cpsTN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 1205
Loc: Tennessee (37129) 36N 86W
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About how many Asteroids are viewable through MOUNTED 10x50 and 15x70 binos?
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Charles P. Sands
Observing since 12/29/86
8" f/5.9 dobsonian (Zhumell DSH-8), with 8x50 RACI
70mm f/5 achromatic refractor (Orion GoScope)
GSO plossls (12 15 20 40), Orion barlows (2x 3x)
10x50 Bushnell Falcon binos
15x70 Celestron StarMaster binos
S&T's POCKET SKY ATLAS
Kodak EasyShare Z915 digital camera
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The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
Psalm 19:1
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Mark9473
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/21/05
Posts: 3220
Loc: 51°N 4°E
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Interesting question, I'm curious if anybody will have the answer. From looking at astronomy yearbooks I'd guess that in any given year at most a dozen or so make a "worthwhile" appearance.
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Mark
Leica 8x20; Vixen 8x42; Swift 8.5x44, 10x50 and 20x80; TS 7x50; Orion 15x63; Docter 15x60
WO Megrez II 80 FD + Baader 90° T2 Amici
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Man in a Tub
Not Retired!, But a little cranky!!!
Reged: 10/28/08
Posts: 2059
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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I don't know if there is a "list." But you should definitely see asteroids as deep in magnitude as you can go with your 10x50 and 15x70. I've only tracked down two asteroids: Vesta (mag 7.4) on Christmas night last year and Juno (mag 8.3 or dimmer) two nights ago. Juno is in Aquarius right now and an easy star hop from Uranus. (Well, that's how I found it.) Last year and early this year, I observed Vesta a few more times. It was zipping along from Pisces into Cetus (IIRC). For both asteroids, I just happened to be using my Garrett Optical Signature 15x70. I should have tried my Nikon 12x50 Action EX for Juno. I'll do that in a few weeks.
Have fun!
(I've corrected constellation for Uranus and Juno above.)
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Todd
Brunton Eterna 15x51 ° Garrett Optical Signature Series 15x70
Nikon Action EX 12x50 ° Oberwerk 15x60 and 20x80 Standard
Orion Paragon Plus Mount and Paragon XHD Tripod
Garrett Optical Series 2000 Grip-Action Monopod
Edited by Man in a Tub (10/29/09 03:13 AM)
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Man in a Tub
Not Retired!, But a little cranky!!!
Reged: 10/28/08
Posts: 2059
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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I thought I'd look up what are probably the easiest asteroids to view with binoculars. The following are sorted by reported magnitude from PHILIP'S ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE (2005) by Sir Patrick Moore. Magnitudes are not constant. So, here goes:
Vesta 6.5
Ceres 7.4
Pallas 8.0
Juno 8.7
Another source, if it's reliable, is a list of noteworthy asteroids at Wikipedia. There's a table about a third of the way down the page for the brightest asteroids sorted by maximum opposition magnitude. To spot most of these asteroids, you'll need an ephemeris which should give you the best times. I've never worked with one. Oh well, something new to learn!
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Todd
Brunton Eterna 15x51 ° Garrett Optical Signature Series 15x70
Nikon Action EX 12x50 ° Oberwerk 15x60 and 20x80 Standard
Orion Paragon Plus Mount and Paragon XHD Tripod
Garrett Optical Series 2000 Grip-Action Monopod
Edited by Man in a Tub (10/29/09 03:20 AM)
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John Flannery
sage
Reged: 12/03/04
Posts: 328
Loc: Dublin, Ireland
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Hi guys,
The following link has the opposition details for the brighter asteroids in 2009. You can click on each link to get the ephemerides or there is also an option to download elements for popular planetarium software.
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Bright/2009/index.html
All the best,
John
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Ireland's FREE sky guide for the year ahead at www.mediafire.com/skyguide
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Man in a Tub
Not Retired!, But a little cranky!!!
Reged: 10/28/08
Posts: 2059
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Thank you, John.
I have added this link to my favorites. Tracking down asteroids will likely be a little more than incidental now.
Clear skies!
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Todd
Brunton Eterna 15x51 ° Garrett Optical Signature Series 15x70
Nikon Action EX 12x50 ° Oberwerk 15x60 and 20x80 Standard
Orion Paragon Plus Mount and Paragon XHD Tripod
Garrett Optical Series 2000 Grip-Action Monopod
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3469
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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For the record, I find it infinitely more rewarding to view asteroids through a telescope than through binoculars. The real fun is observing them, noting the star field, and coming back a couple of hours later and seeing how they've moved. But binoculars don't have enough magnification to do that job well.
Through binoculars, like so many other things that are best viewed at high magnification -- like viewing Saturn's rings -- it's "gee whiz, isn't it amazing that I can see this through such a limited instrument?" And that's the end of the story -- nowhere else to go.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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Man in a Tub
Not Retired!, But a little cranky!!!
Reged: 10/28/08
Posts: 2059
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Quote:
For the record, I find it infinitely more rewarding to view asteroids through a telescope than through binoculars. The real fun is observing them, noting the star field, and coming back a couple of hours later and seeing how they've moved. But binoculars don't have enough magnification to do that job well.
"Rewarding" and "well" are relative terms. Your statement's logic would apply almost equally to viewing Uranus, Neptune, and even other planets with binoculars. I enjoy following Uranus and Neptune moving relative to background stars over a period of time — when the weather and the Moon permit as well as when I remember. In the matter of asteroids, I've only followed Vesta in late December 2008 and early January of this year. It was fun and rewarding. In my informal fashion, I can add some more asteroids to my observing time. Also, I think finding and following Uranus, Neptune and asteroids sharpens one's skills with binoculars.
À chacun son goût. N'est-ce pas?
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Todd
Brunton Eterna 15x51 ° Garrett Optical Signature Series 15x70
Nikon Action EX 12x50 ° Oberwerk 15x60 and 20x80 Standard
Orion Paragon Plus Mount and Paragon XHD Tripod
Garrett Optical Series 2000 Grip-Action Monopod
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3469
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
"Rewarding" and "well" are relative terms. Your statement's logic would apply almost equally to viewing Uranus, Neptune, and even other planets with binoculars.
Actually, I find that the bluish color of Uranus is quite obvious in binoculars, and possibly also Neptune too. Asteroids, by contrast, look just like stars.
Quote:
I enjoy following Uranus and Neptune moving relative to background stars over a period of time.
Point taken. The motion of asteroids is certainly visible through binoculars -- you just have to wait longer. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
With Pluto, you have to wait a full night even through a telescope at high magnification. But that's part of the challenge.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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cpsTN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 1205
Loc: Tennessee (37129) 36N 86W
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Have you guys decided whether I am supposed to like following asteroids with binos, yet? 
Just ordered a new pair or SkyMaster 15x70s for $71 shipped. I can't wait to compare them to my 10x50s!
Thanks everyone!
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Charles P. Sands
Observing since 12/29/86
8" f/5.9 dobsonian (Zhumell DSH-8), with 8x50 RACI
70mm f/5 achromatic refractor (Orion GoScope)
GSO plossls (12 15 20 40), Orion barlows (2x 3x)
10x50 Bushnell Falcon binos
15x70 Celestron StarMaster binos
S&T's POCKET SKY ATLAS
Kodak EasyShare Z915 digital camera
--------------------
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
Psalm 19:1
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Man in a Tub
Not Retired!, But a little cranky!!!
Reged: 10/28/08
Posts: 2059
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Quote:
Have you guys decided whether I am supposed to like following asteroids with binos, yet?
Hope you'll post some comments about your incoming 15x70.
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Todd
Brunton Eterna 15x51 ° Garrett Optical Signature Series 15x70
Nikon Action EX 12x50 ° Oberwerk 15x60 and 20x80 Standard
Orion Paragon Plus Mount and Paragon XHD Tripod
Garrett Optical Series 2000 Grip-Action Monopod
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cpsTN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 1205
Loc: Tennessee (37129) 36N 86W
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I will post a new "post" when it comes in! Thank you for seeing the humor in my post.
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Charles P. Sands
Observing since 12/29/86
8" f/5.9 dobsonian (Zhumell DSH-8), with 8x50 RACI
70mm f/5 achromatic refractor (Orion GoScope)
GSO plossls (12 15 20 40), Orion barlows (2x 3x)
10x50 Bushnell Falcon binos
15x70 Celestron StarMaster binos
S&T's POCKET SKY ATLAS
Kodak EasyShare Z915 digital camera
--------------------
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
Psalm 19:1
|
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