Help needed identifying Ceres and Vesta

[Lee_P]

Hi all,

Here's a single unedited frame taken tonight, hopefully containing Ceres and Vesta. The only problem is, I'm not sure which ones they are! Can anyone help? I've checked with Stellarium, and have cross-referenced with photos taken later in the evening to detect movement, and I have three candidates...

[oldpink]

try here

http://nova.astrometry.net/upload

[Lee_P]

Thanks, that site is really helpful! It's annotating some IC and NGCs, but no stars, and no Ceres or Vesta. Is there an extra tab to add those labels, do you know?

[Paul M]

Looks like you identified them correctly.

Here's a screen shot from SkySafari

The field stars match exactly.

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[Lee_P]

Thanks Paul! Strange that Stellarium showed them in different places compared to SkySafari. Maybe I was doing something wrong...

[Pete Presland]

congratulations on identifying them, i have never been a huge fan of stellarium for star hoping, or really detailed identification.  even with the correct location set objects just seem a little out, that said it is very good for a quick see whats about.

i just dont think you can be a good star chart, such as uranometria expenxive but superb!

[Paul M]

I like Stellarium a lot but not for accuracy.

SkySafari can be hard work for just casual "what's up tonight?" stuff.

Horses for courses!

[Paul73]

Try this one:

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/super-close-pairing-ceres-vesta/

Paul

[Lee_P]

It seems strange that Stellarium's accuracy would be off. It doesn't look like Sky Safari is for PC  Maybe an old fashioned sky chart really is the way to go! Anyway, here's the result of the asteroid spotting: 

[Paul M]

SkySafari recently upgraded their orbital calculation engine for minor bodies.

They say it's very accurate now.

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[andrew63]

I find with a couple of the programmes they are not always completely accurate.  Been observing them visual over the last week and the pair have been forming a triangular shape with a star a similar magnitude.  That star and vesta are roughly 6 mag.  and ceres is 7ish. They  all fit in just over a one degree field.  Last night they were about one degree apart.

andrew