5 planets in a single view.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Tonight on the way home i spotted Venus and Mars down low to the S/SW. I checked with Stellarium just to be sure. It confirmed both planets for me. Also close by (relatively) are also Neptune and Uranus. All 4 planets forming a diagonal line from S to SW. The 5th planet i saw was Earth (kind of hard to miss that one).

As you can guess, its nice and clear here. I know i missed the main Geminid meteor shower, but there might still be some stragglers about tonight.

p.s.~might be a good time to go look for Neptune and Uranus if youve never seen them before.

[FenlandPaul]

Great stuff, Paul.  Uranus in a frac is a stunning colour - I preferred it in my old ST150 than in my 12" dob.  Haven't tracked down Neptune yet; I really ought to give it a bash.

 

[estwing]

well done sir!...

[LukeSkywatcher]

I cant say that i actually "saw" either Uranus or Neptune. I know i was in the right area(s). Both would appear as "stars" basically. Both would also appear as lighter shades of blue, and i did see similar when i looked. 

Still, i cant say that i "saw" them. I may have "looked" at them. I certainly have not ticked them off of my list just yet. However, knowing where they are about 5pm @ this time of year will make it easier for me to revisit and have a proper go at them. I dont even think 8" is gonna cut the mustard.

[LukeSkywatcher]

1 hour ago, FenlandPaul said:

Great stuff, Paul.  Uranus in a frac is a stunning colour - I preferred it in my old ST150 than in my 12" dob.  Haven't tracked down Neptune yet; I really ought to give it a bash.

 

I swear by a frac for observing the planets. Maybe my memory of them using my 90mm frac is through rose tinted glasses (and then me being a newbie to scopes also), but i dont think ive ever seen Saturn,Jupiter or Mars as well as i did back then........even with my 8SE now.

[Pete Presland]

Nice report, I am sure there are a few more meteors to come still.

Venus is pretty much stealing the show at the moment, blazing away well before darkness arrives. Not managed to catch it in the scope yet, due to the low altitude and conifers. Mars seems to have been around in the same area of the sky for ages, pretty small now, but worth a look.

I had a look at Uranus and Neptune last week. I found Neptune a bit underwhelming, but Uranus was a bit better through the eyepiece.

[Paul M]

Certainly some of the light entering your pupils while taking in the view will have been reflected of Uranus and Neptune. You just couldn't discern them as point of light without optical aid.

It would be very interesting to interrogate every single photon that enters your eye anytime you look skyward and ask them where they came from!

[LukeSkywatcher]

16 minutes ago, bunnygod1 said:

Nice report, I am sure there are a few more meteors to come still.

Venus is pretty much stealing the show at the moment, blazing away well before darkness arrives. Not managed to catch it in the scope yet, due to the low altitude and conifers. Mars seems to have been around in the same area of the sky for ages, pretty small now, but worth a look.

I had a look at Uranus and Neptune last week. I found Neptune a bit underwhelming, but Uranus was a bit better through the eyepiece.

It was Venus which caught my eye. At first i thought it was a plane on its way to Dublin airport.....with headlights on. No red or green flashing lights though so i dismissed that idea. I cant remember a time when i saw Venus shining so big and bright before. It really was screaming out for attention. Then i noticed an orange coloured "star". That was Mars. It was only when i got to the house and went out with scope (after checking Stellarium) that i observed them. Up until then i had no idea that Neptune or Uranus were even in the area.

Ive been into astronomy for 37 yrs and it took me until today to see 5 planets (and better yet.....all in one short space of time). Its not something ive ever tried before and i wouldnt have done it tonight apart from the fact i was stuck on the main street in town at traffic lights and i spotted Venus and then Mars.

LOL........its a bit like waiting for a bus and then 5 show up at the same time.

P.S.~Ceres was/is also up there in the same area of sky, but i didnt try for that. 

[johnfosteruk]

1 hour ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

It was Venus which caught my eye

It certainly is eye-catching isn't it, super bright at mag -4, it's like they moved Sirius right next door

I've been trying to get a view through the scope for about 3 weeks now and clouds/schedules and horizons have scuppered me every time. Fingers crossed for the weekend.

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

25 minutes ago, johnfosteruk said:

It certainly is eye-catching isn't it, super bright at mag -4, it's like they moved Sirius right next door

I've been trying to get a view through the scope for about 3 weeks now and clouds/schedules and horizons have scuppered me every time. Fingers crossed for the weekend.

 

I think this evening/tonight has been the 1st clear night here in about 3 weeks. Ill health has kept me from observing essentially since mid-august.This evening when i saw Venus and Mars (Neptune and Uranus were a bonus).......i just couldnt resist.

Passion inflamed. It just takes one single night to rekindle the relationship with the universe. Wasn't cold out there either at the time. Quite a nice winter's day here today. That helps

[alan potts]

Venus is still not that high even from here where I have at least 10 degrees on the whole of the UK. In fact we also have Mercury over that way too but it is very difficult as it is setting at such an acute angle. I managed it last week through the walnut tree but it was very low and almost impossible to make out a disc. I also had the help of the goto which works from switch on in the obsey, the chance of finding it without I would have said were slim indeed. Viewed the two outer giants as well, I always see Uranus as greeny and Neptune as more blue.

Alan

[LukeSkywatcher]

On 16/12/2016 at 09:18, alan potts said:

Venus is still not that high even from here where I have at least 10 degrees on the whole of the UK. In fact we also have Mercury over that way too but it is very difficult as it is setting at such an acute angle. I managed it last week through the walnut tree but it was very low and almost impossible to make out a disc. I also had the help of the goto which works from switch on in the obsey, the chance of finding it without I would have said were slim indeed. Viewed the two outer giants as well, I always see Uranus as greeny and Neptune as more blue.

Alan

Venus was very low and i didnt get much time with it before it sank below the horizon. I only managed it because i have a new patio stretching right across the back of my house and its a good 12" higher than the rest of the garden. It was just enough to allow me to see over the fence at the end of the garden.