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Neptune....

Nexus 6

By Nexus 6
in Observing - Reports

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lukebl

lukebl

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Apologies if I'm "late to the party", are you the same Luke in the September Sky at Night magazine with M13? If so, congrats - that picture was amazing!

Chris

You are too kind. Yes it was me! But it was M5, not M13!

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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I captured it a few days ago. Here is a quick image from 2nd September, with Triton showing very well close to the planet in the 11 O'clock position. A rough and ready RGB image taken with an SXVF-H9, but shows the blue colour nicely.

lukebl-albums-luke-s-planetary-images-picture13151-neptune-2011-09-01a.jpg

Thank you Luke, lovely blue tone there and Triton to boot, very nice. :)

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Cjg

Cjg

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You are too kind. Yes it was me! But it was M5, not M13!

Ha, will have to go and find M5 - was a super picture, especially from South Norfolk - we've had so little clear skies lately, congrats!

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lukebl

lukebl

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What magnification would I need to view Neptune using my cpc800? Please note my limited collection of EP's. Lucky enough to have a very dark site, no light pollution.

Ta for any help.

It's not going to look much at all in any scope, just a tiny blank bluish disk just 2.5" across, but I would have thought your scope should show as good a view as most. Just use a mag of, say, 200x if the seeing's good. Don't expect too much!

You'll also be able to see it with binoculars, looking like a 7.8 magnitude star.

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michael.h.f.wilkinson

michael.h.f.wilkinson

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I spotted Neptune and Uranus for the first time when I had had my C8 for about 8 or 9 months (June or July 1997). They were quite close together in the sky at the time. I found Uranus first, a distinctly blue-green disk, no surface details. The seeing was OK given the low altitude, and I pushed to 288x using my Vixen LV 7mm to find Neptune. I could just make out it was larger than a star, so the disc was just resolved, and its striking blue-green colour gave it away. The Solar System felt more spacious that day.

Recently, I have gone beyond the handful of planetary nebulae, and got the Saturn Nebula, the Blue Snowball, Blue Flash Nebula, and most recently the Blinking Planetary. Many of these show a much more planetary appearance than e.g. the Ring, Dumbbell, or Owl Nebulae. Some are very reminiscent of my first views of Uranus and Neptune. Given that these two were the first to telescopic planets found, it is easier to see how planetary nebulae got their name.

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m_j_lyons

m_j_lyons

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I've been watching Neptune track slowly across the sky for about the past month...pretty easy to see once you know where to look...even with my 4.5" scope. It appears brighter to me than what Stellarium shows as the magnitude. Wish I had a scope big enough to pull out Triton.

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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Agree about observing Triton. Am wondering who, if anyone, may have seen it on the forum and what scope/eyepiece combination they were using? On the few occasions I have looked I have failed to see it although I am aware it may be beyond the reach of many telescopes.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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just thought I'd bring this thread back up for any new members who may wish to have a go at observing Neptune.

It is a tantalising object being so small but the fact its the most distant solar system planet, approximately 30 AU, (thirty times the distance the Earth is from the Sun) makes it an astounding sight.

Have still not managed to observe Triton which appears possible with my 925 ..just, though I have seen Neptune itself one or two times so far this year.

Hope anyone who may have seen it or intends to have a look at it will post their thoughts on it here. :)

Good Luck

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swamp thing

swamp thing

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Hi

I have observed Neptune three times this season.

Once through my 10" and like Nexus, Triton elluded me. The planet itself showing a tiny blue disc.

Once through a 4" frac which picked the disc out but again no Triton, and just a tiny disc.

The other occasion was through "pingsters" 16" Dob. Could make out Triton and the disc did display some limb darkening but that was about it......so far.

It's pretty difficult to find from my regular observing site, being low in an area of bad LP making guide stars to it tricky to find.

Regards Steve

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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Great to read you have seen Triton Steve!

Spot on with the fact Neptune is low on the horizon for us and that those dark skies are a must if anyone is to stand a chance in seeing it.

using a 16" dob to have a look is really going to help :)

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damnut

damnut

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Some great pics & sketches, have seen Neptune a few of times, once in the dark skies of northumberland and from the back garden using 167x (15mm) in 10" lx.

Its the enormity that you can still visually see Neptune as a tiny perceptible disk.

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swamp thing

swamp thing

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using a 16" dob to have a look is really going to help :o

Tell me about it.;) it's great observing with another observer period.

Real special to have the two big Dobs side by side at dark sky sites you can really bash out some DSO's. Plus plenty of banter to keep you awake.:rolleyes:

"Pingsters" big Dob has Goto so finding the telescopic planets is a doddle.

Regards Steve

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Rols

Rols

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I picked it out Neptune with my 8" in the clear skies just over a week ago, Triton was not visible to me, very small but clear disk, nearly give up but realised the small disk (perfect full stop) was what i was looking for, cant wait to point the 12" at it to see what the difference is...i may get a better full stop if i'm lucky. glad i spotted it, i was out spotting Messier Objects at the time i went looking for it, some fantastic viewing over the last couple of weeks..

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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You are more than welcome to join in on our next dark sky foray.:rolleyes:

If you are interested give me or "Pingster" a PM and join in the fun.

Don't get jealous, get involved.;)

Regards Steve

appreciate the offer Steve, pity you guys are so far away. :o

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Rols

Rols

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Excellent Rols, am sure it will give a better view with the dob :rolleyes: what mag were you using with the 8"?

i was playing with 3 that night so if i remember correctly (no notes) it was the 15mm Nagler when i realized what i was looking at, i then tried the 7 and moved back because it was not so clear.

so that would make it around 2000/15= 133 Power, please excuse my calcs if wrong i'm so unsure about what i'm talking about.

The 12" is not a Dob, its another LX200. the 8" will make way for a larger Dob in the future possibly, for the time being i'm working on building a permanent place in the garden for this to all live. i love looking through an eye piece but so want to get this kit taking images aswell.

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  • 5 weeks later...

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