Related Sponsors

What details can I see on planets?

Home » Astronomy » What You Can See » What details can I see on planets?

Through small binoculars it is possible to assist yourself in seeing Mercury when it is less than bright. Jupiter will appear as a small disc, and Saturn as an elongated one. Venus is a bright point of light and Mars a small red orb. Uranus and Neptune will also appear—but as nearly stellar. The same holds true of larger binoculars, but it is possible to see the equatorial bands on Jupiter and its four brightest moons.

A small telescope will reveal the phases of both Mercury and Venus. Mars will appear as a very small red disk with dark mottling and improve significantly when it is closer to Earth—displaying dark features and polar caps.

At low power, Jupiter will appear about the size of a nickel on a dinner plate. It is easy to see its equatorial bands and to pick up dimension in its four brightest moons. Saturn is unmistakably Saturn. About the size of a dime on a dinner plate at low power, you can easily see its rings and the planet’s shadow against them—as well as watch the movement of its tiny moons. High power under stable conditions improves the amount of detail in both Jupiter and Saturn. Uranus and Neptune are small, colored discs.

In a large telescope at low power, the size of the planets does not dramatically change—only your ability to resolve smaller and finer features during steady conditions.

Next Page: What are double stars and what will I see?

Related What You Can See Articles