Saturn

[buzzlightyear]

Anyone know what's the earliest time to view Saturn and Mars at the moment.

Thankyou

[Savo83]

Do you have Stellarium?  If you pop your location into it you can see exactly what time optimal viewing will be for your location.  Mars for me is about 11 and Saturn starts to rise about 1:30 - 2am.  My back faces south east so those times are about right for my location.

[Savo83]

Here is the link for Stellarium - it's completely free. http://www.stellarium.org/en_GB/

[buzzlightyear]

Thanks but unfortunately it won't load on my iPad which is often the case when something I want is free lol

[mitchelln]

Try Sky Safari

[Pondus]

Or heavens-above.com, just plot/ point at your location. Should work.

Rune

[cotterless45]

Luminos is a very useful app for ipad,

Nick.

[buzzlightyear]

Yeah I'll try one of the free ones first tho as I'm a tight [removed word] lol

[buzzlightyear]

Managed to download app called star chart and it's very good for free.

[buzzlightyear]

Got up at the crack of a sparrows burp to check out Saturn and Mars for my first time. Was very impressed but I'm sure when the moon has gone it will be better.

[ronl]

Glad you were impressed with your first view of Saturn and Mars, not a great deal

of detail of Saturn but I had good detail of Mars, well worth staying up for.

[buzzlightyear]

Yes I think in a few weeks it will be pretty good, and later next month it comes out earlier.

[Marky1973]

Buzz, I've used Star Chart, SkEye and Sky Map+ - which are all good, but I keep coming back to Stellarium - seems more user friendly - if you can get it to work, I'd defintiely give it a go! Not that I have an Ipad or know if you can even get it to work!

Do you get Sky at Night magazine? They have some good monthly info on what you can see - they say next week will be best time for Saturn this month (31st) - although, if the weather holds up I might give it a go tonight.

[Justi]

Stellarium is on android so should recon could find it on Ipad, I did have to pay 8 euros for it, Also for about 8 euros and a much better app than stellarium is mobile observatory, I really enjoy this app especially when out and about and want to see what is out tonight, and set myself some targets to view for when I get home. 

Plenty of free software to but not liked any other that works so well on my Android. If at the PC stellarium is my only choice.

[Richardisgreat]

To answer the question for you,  Mars is rising at about 21.00hrs  in south east probably want to leave it till about 22.00hrs to get a better view.  Saturn is rising at about midnight in the same rough direction.  Again probably want to leave it a good hour after to get a better view.  The times will change as the days pass and remember the clocks go forward at the end of the month.

[buzzlightyear]

Yes I was out looking at them 3am this morning then about 30/40mins the cloud rode in my view.

[Moonshane]

I was pleasantly surprised at the declination of Mars last night at about midnight. will be better than I feared this year I think.