Telescopes are amazing things. Without them, we’d have trouble observing the night sky. You may be wondering if you can use a telescope during the day.
Today telescopes are widely available. You won’t find a better way to spend an evening than gazing up at the stars twinkling away in the night sky.
But something arguably less common is gazing up at the sky when our most familiar star shines brightly above us – the sun.
I suppose many people just aren’t sure if it’s something they can do. And the others probably just think that there isn’t anything to see.
But that’s not necessarily true. There is some truth in it though. Telescopes effectively collect light from objects in the sky and magnify them.
Therefore, you will get better images once the sun says goodnight and the moon takes its place. This is because the Sun produces a lot of light, interfering with seeing objects in the sky.
However, this does not say that there is nothing to see. There is still something to be said for daytime astronomy. If you know how to use your telescope right during the day, there is still endless fun.
So, now that we know you can use a telescope during the day let’s look at the precautions before doing so. Following that is a guide on getting the most out of your daytime gazing.
Safety First
There is one thing that I want to cover before I get into all the nitty-gritty details of how and when to use your telescope. I want to take the time to outline the precautions that are imperative for daytime telescoping.
The sun is beautiful, but when you’re looking through the telescope, you’ll want to think of the sun as Medusa – never look directly at it. Even during a total solar eclipse don’t be tempted to break this cardinal rule.
I don’t think I need to say just how bright the sun is, but just to reiterate the point I will. The sun is so bright that looking at it through a telescope can cause permanent damage to your eyes. Certainly looking at it through a telescope, even inadvertently, will damage your eyes.
Even if clouds obscure the sun, you should not look directly at it with your telescope.
If you will observe the Sun through your telescope, you should always use an approved solar filter. It must be fitted to the front of your telescope to ensure your eye safety. No unfiltered light should enter the telescope. Direct sunlight entering your telescope can damage it.
If you live in particularly hot areas, you should also try to keep your telescope in the shade. High temperatures can cause the optical tube assemblies to heat up leading to damage. If shade is unavailable, you should always cover your telescope with a white cloth.
If you have a finder scope attached to your telescope either remove it, or at the very least put a lens cap on it.
And then finally, remember to keep yourself safe during your day gazing up into space. Time can fly by quicker than you think. So drink plenty of water, wear sun protection, and stay in the shade when possible.
What Is Visible Via Telescope During Daylight?
So, what can you get up to while observing during the day? Actually, probably more than you think.
Of course, it won’t all be stars! You can see Earth-bound natural beauty, wildlife and a fair amount of manmade objects. But these are all super interesting things to see up close! A common photographic opportunity is photographing an airplane in front of the Moon or Sun. A greater challenge is to capture the Internation Space Station in a similar position.
Below you’ll find a list of some of the things you can observe with your telescope during daylight hours.
1. Solar Observation
Obviously, the objects in the observable Universe don’t disappear during the day. Dim objects become impossible to see because the Sun’s light washes them out. However, some bright objects are still visible if you know where to look. Obviously, the Sun and Moon are not much of a challenge.
The sun is one of the most studied stars in our galaxy, and you can see some cool things during the day.
Remember, if you’re looking anywhere close to the sun, you must have the appropriate solar filters fitted. Sorry to repeat this but it is an essential precaution.
But, through a telescope, you can see the sun’s surface features, such as sunspots, that you cannot with the naked eye. Sunspots are these ‘small’ dark areas visible on the sun’s surface. They are cooler regions on the Sun’s surface caused by electrical fields. If you study them over a period of time, you can see them move across the Sun as it rotates.
You may witness a planet transit across the Sun if you are lucky. This is when a planet moves across the Sun. Venus last transited the Sun in June of 2012. Unfortunately, this will not occur again until 2117!
As detailed in the section above you can not use your finder scope to align your telescope with the Sun. As such you need to use a different technique. What you need to do is to watch the telescope’s shadow while moving it. Move the telescope to get the smallest possible shadow of your optical tube. Once the shadow is to its smallest, the telescope will be aligned with the Sun.
2. Moongazing
Even during the day, you can still see the moon with the naked eye (Also check out Why Is The Moon Orange?). And you can with a good telescope or a pair of stargazing binoculars.
If you want to get the best images of the moon during the day, though, you are best settling behind your telescope either first thing in the morning or just as the evening begins.
For best results, try and catch the moon while it’s in its crescent or gibbous phase! As with night-time observing, the zone between the dark and lit areas (i.e. the terminator) is the most interesting to focus on.
And what an amazing view you will have! You can easily see the moon’s craters and mountains using a telescope during the day.
3. Planetary Observation
Depending on how close they are at particular times of the year, you may also be able to see several planets in the solar system such as Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter.
For best results, try and view these planets during the early morning or evening.
The only issue you’ll have during the day is that they can be difficult to locate. A good solution is to use stargazing apps. These phone apps can make locating objects in the daytime sky much easier.
4. Star Observation
While you definitely won’t see as many stars as clearly during the day, they may still be observable.
Try during the early morning or late evening for the best results when the sky darkens slightly.
Use software or an app to locate areas containing bright stars then move your telescope to that area. Then adjust your telescope’s focus, and you should see shining stars. It will help if you first focus on something at a far distance.
Final Thoughts
As long as you take the necessary safety precautions, there is no reason you shouldn’t put your telescope to use during the day.
As you can see there is still plenty to view! Just don’t expect quite as clear an image as you would during the night.
And there’s still more that can be observed during the day. Sometimes you can also get glimpses of the International Space Station, plenty of wildlife, and many up-close landscapes.
So, get your telescope out today and see what you can find in the bright sky!
Hi, my name is Jason Anderson, and I am a Physics Professor. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated with space, the universe, the moon, you name it. I spent hours and hours at the planetarium close to my hometown, wondering what else could be out in the universe.
Since then, I’ve been an avid stargazer and astronomer, and love nothing more than spending my time charting stars, observing planets, and finding constellations.
This is why I decided to start Telescope Guru. I only wish to share this fun pastime with the world. With this site, I hope to answer all of your questions relating to astronomy, telescopes, and stargazing.
