planets ?

[Charlie_132]

When will more planets become visible ? I'm in the uk (stevenage, hertfordshire)

At the moment there's only saturn and mars visible ? I think venus sets before it gets dark enough ?

I'm planning on seeing mars tonight, maybe saturn if I can be bothered going outside ... I can see mars from my living room at about half 10 - midnight.

When will jupiter become visible again ?

I've also read that neptune will be visible as a evening to late night planet within the next few months ?

Uranus is visible at the moment .. But I'm no way going to even attempt to find that .. Unless I come into some money and buy a £400 dob 300p ? (If that's powerful enough)

Is there a time of year that all planets are visible ?

[jflowers]

Stellarium thats all i can say, use the date function, it really is a great piece of software.

[Charlie_132]

oh ive looked on there.

find it strange that venus has gone out of sight so sudden though ....

how do you view planets up close on stellarium ?

[Starlight 1]

By my book Jupiter in Taurus in June,oct,dec this year.

[jflowers]

find it strange that venus has gone out of sight so sudden though ....

Venus is going to transit the sun in less than a month, its not going to be visible at night for a while

[Charlie_132]

ohh yeah i read about that

when will jupiter be back and when is saturn about until ?

[jflowers]

how do you view planets up close on stellarium ?

Select the planet, centre on selected object (space bar) and scroll up

[Dazzyd]

You can also select the object and press / which will zoom right into the selected object. Pressing \ zooms right back out again

[Charlie_132]

thanks!

i didnt know it could be done until i saw a picture someone posted on here

[JamesF]

Jupiter will be back in the mornings next month, heading for opposition on 3rd December.

Saturn is around until early October I think, but becoming an increasingly awkward target throughout that period.

James

[Charlie_132]

ah okay then, so upiter will be a night planet by december ?

i ll hopefully have of upgraded to a 200p or 150p dob by then.

would i see much difference in a 150p compared to a 130p ?

also when is mercury visible ? is it ever a night planet ?

same question about neptune

[jflowers]

Mercury is always an early evening/morning planet due to its proximity to the sun, Neptune is just very far away and seems slow moving, it will be in a better position to see, though it will always be faint.

[Starlight 1]

Mercury ----Oct 12

[Starlight 1]

Neptune june 12 & Dec 12. In Aquarius.

[Charlie_132]

so when is the best time/month to see mercury and neptune ?

[Starlight 1]

I put in 12 for (2012)

[JamesF]

The first time I found Neptune, I couldn't make it out as a disc at all. It looked like just another star, but in Stellarium there was no star where I could see the dot of light, so it must have been Neptune. It's not what I'd describe as an easy target, especially with a smaller scope.

James

[Charlie_132]

oh okay then

thanks for the quick replies everyone

[Stu]

Still worth giving Venus a go, it is easily visible before it gets dark and is showing a lovely phase currently

Stu

[Moonshane]

Uranus is easily seen in a finder scope and most telescopes will be able to detect a disk.

[Charlie_132]

How can venus be found in the sky when its not visible by eye ?

[Naemeth]

How can venus be found in the sky when its not visible by eye ?

When Venus is in the sky, it is the brightest thing in the sky besides the Sun and Moon as is the first the you can see, if you can only see one bright light in the sky that isn't the Sun, then that's Venus. It's just until the 6th of June, you'll have less and less time to see it as it approaches the Sun for the Transit.

[JamesF]

Using a GOTO mount that has been aligned on a previous evening?

James

[Stu]

I could clearly see Venus naked eye last night from quite early, well before it was dark. If you know where to look it is amazing how you can see it in daylight. Once you've found it, it's much easier to find again. Get your scope on it and you'll see!

Stu

[rwilkey]

Venus is still visible straight after sundown, I saw it last night. In Stellarium, to zoom you can use the schrolling wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out.