tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26336792.post2632299187341353757..comments2024-01-19T02:56:39.606-06:00Comments on Impossible Kisses: The Moon Miranda (A Note)Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277564562398563302noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26336792.post-53096090175837965172017-09-17T00:39:41.679-05:002017-09-17T00:39:41.679-05:00My guess is that Miranda would still be out of rea...My guess is that Miranda would still be out of reach. With my 6" scope, I can see down to mag 10.5 (I can just barely see Saturn's moon Rhea).<br /><br />The visual magnitudes are a logarithmic scale- 5 magnitudes is equivalent to 100 times dimmer. Thinking of it the other way, increasing the area of your objective mirror by 100 times will let you see 5 magnitudes dimmer. <br /><br />Now, a 20" mirror has 10 times the area of a 6" mirror. Therefore, it would let me see 2.5 magnitudes dimmer- I'd be able to see down to 13th mag. If I went out into the desert, instead of my suburban neighborhood, I might get down to 14 or 15. <br /><br />Miranda, however, is mag 16.3. Just out of reach, unless you take a photo. Maybe the 36" scope could do it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com