Just got my first telescope. Can't see any planets

[kevink]

Hi all,<br /><br />I just bought my first telescope: - a Celestron NexStar 102 SLT. It's a 4" refractor with a 102mm tube. http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=8&ProdID=29<br /><br />I've managed to get some decent views of The Pleiades, but I've had no luck with viewing planets or galaxies. I live in east San Diego County and the skies are reasonably dark.<br /><br />I've been trying to view Jupiter, Venus, and Neptune, but haven't had any luck. I've been using the NexStar feature to locate these planets, but either the feature isn't working or the planets are just too dim to see with the scope I'm using. I should add that the I _am_ able to successfully locate stars and groups of stars using the NexStar - so maybe the planets are too dim to be viewed from where I'm located?<br /><br />Am I doing something wrong? Is this time of year and my location just not a good time to be observing the planets? Or should I trade in my new scope for something with a larger aperture? I'm looking to keep the price at or below $500.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Kevin K.<br />Santee, CA

 

[qso1]

The only planets too dim to be viewed under good viewing conditions are Uranus, Neptune, Pluto no matter your location. If you can see the Pleiades, you won't have trouble viewing the naked eye planets. I'd say the scopes fine so I wouldn't trade it in just yet. Its probably just a problem locating the planets. IIRC, Jupiter should still be visible in the early evening towards the west southwest. You could get a starmap and use it to verify your telescopes targeting. Getting Starry Night software would be useful as well. Its a good way to check that your scopes tracking is working. You can literally select your location etc. in SN and it will provide a night sky view. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[kevink]

Qso1: Thanks for the information. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were the planets I tried to observe. Now I understand that I shouldn't really expect to be able to see 'em without a more powerful scope. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />I'm looking forward to checking out Jupiter. Should I be able to get a decent view of it with this scope (73x)? And I'm really looking forward to seeing the rings of Saturn? Is that possible with this scope? Also, any idea when Saturn will be visible from my location? According to the sky maps I've looked at, Saturn isn't visible at this time.<br /><br />Will check out Starry Night...<br /><br />Thanks again,<br /><br />Kevin

 

[qso1]

That clears it up for me as well now that I know what your target planets were. You should be able to see the most visible atmospheric bands and maybe the red spot if the red spots pointed in our direction and not too diffuse. Sometimes its not always red.<br /><br />Saturns rings were visible to my K-mart telescope many years ago and even though small in appearance, when you know what your looking at and how far off it is...its really quite spectacular. I'm not sure when Saturn will be visible again but I have Starry Night and once I put it back into my computer (I hope tomorrow), I'll get that info for you.<br /><br />BTW, there is also a program called Celestia which was a free astronomy program. Don't know if it still is but it was an excellent program as well. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Welcome to SDC!!<br /><br />Actually, this is a tough time to look for planets.<br />Jupiter is setting in the west at about 8PM (only 10 degrees above the horizon), meaning you'd be looking toward San Diego, and it will be very low, hence fuzzy.<br /><br />Saturn rises just before 4AM, but once again, will be low and fuzzy, this time in the east.<br /><br />Venus, Mars, and Mercury are within 15 degrees of the sun, so not visible right now.<br /><br />So you are left with Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.<br />Pluto is not within reach of a scope that size, and Uranus and Neptune will be a challenge. You may well have seen them and not reconized them as planets. The disks are very small. For Uranus, I find the color is a help, once you know it.<br /><br />To find them you will need an accurate star chart of the part of the sky where they are, with their positions included.<br /><br />I would recommend that as a start you subscribe to either Astronomy or Sky and Telescope, since they have charts with the planets positions several times a year, or get one of the sky astronomy programs. There are plenty of other objects they suggest to look for througout the year, so you'll learn more as you read.<br />For example, there are a number of star clusters visible now in Sagittarius, a great place to just look around.<br /><br />A telescope is a tool, and like any tool, it takes time to learn how to use it well. So don't give up yet!<br /><br />As a side note, one of my best meteor observing experiences took place in the mountains east of San Diego. I was stunned at how dark the skies were, considering how close to the city it was.<br />I saw up to 120 Geminid meteors an hour that morning, and the Beehive looked like a comet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

Thanks MeteorWayne. I was going to reload Starry Night but some other stuff came up and I wanted to help this person out. You helped us both because I suspected the planets had fallen out of favorable viewing but didn't get to verify it. Just a couple months ago Jupiter and Mars were visible. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

SkyMapPro is always on my desktop <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />It is nice to be able to help people identify things they see, and since I can easily change location and time, I can put myself under their skies.<br /><br />I'm disappointed with the planetary situation this year.<br />On Halloween night, I like to set up my scope for all the ghosts and goblins (and parents), and also bribe the teenagers to think I'm cool enough not to trash <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br />Uranus and Neptune are too subtle for public viewing.<br />So it's either the quarter moon (not bad) or Sagittarius and the Andromeda galaxy <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

I actually do not even have a scope anymore. I last used one in 1986 and it was just a small backyard type. I wanted to get a large Celestron type 8 or 14" scope but couldn't afford it.<br /><br />SkyMapPro sounds similar to Starry Night. My computer crashed awhile back and I've been working on other projects so I havn't had the chance to reload SN. I use it more for data and image support in my graphic novels than actual astronomy. I hope one day I'll be able to resume my astronomy hobby. Maybe even astrophotography. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

I have 2 1/2 scopes, but don't use them a lot, since I'm a meteor guy.<br />My first, which I still own is an Edmunds Astroscan 2001.<br />Since it's my smaller one, I mostly use it for solar projection (Great views of the Venus transit last year), and for looking at large objects where the wide field of view is useful. It was a great scope for Hale-Bopp, since you could fit the whole comet in the field, except for when it was at it's largest.<br /><br />I also have an 8 inch Orion dob. Lots of bang for the buck. And since I know my way around the sky (meteor observing again) I don't need automatic pointing scopes.<br /><br />Finally, a mile away is the largest scope in NJ accessible to the public, which I can use anytime.<br />4 1/2 Tons of metal and glass, 26" dameter mirror. Currently it's configured as a Newtonian, eventually the Cassagrain conversion that we've been working on for years will be finished.<br /><br />But like I say, I'm a meteor guy, so tend to look at the whole sky for hours. Hundreds of hours. And I've never seen a UFO <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

The closest large scope to me is at a community college planetarium about ten miles from here. I havn't been to that one in awhile. I spend time looking at the night sky for meteors. Mostly during meteor showers but occasionally I'll see some good ones during non-shower periods.<br /><br />No UFOs sighted here either. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[kevink]

qso1: Thanks again. It sounds like I should have no trouble seeing Saturn's rings with my $500 telescope, then. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />I found Celestia here: http://www.shatters.net/celestia/index.html<br /><br />MeteorWayne: Thank you. I had the NexStar point my scope to Neptune and then to Uranus, but couldn't see them - maybe they just appeared too small and subtle like you and mentioned.<br /><br />My scope came with TheSky and I've figured out how to view tonight's sky, but do you know if there is any feature in TheSky that will allow me to search for a viewing schedule for a particular object - such as Saturn?<br /><br />All: If I want to view galaxies, would I be better off exchanging my scope (I have 7 days left to do so) for an 8" reflector? Or do I need to spend a LOT (over $500) of money to get a decent scope for viewing such objects?<br /><br />Or, maybe I just need to be patient and wait for some decent viewing times for Jupiter and Saturn...<br /><br />Thanks!

 

[petepan]

kevink,<br />don't worry too much, you can still see galaxies with a 4".<br /><br />I have a 4.5" reflector and a good way to get started with observing is to locate Messier objects (lots of galaxies and clusters), there are 110(109?) in total, and iv'e found about 40 so far with my 'scope! The Pleadies is actually M45 (Messier No:45) , someone correct me if i'm wrong, so you have already spotted one! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />If you have the cash and the inclination to really get into observing, personally, i would go for an 8" reflector, but if you need the "goto" aspect it might be too costly unless you can do with out it.<br /><br />Cheers

 

[qso1]

No problem. I had a scope with a less than 2 inch diameter lens. Its been so long I've lost touch with what little terminology I did know. But I saw Saturns rings on several occasions. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Mtor ,thanks for info.Useful stuff.

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>SkyMapPro sounds similar to Starry Night. My computer crashed awhile back and I've been working on other projects so I havn't had the chance to reload SN.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />For quick and dirty starmaps, I use Your Sky. It's nowhere near as sophisticated as Starry Night, but it has the benefit of not needing to be installed; you just go to the website and plug in coordinates (or pick a city from their database) and a time in UTC. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

I'm not sure that a "quick and dirty" starmap would help identify Uranus and Neptune in his scope.<br /><br />I'll give it a try though. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

I think I'm right.<br /><br />It uses a large symbol for the planets, which obscures the local starfield. For Uranus and Neptune, you really need a chart which shows them in position relative to the starfield, so you can identify which one is the planet.<br />In that size scope even Uranus is going to be a barely identifiable disk.<br /><br />IIRC, he said it came with a sky program, that sounds like his best bet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Is that The Sky a product which shows the planet as a large symbol?<br />If so, that won't help much.<br />If it shows all the stars that you should see in your field of view, and identifies which one is Uranus (which most times is brighter than the majority of the stars) that will be fine.<br />If you need it, I will try and send you a closeup of the fields for Uranus and Neptune, which should help you pinpoint which of the dots in the scope are the planets.<br />Like I said, once you identify Uranus, the color is distinctive enough that it should be easier in the future.<br />For now, it will be the only one in the view that actually looks like a disk, rather than a pinpoint. However, it takes some experience to be able to fine tune your telescope's focus and your eyes to notice the difference.<br />Uranus and Neptune are hard ones to start with! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />Is this the first time you've looked through a scope, or just the first one you own? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>It uses a large symbol for the planets, which obscures the local starfield. For Uranus and Neptune, you really need a chart which shows them in position relative to the starfield, so you can identify which one is the planet.<br />In that size scope even Uranus is going to be a barely identifiable disk. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />You can zoom in with Your Sky. It's not fantastic, but if you only have access to a computer that isn't yours and on which you're not allowed to install software (e.g. the one I'm using at the moment), it suffices. What you do is first click in the whole-sky starmap in the general vicinity of the object you're interested in. This gives you a closer look. Then you can adjust the field of view and click "update" to zoom in further. (It's in the "Aim Point" section of the controls.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

I zoomed in several levels and still found a symbol (which covered a lot of space, rather than a point labelled as Uranus.)<br /><br />Did I not go far enough?<br /><br />If you're looking at a starfield, the symbol really wouldn't allow you to pick out which dot is the planet IMHO.<br /><br />I'm trying to imagine looking through a telescope and trying to find the right dot. Being a meteor guy, my telescope skills aren't that great, so I look through the scope as a semi-amateur. I needed the starfield to find Uranus my first time. <br /><br />Now mine, I can find <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

Thanks for that link. Its easier than setting up the JPL sim. I have yet to reinstall my Starry Night SW. I'm waiting till the need (My graphic novels) arises again. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[kevink]

Petepan: Thanks for the info. I do really like the GoTo feature (and I don't have a ton of cash), so I guess I'll stick with what I have for now. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />I did manage to get some decent shots of the moon and the Pleiades.<br /><br /> http://kevandang.textamerica.com/?r=5389075<br /><br /> http://kevandang.textamerica.com/?r=5375143<br /><br /><br />SVMsmiles: Thanks for that info. Now, if only Saturn could get a bit further above the horizon - then I'd be happy. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> I did manage to get a shot of the Pleiades (see above).<br /><br />Qso1: I wish there was something I could do to get Saturn to be higher above the horizon sooner. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />CalliArcale: Thanks.<br /><br />MeteorWayne: Thanks again.

 

[qso1]

I don't blame you. Saturn is probably the most visually stunning thing to see in a scope or even binocs. I don't even have a pound of cash these days so I don't know if I'll ever get back into astronomy. Least not with larger scopes. Much less astrophotography. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[kevink]

Thanks. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Kevin