How much do collimation and viewing conditions affect magnification and viewing?

Question

Before I start this post, I'd first like to make clear that this account is an alternate of my SovereignInquiry account--at the moment, accessing this account is much more convenient, so if things I write here sound very similar to things mentioned by that account, it is no accident.

As I mentioned in this post, I have an AWB 130 Newtonian tabletop telescope with a 650mm focal length and a 130mm aperture. I described all my issues in the post. I also found this Q&A, which seems to suggest that I should be seeing quite a lot of detail, even including Saturn's rings. I live in a city classified as a class 7 on the Bortle Scale, which measures light pollution (1 being the most pristine and 9 being the most polluted).

In addition to light pollution, viewing can be affected by haze and air turbulence in the atmosphere and collimation.

But in what ways and how significantly do these factors affect viewing?

Answer 1

Light pollution, Haze or any kind of Air pollution will affect the intensity of the image or to say more, you will have a less bright image or bit hazy which will in turn affect the efficiency of the magnification you should get. but it shouldn't appear as if it is out of focus. In my telescope collection, I have a Celestron 130EQ which has similar specs like your telescope, but I could see Saturn's rings, Jupiter's red ribbons and more, although I live in a megacity. Have look on my question here. With the given factors, You should be able to see the Saturn's beautiful rings very clearly. If you face any problem even after collimation, cooling the telescope before observing, then you must check on your optics for solution if you face problems like if you couldn't see saturn but venus, which is a more bright object. Eye pieces can be defective or the lens installed in it maybe not placed in the groove/placed correctly.