<p>If you manage to collimate it then that telescope should show you, under dark skies, a fuzzy light patch which is the core of the galaxy. You won't be able to see the jet with that telescope, that needs a much higher aperture.</p>
<p>I'm sorry to tell you this, but the telescope you bought is notorious for being not very good. The powerseeker line has a whole <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/dontbuyapowerseeker/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sub-reddit devoted to it</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-07T19:03:32.950Z
converting comment to answer
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-07T20:22:08.390Z
Thanks James, I'll delete my comments now
Aaron F
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-08T07:10:03.067Z
Yeah i impulse bought it without doing much research, but i think that for the price is not that bad. I will give it a try!
Yeeter
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-08T17:54:10.493Z
@Yeeter that's the spirit! Any telescope is better than no telescope, after all. Be aware that, if you have trouble collimating it, low-power views don't need the collimation to be as good as high-power views do; so enjoy what you can get out of it. Also be aware that an EQ mount can be turned into an Alt/Az mount simply by setting the longitude to 90°, and that way might be easier to get started. Have fun!
Aaron F
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-07T19:03:25.870Z
2021-06-07T19:03:25.870Z
James K
<p>I was reading about M87 and how it is possible to see it's relativistic jet with an amateur telescope.</p>
<p>About a year ago i impulse-bought a telescope (model: Celestron CE21049 powerseeker 127EQ).</p>
<p>I'm not an expert and do not really understand how i should calculate if i will be able to see it or not.</p>
<p>I live in northern italy, my zone is really light polluted but i usually can see mars, venus, saturn with it's rings and jupiter with some of it's moons.</p>
<p>I can get to a location where, with naked eye, can see faintly the milky way, so i think that's a good start.
There will also be the problem of <em>where</em> to point the telescope, but i think i can manage.</p>
<p>So, will i be able to see something other than a light dot in the sky?</p>
<p>And in the future, how to go about calculating if an object si visible with my current setup?</p>

<telescope><m87>
How much of M87 can i see with an amateur telescope?
Yeeter
# How much of M87 can i see with an amateur telescope?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-07)

I was reading about M87 and how it is possible to see it's relativistic jet with an amateur telescope.

About a year ago i impulse-bought a telescope (model: Celestron CE21049 powerseeker 127EQ).

I'm not an expert and do not really understand how i should calculate if i will be able to see it or not.

I live in northern italy, my zone is really light polluted but i usually can see mars, venus, saturn with it's rings and jupiter with some of it's moons.

I can get to a location where, with naked eye, can see faintly the milky way, so i think that's a good start.
There will also be the problem of *where* to point the telescope, but i think i can manage.

So, will i be able to see something other than a light dot in the sky?

And in the future, how to go about calculating if an object si visible with my current setup?

**Tags:** telescope, m87

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-06-07. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

If you manage to collimate it then that telescope should show you, under dark skies, a fuzzy light patch which is the core of the galaxy. You won't be able to see the jet with that telescope, that needs a much higher aperture.

I'm sorry to tell you this, but the telescope you bought is notorious for being not very good. The powerseeker line has a whole [sub-reddit devoted to it](https://www.reddit.com/r/dontbuyapowerseeker/)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: converting comment to answer  
> **username_2**: Thanks James, I'll delete my comments now  
> **username_0**: Yeah i impulse bought it without doing much research, but i think that for the price is not that bad. I will give it a try!  
> **username_2**: @Yeeter that's the spirit! Any telescope is better than no telescope, after all. Be aware that, if you have trouble collimating it, low-power views don't need the collimation to be as good as high-power views do; so enjoy what you can get out of it. Also be aware that an EQ mount can be turned into an Alt/Az mount simply by setting the longitude to 90°, and that way might be easier to get started. Have fun!  

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