Viewing The Planets

[steviejay]

For some time now i've been very interested in astronomy and as where I live has very little light pollution I sometimes go out and see what I can see. however Apart from the Big Dipper and Orion, I can't really pick out much else (apart from what I suspect to be Venus)

Can anyone suggest any good books or sites I could look at which would help me what I could see from where I am? I've seen some sites which say 'Constellation X and Y are located at this location' and then give numbers. What books would you suggest I look into so I could have an idea of where exactly they're meaning when they give co-ordinates like that. Or are there any other stargazers out there who can offer me any tips?

 

[Turner]

WeatherUnderground has star maps. You have to search for it a bit...

Here's the star chart for London. I know it's right next door, so it's gonna be accurate.

 

[Bast]

I'm on the other side of the world so I can't help you but you can see Venus and Mars easily.

Look for Venus in the evening sky but it only appears in a certain time of the year. You can spot it easily because it outshines Sirius the brightest star in the sky.

 

[steviejay]

Thanks man, that's a big help

 

[Gogf]

I'm subscribed to this British magazine, which you may find interesting .

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

For some time now i've been very interested in astronomy and as where I live has very little light pollution I sometimes go out and see what I can see. however Apart from the Big Dipper and Orion, I can't really pick out much else (apart from what I suspect to be Venus)

Can anyone suggest any good books or sites I could look at which would help me what I could see from where I am? I've seen some sites which say 'Constellation X and Y are located at this location' and then give numbers. What books would you suggest I look into so I could have an idea of where exactly they're meaning when they give co-ordinates like that. Or are there any other stargazers out there who can offer me any tips?

Try www.celestia.com

 

[steviejay]

Thanks to all for advice

Although I can't take advantage at this time.... raining *sigh*

 

[Perfection]

Well, if you ever want to view Saturn...
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

I believe that this is the actual link that Nanocyborgasm is going for: Celestia

It's obviously not the same as looking out your window, but it does provide some lovely views of the solar system.

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Well, if you ever want to view Saturn...
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm

That main pic was on the astronomy picture of the day just recently. Utterly gorgeous picture

 

[Perfection]

That was on the astronomy picture of the day just recently. Utterly gorgeous picture

That website is more than that picture! It's like uber-awesome

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Yeah, I'll gladly concede that. Great site.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

Actually, if you get a clear sky, Uranus is visible with the naked eye (barely) and with binoculars at the moment. Bit of a treat for the amateur astronomer.

I remember a couple of years ago driving my family out into the middle of the countryside to escape light pollution to be able to see all six normally visible planets at the one time - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn could all be seen at the same time, and they even lined up nicely, and in order.

Probably shows how much I intellectualise things, but, even though they were all just small dots of light (but bigger than stars, and clearly planets in our binoculars) it was a real life highlight for me.

 

[ainwood]

One point that makes differentiation somewhat easier: Stars "twinkle"; planets don't.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

Ainwood, I thought any twinkling effect of stars (stellar scintillation, if you will) was (normally) due to perturbations in the earth's atmosphere rather than anything else. The fact that Mars, Venus and Jupiter don't appear to twinkle is simply because they are so much bigger in terms of the angle subtended. No ?

Thus Uranus, Saturn and Mercury can appear to twinkle, cos they're so small.

 

[Esckey]

Jupiter is easy to spot, same with Mars, and with a decent telescope(I have a 5.5inch) you can spot the four main moons of Jupiter.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

(I have a 5.5inch)

Hey, I have some junk emails that I can forward you to help with this.

(Sorry, everyone, I should know better.... )

On topic, I haven't been able to spot Jupiter's moons with just binoculars. You'd recommend the telescope then, I take it ?

 

[ainwood]

Ainwood, I thought any twinkling effect of stars (stellar scintillation, if you will) was (normally) due to perturbations in the earth's atmosphere rather than anything else. The fact that Mars, Venus and Jupiter don't appear to twinkle is simply because they are so much bigger in terms of the angle subtended. No ?

Thus Uranus, Saturn and Mercury can appear to twinkle, cos they're so small.

Yes - it is the atmosphere that makes them appear to twinkle.
My understanding was that it more due to distance (stars appear as points) than size. I didn't think uranus, saturn & mercury 'twinkled'.

Here are some links to explanations:
http://www.badastronomy.com/bitesize/twinkle.html
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/twinkle.html

 

[Lambert Simnel]

Indeed, Ainwood. I think we're on the same line with this. The distance is not relevant, except in how it results in a much smaller angle subtended at the eye - the light in both cases (planet and star) goes through all the atmosphere we have available.... ...and the visibility of a (perceived ) sufficiently small object will be able to be affected by the atmosphere enough to twinkle.

I've seen Saturn twinkle, and same for Uranus. I haven't seen Mercury, but I actually haven't looked for it much.

 

[Bluemofia]

Yes - it is the atmosphere that makes them appear to twinkle.
My understanding was that it more due to distance (stars appear as points) than size. I didn't think uranus, saturn & mercury 'twinkled'.

Well, I've heard/logically derived that it is due to how much light we recieve from it, with the greatest light sources such as planets and bright stars have no-ish twinkling because they provide lots of photons and the atmosphere doesn't bend all of it, and a lot comes through unbent, and the dimmer objects twinkle because they emit less light, and a greater percentage of their light is bent.

Though personally I have never seen a star twinkle. (And I have been looking at stars for a while)