Saturn, Mars and Jupiter last night

[entropia]

I hope you are not tired of another first time sighting.

Last night was cloudy but I stayed late because I had to finish a report. When I was done, around 2am (ET) I look through the window and it was clear. I knew Mars would be up in the sky already so I thought that I could wait for Saturn as well. I have never seen them with a telescope before. 

The sky was different what I am used to, the constellations I am familiar with were already on the other side of the sky. It is really useful to have a phone application to know what you are looking at Mars was a little red dot. I thought it would look bigger but it was really shiny  (but less than Venus). Saturn wasn't visible yet so I decided to look at Jupiter in the meantime .

Then, I saw Saturn with the naked eye and tried to aim at it. It took me some time (it was still low and I couldn't use the finderscope because of the lights). When I found it, it was so little that I used almost all the eyepieces I had but it looked like some kind of a smaller Jupiter with a black line in the middle. It was already 4:30 and I was tired and disappointed when I decided to use the 4mm ep and then I saw it... a little ball with its rings tilted toward us. I was so happy. So, I have seen 3 planets in a single night . Nobody in my "entourage :)" likes astronomy but I know that here you understand how I feel

[alan potts]

Very pleased you had a great (in the end) first time experience with the planets. Mars looks small most of the time and needs a good deal of magnification, it is getting better all the time now. I am also very pleased you have found a use for mobile phones, I lost count how many times I got woken whilst on travels by these things.

Keep it up.

Alan.

[Nigele2]

We do and you were not alone in your moments of pleasure.  There were lots of gazers there in spirit.

I only managed one planet last night and old moonie of course but three in one night with profile or colour is something special - I imagine   But that night will come for me and you can be sure I'll shout about it.  

Can't wait for your next report but maybe a little while before "4 in a night" I guess but we all hope   

[SW130p]

Had the same experience as you this week and got to see bodes and cigar too bonus!. 

[entropia]

Very pleased you had a great (in the end) first time experience with the planets. Mars looks small most of the time and needs a good deal of magnification, it is getting better all the time now. I am also very pleased you have found a use for mobile phones, I lost count how many times I got woken whilst on travels by these things.

Keep it up.

Alan.

I wish the next iphone comes with a telescope incorporated so we can locate, observe and take the picture all with one device

[entropia]

Nigele2, on 12 Jan 2014 - 11:09 AM, said:

We do and you were not alone in your moments of pleasure.  There were lots of gazers there in spirit.

I only managed one planet last night and old moonie of course but three in one night with profile or colour is something special - I imagine   But that night will come for me and you can be sure I'll shout about it.  

Can't wait for your next report but maybe a little while before "4 in a night" I guess but we all hope   

 If you can stay awake from 3am until dawn I guess you could see 4 planets (Venus). Or even more?? Actually, the first time I looked at the moon I was very happy too  

[entropia]

Had the same experience as you this week and got to see bodes and cigar too bonus!.  

Now I m feeling kind of envious I don't know if I can see them with my telescope. 

[Ccolvin968]

If you look at his signature, he has a 130mm scope on an EQ-2 mount. You'll learn that some of the objects you can see are what we call "faint fuzzies." They are the exact same things you see in magazines, but the fact that you're looking at them, that second in time, is so much more amazing than a picture. It may be small, faint, blurry, or look like a star. You'll love it though. I promise.

[entropia]

If you look at his signature, he has a 130mm scope on an EQ-2 mount. You'll learn that some of the objects you can see are what we call "faint fuzzies." They are the exact same things you see in magazines, but the fact that you're looking at them, that second in time, is so much more amazing than a picture. It may be small, faint, blurry, or look like a star. You'll love it though. I promise.

That's true. Even if it is a little red dot  but the fact  that you found it and saw it with your own eyes makes it special

But besides the telescope, the light pollution in my area is bad. I have been trying to see M31 but I guess in the present condition it will be difficult. 

[SW130p]

Now I m feeling kind of envious I don't know if I can see them with my telescope.

Yes it was very difficult to see, I could just about make out the pair, very faint but excited to see them. Had fair amount of LP too. Just keep looking, it's what keeps this stargazing going.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CJ77]

I'd just like to add that most of us on here are probably incredibly jealous as well - No matter how your observing technique may improve, or scope upgrades you may put in, nothing ever quite beats the feeling when you see something for the first time - I posted elsewhere on here about my session the other evening, where I saw Uranus for the first time, and also a couple of fuzzies (M81 and M82), and it genuinely is mind blowing. And I still remember the first time I saw Jupiter with my own eyes (just over a year ago through bins).

So I don't ever get bored of hearing about other's first time discoveries, as it reminds me of those times for myself!

Happy hunting!!

[Gazetilludrop]

Couldn't agree more with CJ77, I think you just cannot beat the excitement of viewing for the first time and that feeling of awe! Well done with seeing 3 planets in a night!

I was dying to get out but the heavens were not favourable here (as per)  Lets hope this weather bucks up.

[entropia]

I'd just like to add that most of us on here are probably incredibly jealous as well - No matter how your observing technique may improve, or scope upgrades you may put in, nothing ever quite beats the feeling when you see something for the first time - I posted elsewhere on here about my session the other evening, where I saw Uranus for the first time, and also a couple of fuzzies (M81 and M82), and it genuinely is mind blowing. And I still remember the first time I saw Jupiter with my own eyes (just over a year ago through bins).

So I don't ever get bored of hearing about other's first time discoveries, as it reminds me of those times for myself!

Happy hunting!!

My next planet will be Uranus, I hope I can see it soon

[Little Big Planet]

I hope you are not tired of another first time sighting.

Last night was cloudy but I stayed late because I had to finish a report. When I was done, around 2am (ET) I look through the window and it was clear. I knew Mars would be up in the sky already so I thought that I could wait for Saturn as well. I have never seen them with a telescope before. 

The sky was different what I am used to, the constellations I am familiar with were already on the other side of the sky. It is really useful to have a phone application to know what you are looking at Mars was a little red dot. I thought it would look bigger but it was really shiny  (but less than Venus). Saturn wasn't visible yet so I decided to look at Jupiter in the meantime .

Then, I saw Saturn with the naked eye and tried to aim at it. It took me some time (it was still low and I couldn't use the finderscope because of the lights). When I found it, it was so little that I used almost all the eyepieces I had but it looked like some kind of a smaller Jupiter with a black line in the middle. It was already 4:30 and I was tired and disappointed when I decided to use the 4mm ep and then I saw it... a little ball with its rings tilted toward us. I was so happy. So, I have seen 3 planets in a single night . Nobody in my "entourage :)" likes astronomy but I know that here you understand how I feel

Love these posts they make me smile. I also don't have anyone in person to share my enthusiasm over the night sky with, although my partner and parents were amazed at the site of Jupiter/4 moons and our moon through my scope the other night. Any how Congratulations on Mars and Saturn i am yet to see them and i cant wait.. AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS 

[Rapallokid]

well done you must have been pleased, \Uranus should also have been visible but only earlier in the evening. I had some friends around over the weekend and it was one of the things I showed them. very small spot but pretty impressive to say you have seen it.

RK

[Ccolvin968]

M-31 can be difficult sometimes. Especially with a bright moon out.

I was looking at it last night, and M-31 looked like a very small star.

There wasn't even any fuzziness to hint that I was looking at it.

The way I know immediately if I'm in the right area, is that M-31, M-32, and M-110, make a very obtuse triangle shape.

They should be in the same fov depending on your scope setup.

If you struggle with light pollution to begin with, try shooting for some of the brighter star clusters.

They are just beautiful, and there are plenty to go around.

[entropia]

well done you must have been pleased, \Uranus should also have been visible but only earlier in the evening. I had some friends around over the weekend and it was one of the things I showed them. very small spot but pretty impressive to say you have seen it.

RK

Didn't your friends say... oh, how small. I thought you could see it like in the pictures ?

[entropia]

M-31 can be difficult sometimes. Especially with a bright moon out.

I was looking at it last night, and M-31 looked like a very small star.

There wasn't even any fuzziness to hint that I was looking at it.

The way I know immediately if I'm in the right area, is that M-31, M-32, and M-110, make a very obtuse triangle shape.

They should be in the same fov depending on your scope setup.

If you struggle with light pollution to begin with, try shooting for some of the brighter star clusters.

They are just beautiful, and there are plenty to go around.

Thanks for the tips. I think it is important to know where to look for the object. I used Cassiopeia but I didn't find anything where Andromeda was supposed to be (maybe I was looking at the wrong spot)