How do I - Neptune!!

OK. I went looking for Neptune. My alignment was pretty good and the
computer accurately slewed to both Saturn and Jupiter early in my
session (I use readily identifiable items in the sky to check my
alignments).

So, I star hopped to where I thoght Neptune should be and located what
I thought was the right opject with my 35mm Panoptic (about 64x). I
then pushed the magnification to about 150x to verify my find, hoping
to see a slight disk (I know it won't be large, about 2/3 the size of
Mars at the moment). I kept pushing the magnification, to well over
500x, but still no disk! I went back to 150x and slowly swept the
area but there was nothing else in the general location that looked
like a disk either. The object did seem bluish.

I centered what I thought was the right object and asked the computer
to tell me what I was looking at (the Celestron GoTo controller). The
computer said I was only 4' from Neptune and my FOV was 4 times that.

So, the question is, should I be able to see a small disk for Neptune
(and a slightly larger one for Uranus)? And if so, what kind of
magnification do I need to pull it off?

Thanks.

Clear, Dark Skies

Mark

"Mark Smith" wrote in message
...

So, the question is, should I be able to see a small disk for Neptune
(and a slightly larger one for Uranus)? And if so, what kind of
magnification do I need to pull it off?

Yes... but a very small disk. Looks very much like a planetary nebula (hence
the name). Uranus is much easier... in fact, given sufficiently dark skies
and averted vision, it's not that difficult to do Uranus naked eye.

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 03:47:57 GMT, Mark Smith wrote:

So, the question is, should I be able to see a small disk for Neptune
(and a slightly larger one for Uranus)? And if so, what kind of
magnification do I need to pull it off?

I've always found that Neptune looks distinctly non-stellar even at low
magnifications, 50X or so. I wouldn't say that I necessarily see a disk, but I
do see that subtle fuzziness of a planetary nebula. At 150X you should
definitely see something disk-like, although small.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

I take it you waited until after midnight and you were looking in Capricorn
which would be rising in the east around 1am or so. If not, that's why you
didn't see a disk. It's not unheard of for GOTOs to not be quite pointing
at the right location. Did you double check the position against a recent
star chart and ephemerid like the one in Sky and Telescope or Astronomy?

Neptune should be easily recognizable due to a few things, even if you don't
see or perceive a disk. First, it won't be twinkling unless the seeing is
really bad. Second, it'll be a definite bluish-green color that no star
should have, unless your optics are dirty with something. Third, even
through a 60mm f/15 refractor and around 40x power you should see that
Neptune is not a point of like but a very small disk.

So my guess is that you weren't quite pointing in the right direction for
whatever reason. One reason may be that you mentioned you were looking at
Saturn and Jupiter earlier, but both of those are way in the western sky,
about as far away from Neptune as you can get. I've experienced large
pointing errors in GOTO telescopes, particularly the early ones, when making
large slews. Try re-aligning on a star closer to the position of Neptune.

Also, quite a trick seeing Saturn, considering its only 10 degrees above the
flat horizon at 830pm my time, less than one hour after local sunset
tonight.
--
Sincerely,
--- Dave

----------------------------------------------------------------------
A man is a god in ruins.
--- Duke Ellington
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mark Smith" wrote in message
...
OK. I went looking for Neptune. My alignment was pretty good and the
computer accurately slewed to both Saturn and Jupiter early in my
session (I use readily identifiable items in the sky to check my
alignments).

So, I star hopped to where I thoght Neptune should be and located what
I thought was the right opject with my 35mm Panoptic (about 64x). I
then pushed the magnification to about 150x to verify my find, hoping
to see a slight disk (I know it won't be large, about 2/3 the size of
Mars at the moment). I kept pushing the magnification, to well over
500x, but still no disk! I went back to 150x and slowly swept the
area but there was nothing else in the general location that looked
like a disk either. The object did seem bluish.

I centered what I thought was the right object and asked the computer
to tell me what I was looking at (the Celestron GoTo controller). The
computer said I was only 4' from Neptune and my FOV was 4 times that.

So, the question is, should I be able to see a small disk for Neptune
(and a slightly larger one for Uranus)? And if so, what kind of
magnification do I need to pull it off?

Thanks.

Clear, Dark Skies

Mark

David Nakamoto writes:

I take it you waited until after midnight and you were looking in
Capricorn
which would be rising in the east around 1am or so. If not, that's why
you
didn't see a disk. It's not unheard of for GOTOs to not be quite pointing
at the right location. Did you double check the position against a recent
star chart and ephemerid like the one in Sky and Telescope or Astronomy?


According to Hallo Northern Sky, Neptune will be situated over the SE
horizon at 2:00 a.m. It will not be very high off the horizon at this time
but, then again, it never gets that high off the horizon for us mid latitude
northern observers. Look for it slightly more than 1 degree to the NNE of
4.2 magnitude Theta Capricorni.


--
Martin
"Photographs From the Universe of Amateur Astronomy"
http://home.earthlink.net/~martinhowell

It will not be very high off the horizon at this time
but, then again, it never gets that high off the horizon for us mid
latitude
northern observers.


Perhaps "never" was a bit of an exaggeration ) !! What I meant was
within this immediate time period, i.e. plus or minus ten years. Certainly
in the year 2040, Neptune will be very nicely placed in Aries but, by that
time, take a guess where a great many of us will be very nicely placed. . .



--
Martin
"Photographs From the Universe of Amateur Astronomy"
http://home.earthlink.net/~martinhowell

I take it you waited until after midnight and you were looking in Capricorn
which would be rising in the east around 1am or so. If not, that's why you
didn't see a disk. It's not unheard of for GOTOs to not be quite pointing
at the right location. Did you double check the position against a recent
star chart and ephemerid like the one in Sky and Telescope or Astronomy?

I started at about 12:30. The appropriate part of Capricorn wasn't
far above the horizon, but it was up (maybe 10-15 degrees). I didn't
use GoTo to find it. I star hopped to the right location based on the
S&T detailed Star Chart that they recently published. Only when I
couldn't find any disk at all on my chosen object (what appeared to be
a bright (well, brighter than the other objects in the immediate
area), bluish cast star in a 1 degree FOV at 64x). I didn't acutally
"GoTo", but used the "Identify" function.


Neptune should be easily recognizable due to a few things, even if you don't
see or perceive a disk. First, it won't be twinkling unless the seeing is
really bad. Second, it'll be a definite bluish-green color that no star
should have, unless your optics are dirty with something. Third, even
through a 60mm f/15 refractor and around 40x power you should see that
Neptune is not a point of like but a very small disk.

Sooo, ay 300x (and certainly at nearly 600x) it should be definitely
non-stellar. Must have had the wrong object.


So my guess is that you weren't quite pointing in the right direction for
whatever reason. One reason may be that you mentioned you were looking at
Saturn and Jupiter earlier, but both of those are way in the western sky,
about as far away from Neptune as you can get. I've experienced large
pointing errors in GOTO telescopes, particularly the early ones, when making
large slews. Try re-aligning on a star closer to the position of Neptune.


Or waiting until a little later when it is a little higher and I can
get a few more guide stars. I think I'm going to print off a more
detailed star map before trying again. I'm not disappointed. The
search is half the fun.


Also, quite a trick seeing Saturn, considering its only 10 degrees above the
flat horizon at 830pm my time, less than one hour after local sunset
tonight.

Yep, it was low, but my younger son was with me and he wanted Saturn
so...

It was actually kind of fun because it was against a fairly bright
background.

I take it you waited until after midnight and you were looking in Capricorn
which would be rising in the east around 1am or so. If not, that's why you
didn't see a disk. It's not unheard of for GOTOs to not be quite pointing
at the right location. Did you double check the position against a recent
star chart and ephemerid like the one in Sky and Telescope or Astronomy?

I started at about 12:30. The appropriate part of Capricorn wasn't
far above the horizon, but it was up (maybe 10-15 degrees). I didn't
use GoTo to find it. I star hopped to the right location based on the
S&T detailed Star Chart that they recently published. Only when I
couldn't find any disk at all on my chosen object (what appeared to be
a bright (well, brighter than the other objects in the immediate
area), bluish cast star in a 1 degree FOV at 64x). I didn't acutally
"GoTo", but used the "Identify" function.


Neptune should be easily recognizable due to a few things, even if you don't
see or perceive a disk. First, it won't be twinkling unless the seeing is
really bad. Second, it'll be a definite bluish-green color that no star
should have, unless your optics are dirty with something. Third, even
through a 60mm f/15 refractor and around 40x power you should see that
Neptune is not a point of like but a very small disk.

Sooo, ay 300x (and certainly at nearly 600x) it should be definitely
non-stellar. Must have had the wrong object.


So my guess is that you weren't quite pointing in the right direction for
whatever reason. One reason may be that you mentioned you were looking at
Saturn and Jupiter earlier, but both of those are way in the western sky,
about as far away from Neptune as you can get. I've experienced large
pointing errors in GOTO telescopes, particularly the early ones, when making
large slews. Try re-aligning on a star closer to the position of Neptune.


Or waiting until a little later when it is a little higher and I can
get a few more guide stars. I think I'm going to print off a more
detailed star map before trying again. I'm not disappointed. The
search is half the fun.


Also, quite a trick seeing Saturn, considering its only 10 degrees above the
flat horizon at 830pm my time, less than one hour after local sunset
tonight.

Yep, it was low, but my younger son was with me and he wanted Saturn
so...

It was actually kind of fun because it was against a fairly bright
background.

Hiya Mark !


"Mark Smith" wrote in message
...
I take it you waited until after midnight and you were looking in
Capricorn
which would be rising in the east around 1am or so. If not, that's why
you
didn't see a disk. It's not unheard of for GOTOs to not be quite
pointing
at the right location. Did you double check the position against a
recent
star chart and ephemerid like the one in Sky and Telescope or Astronomy?

I started at about 12:30. The appropriate part of Capricorn wasn't
far above the horizon, but it was up (maybe 10-15 degrees). I didn't
use GoTo to find it. I star hopped to the right location based on the
S&T detailed Star Chart that they recently published. Only when I
couldn't find any disk at all on my chosen object (what appeared to be
a bright (well, brighter than the other objects in the immediate
area), bluish cast star in a 1 degree FOV at 64x). I didn't acutally
"GoTo", but used the "Identify" function.

OK.


Neptune should be easily recognizable due to a few things, even if you
don't
see or perceive a disk. First, it won't be twinkling unless the seeing
is
really bad. Second, it'll be a definite bluish-green color that no star
should have, unless your optics are dirty with something. Third, even
through a 60mm f/15 refractor and around 40x power you should see that
Neptune is not a point of like but a very small disk.

Sooo, ay 300x (and certainly at nearly 600x) it should be definitely
non-stellar. Must have had the wrong object.

I should qualify that last statement I made. When I said Neptune was not a
point of light but a disk, I meant that compared to stars of around the same
magnitude around it, it gave the impression to the eye that it was
non-stellar, not a point. But I think my magnification estimate was off and
that it should definitely show its non-stellar appearance at around 100x.

It's not going to show much of anything, even if you resolve it into a disk,
because it's 22 times smaller than Jupiter, but then seeing it is more of
what you know it is rather than anything to do with the actual view.

Good Luck !

--
Sincerely,
--- Dave

----------------------------------------------------------------------
A man is a god in ruins.
--- Duke Ellington
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hiya Mark !


"Mark Smith" wrote in message
...
I take it you waited until after midnight and you were looking in
Capricorn
which would be rising in the east around 1am or so. If not, that's why
you
didn't see a disk. It's not unheard of for GOTOs to not be quite
pointing
at the right location. Did you double check the position against a
recent
star chart and ephemerid like the one in Sky and Telescope or Astronomy?

I started at about 12:30. The appropriate part of Capricorn wasn't
far above the horizon, but it was up (maybe 10-15 degrees). I didn't
use GoTo to find it. I star hopped to the right location based on the
S&T detailed Star Chart that they recently published. Only when I
couldn't find any disk at all on my chosen object (what appeared to be
a bright (well, brighter than the other objects in the immediate
area), bluish cast star in a 1 degree FOV at 64x). I didn't acutally
"GoTo", but used the "Identify" function.

OK.


Neptune should be easily recognizable due to a few things, even if you
don't
see or perceive a disk. First, it won't be twinkling unless the seeing
is
really bad. Second, it'll be a definite bluish-green color that no star
should have, unless your optics are dirty with something. Third, even
through a 60mm f/15 refractor and around 40x power you should see that
Neptune is not a point of like but a very small disk.

Sooo, ay 300x (and certainly at nearly 600x) it should be definitely
non-stellar. Must have had the wrong object.

I should qualify that last statement I made. When I said Neptune was not a
point of light but a disk, I meant that compared to stars of around the same
magnitude around it, it gave the impression to the eye that it was
non-stellar, not a point. But I think my magnification estimate was off and
that it should definitely show its non-stellar appearance at around 100x.

It's not going to show much of anything, even if you resolve it into a disk,
because it's 22 times smaller than Jupiter, but then seeing it is more of
what you know it is rather than anything to do with the actual view.

Good Luck !

--
Sincerely,
--- Dave

----------------------------------------------------------------------
A man is a god in ruins.
--- Duke Ellington
----------------------------------------------------------------------