Operation Manual

33
TELESCOPIC VIEW OF PLANETS
Beginnerastronomerstendtofeelthattheplanetseenthroughthetelescopeismuchsmallthan
theyexpect.Thetwophotographsbelowshowhowplanetsappearwhentheyareobservedwith
asmall,60mm,50xtelescope,whichisavailableeverywhereindepartmentstores.

COMET HUNT
Thehuntforcometscanoffergreatpleasuretotheamateur.Alargetelescopeisideal,asalarge
fieldofviewisimportant.Comets(describedinancienttimesas“hairystars”)wereoftenregarded
asanevilomen.DuringtheArab-Israeliconflict,acometwasmisinterpretedasawarweapon.
Inreality,acomethasverylittlemass.Theyhavebeendescribedas“thenextsomethingthat
cannotexist,yetissomething”.Theyhavealsobeendescribedas“dirtysnowballs”.Bothofthese
descriptionstellusagreatdealaboutthetruenatureofthecomets.Thecomethuntprovidesa
realchallengeandanobserverneedstoknowtheirwaythroughtheskyalmostaswellastheir
ownbackpocket.Manyobservershavehadcometsnamedafterthem.
Comet tail
Nucleus
Nucleus edge
Hydrogen
Nebula
toward
the sun
Nuclear
membrane