Just saw Neptune and Uranus for the first time in my life :) (with binoculars)

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daniash

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Just saw Neptune for the first time

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Bravo!! I find it difficult to zoom in as close as I would want to on Jupiter. Jupiter is much more pleasing to look at through the telescope (or binoculars as it is), because you can see all four of the major moons. What I find happens is that the larger the X the more adjustment needs to be made on the spot. The other night at about 125X, I was able to make out Jupiter's banding and the moons pretty well, but I had to adjust the telescope about every minute to keep the scope aligned with the position of the planet in the night sky. I imagine Saturn would also be very satisfyng, but I could not imagine the difficulty in keeping Uranus and Neptune in the viewfinder :)
 
Sweet.

A tid-bit on Averted Vision, and how it works:

Your eyes have two kinds of cells, Rods and Cones.
Rods are very good at adapting to changing light and can see the dimmest light-sources, given some time to adapt; but they only see black and white.
Cones are very good at interpreting Color, but are terrible at adjusting to changing light conditions.

The center of your field of vision (that which we spend the most time focusing on) is made up entirely of Cones - great for details and color, terrible for dim light.

Just ouside of your center of vision is where the Rods start to mix in - which allow you to see dim objects, although only in black and white.

Happy night gazing!
 
I know what the feeling's like, having seen Uranus for the first time through a scope last year and then Neptune finally this year. It's a great feeling. Congratulations!
 
Hey, congratulations! I remember an Astronomy book which said that Uranus is the last planet which could be seen through binoculars.

My greatest moment was seeing Jupiter and three of his moons through a cheap telescope I got for a birthday years ago, so I can understand how great it must have been for you for accomplish this feat! :)

Some weeks ago, Domian (a radio-TV-phone talk show) had the topic "Goose Bumps" and a man called and told how he saw two solar eclipses in Spain (I think) and Turkey, and he said that the eclipse in Turkey was the greatest moment of his life.
 
I have seen Jupiter (three moons + surface textures) through a telescope, and I have seen it and up to two of its moons with binoculars (after a while of focusing my eyes in complete darkness) and it is beautiful.

I can't wait until I can see Saturn through the telescope :)
 
Venus's crescent shape isn't too hard to resolve, but if you've only got 10x magnification then that may make it tricky. If it's low in the sky (which can be quite common with Venus) then the atmospheric turbulence doesn't help. Persevere with it though, as it's lovely to see when you do get it... as are Saturn's rings - one of the most breathtaking things that I've seen through the telescope.
 
I usually balance mine on a chair, or window sill. It usually involves uncomfortable postures.
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Same for me - luckily my largest bedroom window looks directly south (brilliant for ISS passes, and viewing Jupiter when it's too cold outside), with another facing West. Jupiter is usually visible at about 22:00 from my west facing window, which is a great thing to fall to sleep watching.

Saturn is usually too small to resolve any ring structure at 10x, although maybe if I achieved perfect stillness with a tripod or something, I might be able to see something more.
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My binoculars are 10x, and I'm not expecting to be able to see anything detailed using them, but my grandad has a Sky-Watcher reflecting telescope, and that is what I aim to use.
I saw Jupiter through it (as described above) without any filters, and the surface textures were a little discoloured, but viewable.

I'll post more updates on what I'll manage to see, if anybody is interested that is.
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Yes please!! I ma still a newbie, but my dad will be coming round in 3 weeks time, and he always helps me, because he works for the ESA, and has similar interests to me.
I would buy a telescope myself, but I am spending all my money on learning to fly at the moment, and I can use my grandad's anyway.

---------- Post added at 18:06 ---------- Previous post was at 17:45 ----------

I did a bit of research (thankyou heavens-above!), and found that I'm going to have to wait until mid-February 2010 to see Saturn. Mars will be visible too.

Do the heavens-above sky charts show Neptune and Uranus? I didn't know it was there until I read the starting post to this topic!

---------- Post added at 18:58 ---------- Previous post was at 18:06 ----------

I can see all four of Jupiter's moons through my binoculars now!
 
Yes, both my dad and uncle are working for ESA - that's great for my developing interests. My dad comes round to England in two weeks time, I can show him Orbiter (and this forum) then.

I also saw all four moons before complete sunset yesterday too - I was having high hopes for viewing them again this morning, but it has clouded over now.

Also, thanks for the resources - I'll take a look.
 
Thanks - that looks like a great piece of software.
 
daniash said:
I could see at the same time Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Mars and the Moon. Maybe Jupiter was also still above the horizon but I didn't look.
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No, Jupiter sets in the early hours of the morning at the moment (for the UK).

It is a good time to see the conjunction of Mercury, Saturn and Venus right now as they are all close and the dawn is getting later meaning that you don't have to get up at oh-Christ-o'clock to see it :-)
 
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