You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar

Observing >> Planetary and Solar System Observing Previous   Index   Next   Threaded

Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | (show all) azure1961p Postmaster Reged: 01/17/09 Loc: USA Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: Larry Geary]       #5298590 - 07/01/12 09:55 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Quote: If any planet is a real "loser" - now that Pluto has been demoted - it's got to be a toss up between Mercury (invisible except on very rare occasions, or in full daylight), Uranus (no merit apart from the name which amuses 8 year old boys), Neptune (even less merit) and Mars (which always, I mean always, disappoints casual viewers, who can't believe how tiny it is - even at a favourable opposition). In the days when earth-bound telescopes of modest size were the only means of studying these planets, careful observers were able to discern detail on all of them (except Pluto) and even determine their rotation periods (including Pluto). They may not be showpieces for the public, but they are challenge objects for the dedicated visual observer. How much detail can you pick out on Mars? Can you identify the morning and evening clouds, or the ones streaming off the summit of Olympus Mons? Can you spot a dust storm forming in the Hellas basin? Can you see the moons of Uranus? How about Neptune's Nereid? (Triton is easy.) Can you find Pluto? Can you split off Charon? Can you find Mercury in the daytime, and what markings can you see? There's a lot there to challenge your scopes and eyes. Unless youve got a scope 3 feet wide or more, and a prayer at that, your likelyhood of "splitting off" charon from pluto is profoundly impossible. Pete Post Extras:       Larry Geary Carpal Tunnel Reged: 09/24/06 Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: azure1961p]       #5299129 - 07/02/12 10:07 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Unless youve got a scope 3 feet wide or more, and a prayer at that, your likelyhood of "splitting off" charon from pluto is profoundly impossible. The separation is 0.9" which is doable in good seeing (like from Florida), and more than a few people DO have scopes that large. I'm not saying to try it with your 60mm Tasco, but someone with a big Dob at the Texas Star Party ought to be able to see it. Post Extras:       Rick Woods Postmaster Reged: 01/27/05 Loc: Inner Solar System Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: Larry Geary]       #5300720 - 07/03/12 02:13 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Quote: Saturn, I observed Jupiter. I knew Jupiter. Jupiter was a friend of mine. Saturn, you're no Jupiter. I quailed at that one. *groan* Post Extras:       azure1961p Postmaster Reged: 01/17/09 Loc: USA Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: Larry Geary]       #5301152 - 07/03/12 07:35 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Quote: Unless youve got a scope 3 feet wide or more, and a prayer at that, your likelyhood of "splitting off" charon from pluto is profoundly impossible. The separation is 0.9" which is doable in good seeing (like from Florida), and more than a few people DO have scopes that large. I'm not saying to try it with your 60mm Tasco, but someone with a big Dob at the Texas Star Party ought to be able to see it. Thats exactly what I just said. Pete Post Extras:       mark8888 Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/24/10 Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: Rick Woods]       #5301955 - 07/04/12 09:53 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Quote: Quote: Saturn, I observed Jupiter. I knew Jupiter. Jupiter was a friend of mine. Saturn, you're no Jupiter. I quailed at that one. *groan* Aw come on, this is bush league. Potatoe, potatoe, tomatoe, tomatoe, let's call the whole thing off. OK, I'm sorry... Post Extras:       ages0ne member Reged: 10/29/10 Loc: CO, USA Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: mark8888]       #5303680 - 07/05/12 12:14 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   So last night, peering thru all the smoke... around 11:30MST i believe i was able to once again locate the fat cat responsible fer this thread we've got here. I gotta ask though, roughly... how often does an observer get to view Saturn with his rings 'straight on' (from 'above/below')? I'm starting to think that i've actually positioned him in my scope quite a few times, but with all the wonderful images i've got to look upon, i expect to see these huge giant rings, circling the planet. However, more often than not, i see a bright (blue-ish) dot with a 'line' cutting thru *shrugs* There was a time a bit past midnight, when not only was i getting to see a moon (or two) pass in front of my view, but i also thought a good sized electrical storm was rushing along his atmosphere. Thanx to all the (earthly) clouds, i was unable to 'zoom-in' fer a better peek of all that lightning! but now that i can have a bit more faith in my hunt fer Saturn, i'll be looking off in that direction as long as weather permits here on Earth. in other words... i is in favor of keeping this giant of rings, right where he be. image pulled from a quick google search of saturn images... --stalker Post Extras:       cpsTN Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/26/07 Loc: Rutherford Co, TN Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: gnowellsct]       #5318133 - 07/14/12 10:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: . You can have FOUR shadow transits. You can have four Moon's transit and cast shadows, but you cannot have four shadows transiting at once! Post Extras:       azure1961p Postmaster Reged: 01/17/09 Loc: USA Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: cpsTN]       #5318185 - 07/14/12 10:46 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Quote: . You can have FOUR shadow transits. You can have four Moon's transit and cast shadows, but you cannot have four shadows transiting at once! I was about to counter that charles, but thinking it over Callisto for example is so very far out in orbit compared to say, Io, I agree the geometry wouldnt support the 4 transit and shadows simultaneously. Id be interested to know if its doable though on rare alignment occaisions. Pete Post Extras:       shawnhar Carpal Tunnel Reged: 06/25/10 Loc: Knoxville, TN Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: azure1961p]       #5318275 - 07/15/12 12:19 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Someone please help Greg, there is something wrong with him. He obviously has NCALTAE12FOTGTVS, it's a horrible sickness and there is a cure, but it comes with a price. Post Extras:       sg80 member Reged: 07/29/07 Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: starrancher]       #5321270 - 07/17/12 12:14 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   loser still looking good 7/16/12 Post Extras:       uniondrone Carpal Tunnel Reged: 12/05/09 Loc: Streetlight Archipelago Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: gnowellsct]       #5323454 - 07/18/12 11:25 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Aside from all the light pollution, I always thought that Earth had a lot going for it. Post Extras:       gnowellsct Postmaster Reged: 06/24/09 Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: uniondrone]       #5335923 - 07/26/12 02:06 AM Attachment (34 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   There's an old saying about "ignore him and he will go away." Well I did everyone a favor and ignored myself. I went away for THREE WEEKS, had a nice time in Paris, and came back to find this thread *still active*! And over 2k hits. Reminds me of the youtube video I posted showing 30 seconds of my dysfunctional washing machine. (4k + hits and climbing fast; I expect it will overtake my C14 video, which was much harder to make and is coming north of 15k hits, accumulated over a longer period of time.) I can only conclude something I had not anticipated when I initially posted: for, I do declare, the readers doth protest too much. In their hearts, they must know the OP was right. But know that I have been chastened: I had oral surgery today, which surely was my penance. Or at least the beginning of it. Because on top of everything else allegedly lovely Saturn is, in its soul, just plain mean and holds a grudge. It has been known since times of yore. (Goya, circa 1820, Saturn Devouring his Children, 200 years out of copyright) GN Post Extras:       dyslexic nam Pooh-Bah Reged: 01/28/08 Loc: PEI, Canada Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: gnowellsct]       #5336141 - 07/26/12 08:16 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Now there's an image to brighten your morning. Post Extras:       gnowellsct Postmaster Reged: 06/24/09 Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: dyslexic nam]       #5336366 - 07/26/12 11:01 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Now there's an image to brighten your morning. Interestingly, Goya hung this painting in his kitchen. For some reason this painting is categorized as part of his so-called "dark period." I can't imagine why. I saw it at the Prado several times, it never fails to make an impression. Greg N Post Extras:       azure1961p Postmaster Reged: 01/17/09 Loc: USA Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: gnowellsct]       #5337613 - 07/26/12 11:19 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Nice Goya *print*! Pete Post Extras:       Tanveer Gani scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 11/02/06 Loc: Washington State Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: gnowellsct]       #5374411 - 08/18/12 09:55 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Greg, your scopes must be miscollimated or something. Here's a movie I shot of Saturn holding up a smartphone to my 6x30 finder. http://vimeo.com/40234826 Tanveer Post Extras:       Rick Woods Postmaster Reged: 01/27/05 Loc: Inner Solar System Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: Tanveer Gani]       #5374847 - 08/18/12 03:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   How did Saturn get a smartphone?? Post Extras:       Matt2003 Post Laureate Reged: 04/22/10 Re: Saturn: Loser planet [Re: Rick Woods]       #5377704 - 08/20/12 02:39 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Jupiter? Sure its big, but its no Saturn. C'mon be serious now. Ethereal beauty & those rings put that womanizing olympian to shame. No wonder Chronos wanted to eat his kids! ROFLOL I like both, but seriously now. Beauty here has always been in Saturn's favor. Jupiter? Its just BIG. Like an NFL Linebacker. But I must admit bias here, Mars is my favorite after Saturn, since you can see surface details. All the rest of these planets? Clouds man, its all just clouds! LOL Clear Skies, Matt Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | (show all)

Previous   Index   Next   Threaded

Extra information 0 registered and 2 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  RLTYS  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 5552 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info

CN Forums Home