Should we include Earth!

[magic77]

When logging Planets we have seen should we include Earth?..Who does and who doesnt?..

[jgs001]

I don't see why not, it's very easy to see though ... I did...

[Nexus 6]

Well I don't see why not. We only have the 7 to list, not including Earth. We could try for the sub planets like Pluto, a much more difficult list I'm sure!

Alan

[yeti monster]

I've always found Earth diffucult to get the full disc into the FOV...

[Moonshane]

I include Earth.

[WayBig]

I've always found Earth diffucult to get the full disc into the FOV...

:D

[Talitha]

Absolutely not, don't be silly.

This is an astronomy forum... Earth is terrestrial, not celestial.

[pete_l]

I've always found Earth diffucult to get the full disc into the FOV...

That's probably the best answer (even if it was meant in a lighthearted way). Provided you observe the Earth as you would observe say Mars or Venus then yes - with the whole object observed in its entirety. If you do manage that, a note to give your location when the observation was made would be just as interesting as the description of what you saw.

[bamus]

how would Earth look like from Mars? I guess it would be much brighter than Venus from Earth.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

how would Earth look like from Mars? I guess it would be much brighter than Venus from Earth.

No: it has the same reflective surface area as Venus (give or take a few percent), but a lower albedo, on the whole. Besides, the earth receives less light from the sun than Venus per unit of surface area, and the distance between Earth and Mars is larger than between Earth and Venus. All effects contribute to a lower apparent (naked eye) brightness of Earth seen from Mars, than Venus seen from Earth.

[callisto]

I would say yes.....when the Earth's shadow can be seen crossing the Moon

[CKemu]

Including Earth, hrmm why not! I feel its apt to include my own "planet" then: Zanzibar Beach Planet | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Demonperformer]

On the one hand, scientifically earth is just a rocky planet, so why not? But are we just out there to put ticks in a box?

When at a gathering where an hour into observing time someone pipes up with "That's 20 objects I've seen so far", I always think "You've seen them. but have you actually looked at them?" Surely an observation worthy of the name will include seeing what there is to see and we all know how the more time you spend at the eyepiece looking at an object the more you see.

Also, if the skies had been clear this morning, I could have just looked up, seen a bright point of light and said "I have observed Saturn". But surely, to anyone who has seen Saturn through a telescope, that would qualify as a pretty unsatisfactory "observation".

On these grounds, I would have to say that I have not seen more than a tiny fraction of what can be seen on earth, and so I cannot justify "logging" it.

[mike.brightmore]

The Apollo astronauts can log Earth as a planet. I also love the images of Earth taken from beyond Saturn by Cassini.

[hunterknox]

It's the same as including the Earth in your address. Of course you can do it but whether you should is another matter.

[bamus]

No: it has the same reflective surface area as Venus (give or take a few percent), but a lower albedo, on the whole. Besides, the earth receives less light from the sun than Venus per unit of surface area, and the distance between Earth and Mars is larger than between Earth and Venus. All effects contribute to a lower apparent (naked eye) brightness of Earth seen from Mars, than Venus seen from Earth.

good points and have to agree. but what about extra light reflected from Moon?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

good points and have to agree. but what about extra light reflected from Moon?

The albedo of the moon is rather low, it would be negligible.

Regarding the main topic of the thread: after visiting all continents inhabited by man, and observing, studying, and photographing many of its sights, animals and plants, I think I may tick the box. In fact, I have studied it better than any other planet.

I am sure the latter holds for most of us.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Actually, observing other planets gives you more of a right to tick the box "Earth", because you suddenly realize you are on a sphere like that. Not the giant, storm-tossed ball of gas that is Jupiter, nor the arid waste of Mars, or the hell of Venus, but an amazing, living planet. Seeing moon, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter neatly delineating the plane of our solar system on one evening last year brought this message home in no uncertain terms.

[yeti monster]

Regarding the main topic of the thread: after visiting all continents inhabited by man, and observing, studying, and photographing many of its sights, animals and plants, I think I may tick the box. In fact, I have studied it better than any other planet.

These are not really an set of astronomical observations though, are they?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

These are not really an set of astronomical observations though, are they?

So? the question is not whether I have made an astronomical observation of Earth, but whether I have successfully observed Earth. Besides, what defines an astronomical observation? After all, I used the same camera and lens to take photographs of comets as I used for landscapes on Earth, so what exactly is the difference?

[Moonshane]

would an image of the surface of Mars (of the landscape of Mars) count as an Astronomical photo? I think it would.

this is all very personal of course and if you want to include Earth then do - if not don't