Venus + Saturn

[toml42]

Had my first decent view of Venus last night, it's quite a pretty little thing really. At 200x the gibbous phase was obvious, although it did promote a little red/blue fringing in my 10mm skywatcher MA

I thought Saturn was superb last night, not sure whether it was better conditions, my recent collimation, or both.

Sharp and clear, all the way up to 200x. Possibly some colour banding. I could see 4 moons (Titan, Dione, Rhea and Tethys, says Stellarium) despite the sky not being particularly dark. Took a little averted vision for Rhea and Tethys, but i definitely saw them

This was at 200x, as it definitely helped darken the sky enough to see the fainter two. The brighter two were clearer at 100x though, i felt.

Whats the most moons anyone else has seen?

[Totnesdave]

Mmmm must go looking for Saturn again, it's swinging quite low now in the sky

I actually find that after Titan, Rhea is the moon that jumps out at me next, then, as long as I know in advance where I'm looking with its less obvious positioning, Iapetus is the next one after that. Fainter for me are Tethys and Dione, and Dione sometimes eludes me, fickle thing that she is

I always take a quick screenshot output from Stellarium before going out, set for the approx time I'm going to be observing, and match them up, it's a great tool for that

cheers

Dave

[toml42]

rhea and tethys were quite close to saturn when i looked, i think this may have made spotting them more difficult, as they should both be brighter than dione. i had a look for iapetus, but couldnt see it, maybe another time...

[AlexM]

I enjoy working out which moons I saw where after the event. It makes an interesting foot note to my that I've journal recorded on the spot.

[yeti monster]

Trying out my new WAs again tonight, conditions still best described as "muggy", I thought I'd give Venus a go with the 8mm. I was surprised to be able to clearly see a gibbous phase, and probably the best view I've ever had of the bright, shining planet.

Turning to Saturn I started with the 20mm and could just about make out one satellite, quite a way out. Jumping through the 17mm, then the 12mm and onto the 8mm I found that in the 8mm Saturn was too fuzzy, so dropped back to the 12mm and enjoyed my first long visit since returning to China 2 weeks ago. As ever, Saturn was a pleasing sight, some how making me call it a sweet pea????

After Saturn I gambled on Mars, now the tiniest of salmon pink dots, but showing a clear and rather sharp form, even in the 8mm. However, for some reason, there was an aweful lot of vibration causing Mars to "buzz" about, but during the calm moments, as I say, very clear.

I spent the rest of the session just "swimming" through the milky way, pausing to take in the occasional glob, open cluster and double that I'd stumble across. It was far too hot and humid to bother taking any notes, and I've far to busy to plan any observations. It was hard not to drip sweat into the EPs.