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How much detail can you see on Jupiter with your 8' scope ?

I have an 8' newtonian, and can see the two equatorial bands, the dark polar region, shadow transits, the GRS and sometimes, one or two thinner cloud bands.

Should I be able to resolve more detail ? Am I collimating my scope properly ? What can you see with yours ?

By the way, it's an f5.

First of all, I presume you mean an 8 inch scope, not an 8 foot scope! I've observed Jupiter for many years with an 8" scope. I've seen all the detail you are seeing, plus a lot of detail (ovals and festoons) along the south edge of the North Equatorial Belt and dark "barges" within the north edge of the North Equatorial Belt. I spent a lot of time training my eye to see this fine detail by making pencil sketches of it. Certainly my scope is kept in excellent collimation. But really the gap between seeing moderate detail and seeing really fine detail must be closed by eye training, rather than optics.



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