Daylight planet viewing

[proflight2000]

Thankfully now the cpc is working I thought I'd take the opportunity to view Jupiter in the daytime and she is just as gorgeous as during the night. Using the sun to solar align (yes I have all the solar filters and would of course remind anyone never to look at the sun directly through a scope without a filter attached) I slewed over to the great old planet and it did me proud for a good hour. The sky's were not brilliant, but seeing her sat there all on her tod makes me realise why I do this.

Up early tomorrow morning to catch a few more daytime visuals if I can, justifies me spending :-)

[oldpink]

I've viewed Jupiter a few times an hour or so before sunset but normally when I can see it visually in the sky
I didn't realize you can see it in daytime (if thats what you are saying)

pic is just after sunset but still a blue sky

[proflight2000]

I started viewing it around 2pm this afternoon and left the scope to track it, the viewing wasn't brilliant as there was whispy cloud around, but as long as you can find it you can normally see it as right now it is pretty bright.

[oldpink]

thanks for that info
I will try if the sky is clear tomorrow, I should have it in my FOV around 3pm and my goto finds it pretty much off the bat

[cathalferris]

I regularly used the ETX-70 to view Jupiter and Saturn during the day. Always much nicer to look for them when the sky is that deep dark blue, and it's a lot easier to see them when they are at quadrature and in the part of hte sky where the blue scattered light is polarized and darker than elsewhere.

It's and interesting study in the differences in the apparent surface brightnesses of the planets, given there's a fairly even background to compare with. Jupiter pops out of the sky, whre Saturn always took a little more work to notice.

I used look at bright double stars as well just to see if I could.

A well rehearsed goto setup with portable mounts is necessary, those with observatories have a much easier job!

[Stu]

Am currently tracking Jupiter with the Vixen, have been doing so on and off since about 2pm.

I left everything setup last night and just turned it off. The Skysensor remembers its alignment if you want it to, so it was a relatively easy goto, albeit only good enough to put it in the finder.

The view is nothing stunning, but I can clearly see the disk and the two main belts at x135 with a 20mm Plossl. Will be interesting to see it develop towards sunset.

Stu

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[oldpink]

managed to find Jupiter a few times in the daytime now
pity its cloudy today can't see anything

[Stu]

Beginning to look very nice now the sky is less bright. Quite a lot of detail visible. No moons yet, wonder when they will appear?

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[oldpink]

no chance tonight
forecast is wall to wall cloud, tomorrow & Friday look promising though

[Kirscovitch]

I will have to try this sometime. The VX mount has a hibernate feature that keeps the alignment when you power down and remembers when you power up. I also imagine that if the moon were up in late afternoon that I could do a solar system align on the moon.

[oldpink]

first time I did it I used the moon to set the scope alignment then slewed round and was pretty much spot on

[Stu]

Lovely views here now, popped a Neodymium filter in now it's got a little darker and that has really improved the contrast. GRS looking lovely

Stu

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[John]

I managed to find Jupiter at around 7:00 pm tonight. I estimated it's position then picked it up with 12x60 binoculars and then it was easy to get the finder of the scope on it. In bright twighlight I thought it looked really special. The GRS was just coming around onto the disk and there was plenty of belt detail visible. What was interesting was that I thought it looked a more obvious globe when there was still quite a lot of light in the sky - the 3D effect seemed much more enhanced. Now it's darker the disk of the planet looks somehow flatter. There is still a lot of detail and contrast and the GRS is really nicely defined though.

[trynda1701]

I've seen Venus with the naked eye during daylight without following it as it rises (usually near noon, high up next to a waning cresent Moon), but has anyone seen Mars, Jupiter or maybe even Saturn during daylight with the naked eye?

Mark

[Stu]

All packed away now, seeing had gone off a bit, probably due to being over the houses, but in moments of clear seeing the views were lovely. Using the Vixen, VIP Barlow and 12.5mm Ortho giving x216.

I agree on the views in twilight John, a very nice and different aspect to it. Great to watch GRS progressing across as the sky darkened.

Stu

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[Stu]

I've seen Venus with the naked eye during daylight without following it as it rises (usually near noon, high up next to a waning cresent Moon), but has anyone seen Mars, Jupiter or maybe even Saturn during daylight with the naked eye?

Mark

I did get Jupiter naked eye today but only later on probably around 5 or 6pm. It was still daylight, but obviously slightly darker than at midday.

It is difficult to spot on the first place, but once you've picked it up, it is very obvious.

Stu

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[Stu]

Here is the big Vixen doing its thing. For scale, that is an 80mm old bino finder fitted to it :-). Allowed me to pick up Jupiter quite easily so quite handy.

Stu

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[Grotemobile]

Going to dig the gear out,

& give it a go.

Better than sitting here

sun bathing.,

Steve

[trynda1701]

Apparently, there is an article in Sky and telescope October 2014 page 36 about this very subject of daytime planet spotting.

Apparently a very nice article about seeing stars and planets in broad daylight with unaided eyes or optical aid.
It suggests that a 6 inch telescope is the best compromise.

Must have a lookout for that issue.

Mark