How to Locate Objects in the Sky?

[iLoveSpace]

Hey. So I have a Celestron Powerseeker 50AZ (just a weak amateur telescope), 20mm, 12mm, and 4mm eyepieces. I also just installed Stellarium.

Now that I am all set, I want to start observing some nice objects like planets.

I just checked Stellarium and it reveals hundreds of stars and it also shows me Jupiter and Venus and no clouds or pollution, but in real life, I live in a city and there is pollution and I usually just see like 5 to 10 bright stars.

(I just live on a street with houses, street lights. I don't have the opportunity to go to observing places.)

So how am I supposed to find a planet such as Jupiter by using my telescope & Stellarium while being on this street?

Don't you need to be able to recognize constellations to find planets?

(Which I can't do since I can barely see any stars in my location)

[Kropster]

With great difficulty!

[iLoveSpace]

That's what I was thinking.   I guess the only thing I can observe as of now is the Moon.

I hate how you can only see nice things by travelling. I want to just observe in the comfort of my own location.

[Pyrodave]

Don't know how much this will help but, If you press f4 in stellarium to bring up the sky and viewing options, you can adjust the atmosphere settings to show what you see from your location 

[iLoveSpace]

Just tested the adjustments for the atmosphere. Increased it to the max light pollution (10) and there is still more stars than in real life 

But it is much more similar to my location than the original Stellarium sky.

Once winter is over and the weather gets better, I'm going to be setting up on my lawn observing all night for the first time.

But for now, just more research and testing.

Thanks Pyrodave.

[ronin]

You should see Jupiter from whereever you live, it is about the brightest and biggest thing up there.

In general terms about 20:00 to 22:00 it is in the South and shining away.

Planets move so you might have to know which constellation they are in at any particular time but for Jupiter, and eventually Saturn, direction and time are easier. Constellations are useful more for Uranus and Neptune.

You are going to need to work out a few basic constellations, Orion (easy at present) Casseiopia, Dipper (asterism not actually a constellation). Other times of the year Lyra, Cygnus, Leo. These 3 may be a little difficult dependiong on the light pollution.

Then you need to find out what is in them or near to them that you want to see, or try to see.

With light pollution avoid the faint nebula, sounds good but basically practicallity prevents it..

Could try double stars and some clusters. Get out and locate M42 now before it gets below the horizon.

[DeepSkyBagger]

Venus and Jupiter are both far brighter than any stars in the sky. Venus brilliant in the west after sunset, Jupiter high in the south.

[Muttley76]

I think its Venus that I was trying to find, really bright dot in the west, just can't find it in my telescope

[iLoveSpace]

You should see Jupiter from whereever you live, it is about the brightest and biggest thing up there.

In general terms about 20:00 to 22:00 it is in the South and shining away.

Planets move so you might have to know which constellation they are in at any particular time but for Jupiter, and eventually Saturn, direction and time are easier. Constellations are useful more for Uranus and Neptune.

You are going to need to work out a few basic constellations, Orion (easy at present) Casseiopia, Dipper (asterism not actually a constellation). Other times of the year Lyra, Cygnus, Leo. These 3 may be a little difficult dependiong on the light pollution.

Then you need to find out what is in them or near to them that you want to see, or try to see.

With light pollution avoid the faint nebula, sounds good but basically practicallity prevents it..

Could try double stars and some clusters. Get out and locate M42 now before it gets below the horizon.

I noticed that on Stellarium, Jupiter always seems to be there.

Even with light pollution, I always see these three bright specks of light in the sky, I'm guessing one of them may be Jupiter.

By the way, what magnification should I be at in order to identify if it is Jupiter?

I have a 600m focal length and 20mm, 12mm and 4mm eyepieces.

[iLoveSpace]

I think its Venus that I was trying to find, really bright dot in the west, just can't find it in my telescope

I heard Venus is a bit harder to find due to the timing (sunset, etc.) . So I'm going to tackle the easier targets first.

[kens]

Get yourself a planisphere. They only show the brightest stars and are very portable and don't need electricity to work.

Use Stellarium to work out where the planets are then look up the constellation on the planisphere when you are outside.

You should also learn how to use and preserve your night vision so you can see more.

[Stropper]

Hi and welcome

Although I don't have much light pollution, my first night out I found Jupiter easily enough as it is so bright. The same for Venus. I use the App Sky Safari which plots the position of planets when you want to look for them as long as you put in your location

Hope you manage to see some things despite your location

[iLoveSpace]

Just checked Stellarium today, toggled light pollution, checked SW, saw Sirius and other stars and then bought out my mobile compass and matched the sky. 

Eventually, I found Jupiter and confirmed it by seeing the positioning of the stars around it.

It is indeed, 100%, Jupiter!

Can't wait till tomorrow, gonna go outside and setup to look at Jupiter.

This is going to be fun       

[kalasinman]

Congratulations! Sirius is very bright, should be easy. Keep going.

[Astrosurf]

Glad you found it! I still, after all these years, have difficulty getting objects in my field of view. My red dot finder is invaluable - when I have it lined up correctly! 

Alexxx

[iLoveSpace]

Checked Stellarium today. Jupiter, Venus and Mars will all be bright this evening. Even though it is -25 degrees Celsius, I am going out.

I'll post the progress.   

[Kropster]

Checked Stellarium today. Jupiter, Venus and Mars will all be bright this evening. Even though it is -25 degrees Celsius, I am going out.

I'll post the progress.   

At least you won't get any dew at those temperatures!

[ghostdance]

Well....maybe not dew, but.....

[iLoveSpace]

LOL. I went out that day to look at Jupiter, despite the freezing temperature, I stayed out for an entire hour. Everyone in my family yelled at me and my hands froze for 30 minutes.

But it was all worth it.

They wont understand it. It's only something a fellow stargazer would know.

[eriksters]

It's only something a fellow stargazer would know.

Amen!

[Kropster]

It has to be said that a hat, gloves and jacket make it a lot more comfortable though!

[Charic]

Hey. So I have a Celestron Powerseeker 50AZ (just a weak amateur telescope),

Now that I am all set, I want to start observing some nice objects like planets...........

    I guess the only thing I can observe as of now is the Moon.

I hate how you can only see nice things by travelling. I want to just observe in the comfort of my own location.

Its a good job the Moon is there? but here  is a solution, you will need to consider a bigger telescope.

EVERY telescope will work better from a dark site. period.

Most of us however have to suffer some form of light pollution within our  immediate vicinity. 

I started with a 5" telescope, then quickly jumped to an 8", the difference is just amazing. 

You / we may not see much with our own eyes, but my  8" telescope  gathers more than 800 times the amount of light that my eyes alone, all  funnelled to a point where I can see the image with an eyepiece,  so a larger telescope allows us to see  fainter targets,  with more resolution and greater detail.

For observational use,  a bigger aperture is  essential, even with  light pollution !

Your eyes  need shielding from the pollution more than the telescope at your home, so its best to try and create or  hide in the shadows, or cover your head with a dark towel to better adapt your eyes to the conditions.  

Then try the larger telescope from a darker sky, it only gets better.

[carastro]

You should be able to find the planets with a finderscope, assuming you have one on your scope.  Just make sure the finderscope is properly aligned to your main scope (you can do this during the day on a distant object).  

Then once it's in the finderscope you should be pretty much there with the main scope.

Carole