outside our own Milky Way. Unlike the Sun, Moon, and five
major planets, most deep sky objects are not visible to the naked eye. The Ultima 2000 can find these objects for you.
The Celestron Sky Maps (#93722) can help you decide what objects are visible, or the TOUR feature can show you some
objects that are visible during your observing session.
Most deep-sky objects have a large angular size. Therefore, low-to-moderate power is all you need to see them. Visually,
they are too faint to reveal any of the color seen in long exposure photographs. Instead, they appear black and white.
And, because of their low surface brightness, they should be observed from a dark-sky location. Light pollution around
large urban areas washes out most nebulae making them difficult, if not impossible, to observe. Light Pollution Reduction
filters help reduce the background sky brightness, thus increasing contrast.
Seeing Conditions
Viewing conditions affect what you can see through your telescope during an observing session. Conditions include
transparency, sky illumination, and seeing. Understanding viewing conditions and the effect they have on observing will
help you get the most out of your telescope.
Transparency
Transparency is the clarity of the atmosphere which is affected by clouds, moisture, and other airborne particles. Thick
cumulus clouds are completely opaque while cirrus clouds can be thin, allowing the light from the brightest stars through.
Hazy skies absorb more light than clear skies making fainter objects harder to see and reducing contrast on brighter
objects. Aerosols ejected into the upper atmosphere from volcanic eruptions also affect transparency. Ideal conditions are
when the night sky is inky black.
Sky Illumination
General sky brightening caused by the Moon, aurorae, natural airglow, and light pollution greatly affect transparency.
While not a problem for the brighter stars and planets, bright skies reduce the contrast of extended nebulae making them
difficult, if not impossible, to see. To maximize your observing, limit deep sky viewing to moonless nights far from the
light polluted skies found around major urban areas. LPR filters enhance deep sky viewing from light polluted areas by
blocking unwanted light while transmitting light from certain deep sky objects. You can, on the other hand, observe
planets and stars from light polluted areas or when the Moon is out.
