naked eye spotting?

[lostinspace]

I`m currently viewing from my loft, the windows face east and i live on a hill so i have uninterupted views of the night sky, however i can not line up my mount with polaris as the instructions say to due to the hight of the windows. as mars and saturn (?) are in the eastern sky tonight i was wondering if anyone knows of a good way to recognise these plannets by naked eye, helping me to find them with my scope? thanks for your earlier replies, very helpfull, cheers guys.

[davidscanlan]

They should be the brightest stars in the region, especially Mars....no mistaking that one :-)

Dave

[lostinspace]

cheers dave, is it acctually shining red as i`ve been told?

[brantuk]

Saturns currently in Virgo. Draw a straight line from Spica (in Virgo) up to Regulus (in Leo) and Saturn is about a third of the way along in that direction. Best viewing time/position tonight is around 3-4 am 'ish due South.

It'll be East by South East around midnight - 1am 'ish but just rising so not very high and you'll be looking through a lot of atmosphere.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I suppose the best way to identify planets with the naked eye is to look for the big bright "stars" in the direction you know the planets are in and if the "star" twinkles.......it is a star. If it does not twinkle.............it's a planet.

[davidscanlan]

cheers dave, is it acctually shining red as i`ve been told?

Theres a definite red hue to it :-)

Dave

[lennoxlude]

I`m currently viewing from my loft, the windows face east and i live on a hill so i have uninterupted views of the night sky, however i can not line up my mount with polaris as the instructions say to due to the hight of the windows. as mars and saturn (?) are in the eastern sky tonight i was wondering if anyone knows of a good way to recognise these plannets by naked eye, helping me to find them with my scope? thanks for your earlier replies, very helpfull, cheers guys.

well i'm a beginner like you that is sight seeing by the naked eye at the moment due to not getting my binoculars yet. i've seen mars, which by the naked eye looks like a very bright orange star. couple of nights ago i saw jupiter not far from the moon, but then the clouds came over.

[Dazraz]

I suppose the best way to identify planets with the naked eye is to look for the big bright "stars" in the direction you know the planets are in and if the "star" twinkles.......it is a star. If it does not twinkle.............it's a planet.

never knew that info many thanks:hello2:

[Doc]

Your views will be degraded observing from your loft. Think off all those warm air currents coming up through the floors.

Just check above your neighbours house with your scope and you will see how bad it can get.

[lennoxlude]

i normally observe from the back garden, or go to the near park. i take my daughter with a flashlight lol, so she can have a go down the slide and swings whilst at the same time being interested in the sky. so far no bigger kids at the park, which is always good. lol