I picked up a second hand Sky-Watcher Skymax 102 telescope recently on Astro buy and Sell website. I figured the 1300 mm focal length would allow me to try my hand at some planetary, lunar and solar imaging using the ZWO ASI120MM-S guide camera. A clear night with a high pressure system overhead and no wind to speak of offered up the perfect opportunity to give it a whirl.

Being accustomed to much shorter focal lengths of binoculars and small refractors, the crisp and detailed views offered by such a small and affordable telescope (I paid just £80) were a revelation! Although the Great Red Spot must have been out of view, the views of the bands in the Jovian atmosphere along with the Galilean moons were spectacular. I couldn’t take my eyes off it! I’m unsure which moon I caught in the image. I suspect it could be Io with it being so close to Jupiter.