Magnification of an object

[Carl]

Hey all

I`ve got a quick Q about magnification (brightness) of a satelite/object, when can the object be seen and when can`t it be seen? e.g which it better to see the object - or +.

Thanks for any help.

Carl

[John]

Hi Carl,

Generally if things seem a little too faint at high power I find less magnification is better. The exception to that is working at very low magnification when a modest increase can darken the background sky making faint objects (eg: nebulae and galaxies) easier to spot.

John

[Carl]

ok m8 thanks or the help

[jgs001]

Carl, in terms of Satellites, and +/-'s if your talking about Magnitude (based on your comment about brightness), the lower the number the brighter it is, the Sun is something like -26, the ISS is often as bright as -2 or -3. A lot will depend on how bright the skies are as to what you can see easily.

[Carl]

Ok thnak you so much, just got me scope outside gonaa have a go at the ISS tonight and then ENVISAT later.Am looking forward to it.And so far it`s a nice dark blueish sky:PD

[Ant]

Unless your a wiz at tracking, the ISS is a naked eye / bino's job.

It moves from one horizon to the other in about 2 minutes.

[barkis]

Not sure I fully understand your question Carl. When you say object, you indicated satellite.

Satellites are populating the sky in hundreds Some, like the International Space Station, are quite bright and easy to see. Th track and view them with a scope is not easy. You can photograph them from a fixed tripod, and a camera with a 28- 50 mm lens.

As for the - + signs, I assume you are referring to height of an object in the sky. + Numbers indicate the declination of the object. If you Imagine the earths equator projected out into space, then that is the celestial equator. That number is 0 degrees declination. Any object above that imaginary line has a positive number in degrees Minutes and seconds. Anything below the equator, has a negative number in degrees minutes and seconds. It follows that object with a positive declination, will be more convenient to view, because the higher the declination, less of the earths atmosphere is looked through.

The belt stars of Orion are roughly on the celestial equator.

The numbers assigned to stars are fixed to all intents and purposes, both in RA and Declination.

Right Ascension being the coordinates of the East West motion of the stars. These numbers are in hours minutes and seconds. Objects such as planets and the sun and moon do not have fixed coordinates, because they have a proper motion of their own, so their numbers change minute to minute.

Hope this helps a bit.

Ron.

Sorry Carl, I just realized, you were referring to magnitude and not coordinates. What a pillock I am.

[Carl]

Unless your a wiz at tracking, the ISS is a naked eye / bino's job.

It moves from one horizon to the other in about 2 minutes.

I know, i was hoping you spot it ( with my naked eye) and then put the scope on level with its cause and either track it or at least get a glanse of it,but i couldn`t see it at all tonight,oh well there`s still ENVISAT and while i`m waiting for that,i can do a bit of deep sky and star observing so

And Barkis it`s ok.lol i`m just glad you`ll still talking to me.

Right i`m off to go learn my constellations again lol.

[Carl]

i missed both ISS and ENVISAT but...............................

I caught Iridium 76 & Iridium 60 which was just an awesome sight!!!!!! so not a bad viewing after all.