Observing just visually since 50 years, at first with long achros, now with an NP101is.
I’m not against technology, at all (worked for 45 years in a space company), but I prefer my eyes to computer processing…
Since my purpose is visually observing planets, especially Saturn, at very high magnifications (>600x) and high resolution, do you think that is achievable with something big like a 20" Dobson?
Visual high power is easy, but having at the same time visual high resolution is not…
It really depends on where you are and if your skies let you get there. A 20 inch dob would get to 1000x in the right conditions. For me here in Ohio my normal good skies limit me to 200x most of the time and occasionally I can go north of that on planets.
The seeing conditions aka atmospheric stability at any given moment will dictate the amount of magnification you can use . Not the scope .
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Three problems for my case::
Saturn at 200x is just a small object…
Thermal athmospheric instability (the main cause of image turbulence) in urban areas is extremely common, even in absence of high winds…
Big apertures (15"-20") suffer turbulence much more than small apertures ( 4"-8")…
Here’s why my desire (visually observing Saturn on both high magnification and high resolution) is probably an illusion…
I have done saturn at 400x in my 16 inch a couple of times, 200x is more common and its not a terrible image at all, but that is just the way it is here. If i was looking for a planet killer i would be looking at a Classical Cassegrain or a SCT in the 12 to 14 inch area.