Kain Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Just seen Mercury for the first time using the dob.Seeing is a little wobbly, but occasionally a nice steady period comes by. Using a 6.5mm EP (192x) I could see a tiny first quarter disk (or around the first/last quarter) and that was about it.Nothing much else to say really, other than another planet ticked off on the list.Kain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaptain Klevtsov Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Didn't know that you could see phases on the thing. I'll have to have a go at seeing that!Captain Chaos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geppetto Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Me neither...must have a look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kain Posted February 4, 2007 Author Share Posted February 4, 2007 Perhaps thats where my dob is useful lol.Kain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Warthog Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 As I've said before, I have never managed to get my scope on Mercury, but I am told on the very best authority that you can see phases, just like on Venus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astroman Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Yup, phases visible on the "inferior" planets, (those closer to the Sun than us).Mercury is a tough catch, for some reason. I'll never forget the hoopla I generated among the astronomers at the Caanyon one year when I bagged it! It's fun to see otherwise jaded acedemics get all googly-eyed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Warthog Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Shouldn't we be able to see some of the outer planets in a sort of gibbous phase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astroman Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Mars exhibits a very subtle gibbous phase, but it's barely noticable, something like 97% illuminated. Other than that, the other planets are just too far away.Phasing comes into effect when our perspective to the planet is such that we see it from the side as related to the Sun angle. Since the outer planets are more or less always seen straight on in relation to the Sun, they do not exhibit phases. Draw youself a little diagram, (or maybe I will), that shows outer planets on either side of the Sun with lines representing sunlight and you'll see the relationship. I guess a simpler way to view it would be to say that phasing occurs when a planet passes between us and the Sun, even though Mars does show some small effect because of its proximity to us.Clear as mud, right? :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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