How to find planets

[popeye85]

As the tittle might suggest I'm wondering what the easiest way to find planets out in the field? i'm wanting to get a glimpse of Uranus  and Neptune so not exactly planets that stand out like Jupiter-do people just sweep along the ecliptic and hope for the best or is their a more refined method?

P.s-I don't have a smart phone so using a fancy app is out of the question!!

Popeye

[Erla]

You could plan your session. Check on planetarium software, such as stellarium, where the planet you are after will be in respect to known stars and use them as a reference to find it. Setting circles is another option.

[Stub Mandrel]

+1 for Stellarium, it makes planet finding much easier.

[johnfosteruk]

yup, star hopping. Use stellarium, CDC etc to print a chart for an approx time of observing and away you go. Obviously clouds will no doubt mean you're observing later or earlier than planned so use a wide FOV at first to find it.

[Stu]

Star hopping is your best bet, just panning for them won't get you in a position to identify them.

At the moment, Uranus is very close to Venus so should be easy to identify in a Finder and then centering in the main scope.

Neptune is also positioned between Hydor and Phi Aquarii so again might be easy enough to find by putting Hydor to one edge of the Finder.

Simply, assuming you have access to Stellarium or similar, print off some maps with the position identified and some Telrad circles and you should be in with a shout.

EDIT You may well struggle due to the short nights though

[Stub Mandrel]

I can see Uranus in my finder (like a faintish star), but Neptune is too faint.

[Chefgage]

On 04/06/2017 at 18:15, Stu said:

Star hopping is your best bet, just panning for them won't get you in a position to identify them.

At the moment, Uranus is very close to Venus so should be easy to identify in a Finder and then centering in the main scope.

Neptune is also positioned between Hydor and Phi Aquarii so again might be easy enough to find by putting Hydor to one edge of the Finder.

Simply, assuming you have access to Stellarium or similar, print off some maps with the position identified and some Telrad circles and you should be in with a shout.

EDIT You may well struggle due to the short nights though

Sorry to jump on the thread but what version of the sky safari app do you use?

[Moonshane]

I just mark the position each year in pencil on my star map.  I can see Neptune and Uranus in my 9*50 finder. Basically you are looking for a star in your finder that's not on the map.

I use http://m.nakedeyeplanets.com/index.htm

For the positions and see my star hopping guide linked below

 

[Mathyas]

The easiest way i do it is by using mobile phone apps. Its the fastest way for me

[newbie alert]

Best seen early morn at the moment,Uranus is next to Venus which is easily spotted..neptune further around to the right...download stellarium  on a pc if you've not got a smartphone

[TareqPhoto]

In my sky finding or watching Venus and Uranus is a bit difficult because most of the time they are below horizon, but we are lucky enough that we can see Jupiter easily every night almost and Saturn, enough for me with the biggest planets, but i will wait the winter, it may be Venus-Uranus time.

[Cosmic Geoff]

On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 17:55, popeye85 said:

As the tittle might suggest I'm wondering what the easiest way to find planets out in the field? i'm wanting to get a glimpse of Uranus  and Neptune so not exactly planets that stand out like Jupiter-do people just sweep along the ecliptic and hope for the best or is their a more refined method?

P.s-I don't have a smart phone so using a fancy app is out of the question!!

Popeye

Use a GoTo mount. This is a typical example of where GoTo scores. Find Uranus in the Solar System menu and press Enter. In a medium to large scope Uranus will be identifiable as having a disc. What could be easier?

Historic note: Failing to find Uranus was what made me buy a GoTo mount in the first place.

[DHEB]

4 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

Use a GoTo mount. This is a typical example of where GoTo scores. Find Uranus in the Solar System menu and press Enter. In a medium to large scope Uranus will be identifiable as having a disc. What could be easier?

Historic note: Failing to find Uranus was what made me buy a GoTo mount in the first place.

Yes, that's the easy route, and that's all fine. But, looking from some other perspective, star hopping gives you the pride and joy of learning the sky.

Just a reflection

[popeye85]

ok looks like star hopping is the way to go! although like others have said they aren't best placed t the minute-what are they like in winter time?

Although I do Stellarium and that is the obvious way to go, what method is their to use with out-what's the 'old skool' way

[rockystar]

1 minute ago, popeye85 said:

ok looks like star hopping is the way to go! although like others have said they aren't best placed t the minute-what are they like in winter time?

Although I do Stellarium and that is the obvious way to go, what method is their to use with out-what's the 'old skool' way

calculus?

 

[DHEB]

33 minutes ago, rockystar said:

calculus?

 

Oh yes! The old school is fun indeed !  Just a caveat: planetarium software and GoTo might help you find things faster, if you are impatient choose GoTo and avoid calculating yourself