Dark sites/Bright objects?

[scottydog]

I've been wondering.....do dark sites make much/any difference to bright objects i.e The Moon & Planets? We all no how faint fuzzies are better under dark sites and sometimes ONLY visible under dark sites but how about the brighter stuff? I guess you can see more detail on Planets when there's little or no LP?

[LukeSkywatcher]

The only trouble with dark sites that i have found on the very rare trips to them is that everything else looks so much brighter and i found it difficult to spot such things as Jupiter,The Plough,M45 ETC.

All the things i take for granted from my back garden become quite difficult at first glance to spot from dark skies because everything else is so much brighter.

The Moon is the Moon. I dont think anyone could have trouble with that from a dark sky location.

[NGC 1502]

I don't think there is any advantage if you view the bright planets from a dark site.

What I do is to view the bright solar system objects, double stars and brighter DSOs from my light polluted back garden, and try for the more challenging stuff when I'm at a dark site.

HTH, Ed.

[scottydog]

I don't think there is any advantage if you view the bright planets from a dark site.

What I do is to view the bright solar system objects, double stars and brighter DSOs from my light polluted back garden, and try for the more challenging stuff when I'm at a dark site.

HTH, Ed.

That makes sense Ed

[Moonshane]

I agree with Ed that there seems to be little point looking at such objects at dark sites. the one exception to this is that if you are like most of use, roofs, central heating etc can have an effect on the viewing conditions at home but at dark sites with fewer buildings etc you can often get better local seeing and hence more stable images. things like Jupiter/Moon can and do ruin your dark adaptation though.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yes. I dont think Planets will give up the ghost (so to speak) from a dark location compared to an average back garden. Yes there will be a bit of difference but i think minimal. Its the fainter DSO's that will really come alive when observed from a dark site because you are not fighting LP and heat thermals from central heating systems etc.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Also if observing from your garden, do not place your scope on concrete paths etc. Concrete retains a lot of heat during the day which it releases during the night. This creates heat thermals right infront of your scope. Your best place to set up in the garden is right in the middle of the lawn.

[swamp thing]

Hi

Observing planets depends on seeing as opposed to transparency.

Hazy nights are often the stillest and can be better for planetary observing than the clear cold nights of excellent transparency.

Splitting close doubles is often better done with a slightly hazy still night too.

So sometimes when there is a slight haze forget the DSO's and have a bash at some close doubles or the Planets, you might well be pleasantly surprised.

Nights of great seeing and excellent transparency are truly rare in this country.

Regards Steve

[laser_jock99]

Bright objects are the same where ever you are- the steadyness or seeing of the atmoshpere has more effect when viewing bright objects at high magnification. In darker skies it's nice to view stuff at much lower magnification. In really dark skies wide field or even wide angle photography is possible

[LukeSkywatcher]

Planets are a bit of a bitch to observe in general. Its all down to "seeing"

[umadog]

Yeah, I agree with all that. If the seeing is bad the planetary views are bad. Everything's bad, actually, you just notice it with the planets more.

[scottydog]

Also if observing from your garden, do not place your scope on concrete paths etc. Concrete retains a lot of heat during the day which it releases during the night. This creates heat thermals right infront of your scope. Your best place to set up in the garden is right in the middle of the lawn.

hmmm.....as I suffer from Hayfever I got rid of both of our lawns many years ago so as to not suffer while mowing them