Mars

[Jayne]

Hi,

I've seen on TV today, that you can view Mars tonight. How do find out which way to look and can it be viewed by strong binoculars on a tripod? I have a compass

Thank You

Jayne

[Jamie]

Mars will rise in the east.

It will be the brightest thing in the sky exept for the moon.

It will have a redish sort of look about it.

You won't be able to make out any detail with binos but the view should be good.

Sure hope the weather holds out for you.

[daz]

Jayne

Mars is the brightest thing in the sky at the moment - you really can't miss it. Binoculars will do you just fine!

Being a planet, it follows in the Sun's footsteps (this is called the ecliptic), so keep your eyes eastward after dark. Once you spot it, if you look a little to the left, you will see a bright little cluster of stars - this is M45, The Pleiades (Seven Sisters). This will look great thru your bino's as well!!

Enjoy

Beat me to it SG!!!

[AstroTiger]

Yes good luck with that Jayne,

also a nicer binocular view for you is the star cluster the pleides. not far from Mars. They look a real treat in binos

I have got an image i could send you showng the nite sky for that time. But i see no way i can upload it :-(

Al

[Jayne]

Thanks Chaps,

This will be my first star gazing try, to date, getting my husbands tripod and binoculars out soon   11pm I read was the best time to see it.

Jayne

[AstroTiger]

sod it, i have set the telescope up

To help you along janye i did this for you. Print it off and use it by all means

<img src="http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b256/Asteeleleith/mars.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

The peiades i spoke about look like this.

good luck

Al

[Jayne]

Hi,

Just wanted to say, I couldn't see a blumming thing. It was all covered in clouds. I got really excited to see Mars, but no luck...at least I know what I missed. Thanks for the pics AL, i've saved them to use later

Jayne

[AstroTiger]

Hi All

Beginners are often mislead by thr glossy astronomy books etc. They think and feel that glossy views of mars, and galaxies etc will be what they will see in a telescope.

I feel after some work done last night and other experiences that it is time to clairfy a few things.

Seeing is not observing. You see a TV program, you see birds flying across the sky. you even see traffic lights go read.

But the skill and power of actually being able to observe is skill and something that does not come easy to develop.

I thought of the view i saw of mars though my 6inch 20mm eyepiece. The image was not very big, hold a garden pea up at arms length and look at it. That is rougly the scale you will see.

And it won;t get much bigger than that.

This is where the aperture of you telescope matters less and you observing ability matters more.

for at first glance of the pea sized mars you are seeing, you notice some features. but it takes time to make them out.

To help you along the atmosphere is not entirely steady, in fact you only get a few second intervals of sharp image.

This is true observing.

Even to obs m42 for example, are you aware this is best done with your peripheral vision?

The best thing first of all is to relax the eye, and then gently focus the object until you see it, don;t strain your eyes.

Just a few thoughts

Al

[FLO]

Just a few thoughts

Good thoughts they are too Al and well worth mentioning.

Steve

[AstroTiger]

i add the thoughts more for janyes benefit really.

I know its teaching my granny to succk eggs where the rest of you are concerned.

But jayne being such a nice lady, and it would be so lovely to see her blossom into astronomy. Even though she assures me its not her thing!

But i would hate for her to be disappointed by the views she gets. and this is true for anyone else just beginning in astronomy.

This is another reason why astronomy wise i remaining more and more with the old school. As an educator, which i see myself becoming, i feel it a duty to lead by example. This is why i still think hand sketches are still so important as the represent exactly what the observer CAN see.

I am not knocking taking piccies, but the truth is i got not blumming money for the kit at the mo. so its humble beginnings there for me where imaging is concerned :-) A bit of both in the future as well i think :-)

Al

[Greg]

I second Al's view on this one.

I have an 8" scope and after spending a night viewing Mars I found it to be a bit disapointing to say the least - the trick is in the experienced and trained eye, using averted vision etc. All this stuff is new to me - some nights it's the best hobby in the world and on others - well - I wish I could surf!!

Keep with it!

Greg

[FLO]

We covered this topic not so long ago ..... here it is:

http://tinyurl.com/e2kev

... Not that I want to discourage anyone adding to the discussion.  

[FLO]

Greg, have you had a chance to try the Neodymium Skyglow filter on Mars?

Steve

[AstroTiger]

Having pointed out the above

I tried observing last night myself using an orange filter on mars, and it did help a lot.

As stated James Filters did help.

As for being able observe efficiently with the naked, i feel i should add that perhaps not everyone may have the ability to. Or might need to take extra effort. Which would mean many dispointing hours. not to forget that this is NOT helped by light pollution.

Perhaps tobe fair to those who do image, it is the only way they would get to see anything at all.

As for me, see i had a squint as a kid, and this is perhpas not asisted by the fact i wear glasses and use shitty eyepieces. then i have been a stargazer for nearly 20 years, so i am not likely to give it up now :-)

i will persevere.

But its like i say i was observing mars with some astronomer a few weeks ago. mars to me was on the scale of trhe pea i discussed earlier. But compared to what an accomplised observer could make out compared to me its scary.

a little test for you might be to see if you can see the faint partner close to sirius. i admit i have not tried as i only leanred about it last night myself while doing a little bedtime reading.

Cani suggest the book Amateur astronomy handbook by Paul muirden as a good guide to classical astronomy :-)

Al

[AstroTiger]

one more thing,

Perhaps someone could recommend some easier objects that beginners could use to train their eyes on?

The moon might be one example?

Al

[Greg]

Steve,

No, havn't had chance to try the filter, with the eyepiece and filter in the ETX the set up is too long (The eyepiece wont sit in the barrel).

I'm doing something wrong there - arn't I :clouds1:

I can almost hear the lot of you thinking - how the hell can't he get an eyepiece and filter to fit in the barrel of a telescope - Doh!

The weather has been a bit grim for the 8" - Last night was very good however I was too tired to get it out!

Numpty Greg!!!!

[FLO]

Which eyepiece Greg?

[Greg]

The 8 - 24mm zoom, I've just realised it's too long - numpty

Greg

[FLO]

:clouds1:

[Greg]

Astronomy for me is 2% trial, 3% error and 98% can't find it!!!!!!

Greg

[FLO]

For me, its 90% Starry Night on the PC, 10% actual observation.