Telescope Reviews: 5 Galilean Moons?

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Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars

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rydberg
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/25/04

Loc: Richmond, KY, USA

5 Galilean Moons?
#5602124 - 01/02/13 11:06 PM

Well, not really, but it sure looked that way...

Tonight (10:35 EST) I trained my Canon 15x50 toward Jupiter.
Nice little orb, not much flaring, very nice. One, two, three Little Galilean Moon on the left and ...two more to the right??
A quick check with Stellarium showed that I had Io, Europa and Ganymede on the left (mag 5.48, 5.08 and 5.76 respectively), Callisto on the right (Mag 6.08) and smack dab on the plane of the Moon orbits, between Callisto and Jupiter, a tiny little Star (HIP 20417 A, Mag 6.0, 1753 light years away). Stars do appear to be between the Galilean satellites, but not often they are just as bright as them. It surely looked like Jupiter had sprouted an extra Moon!

By the way, all this handheld with no tripod. Isn't IS grand?

Marco

Post Extras:

StarStuff1
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/01/07

Loc: South of the Mason-Dixon Line

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: rydberg]
#5602136 - 01/02/13 11:15 PM

I don't have IS binos but I'm sure it is grand. It seems like Ol' Jupe's major moons lines up with random stars on a regular basis. Neat to see. What would have Galileo thought...the next night?

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Lou3
member

Reged: 07/19/12

Loc: PA, USA

Re: 5 Galileian Moons? new

[Re: rydberg]
#5602153 - 01/02/13 11:24 PM

Because of the light pollution in my area, tonight was my first time seeing the moons. I didn't think my 7x35 would be up to it. Thank goodness for clear winter nights. I also observed them with a Vista 8x42, which showed them very nicely - when I could stay still enough. I was indeed thinking that IS would be grand.

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ScumotheUniverse
sage

Reged: 12/02/08

Loc: first dark primordial pool.

Re: 5 Galileian Moons? new

[Re: Lou3]
#5602197 - 01/02/13 11:56 PM

This article will allay any misperception that you are viewing a fifth Galilean Satellite. It is a difficult prospect even telescopically. http://www.astronomy.net/articles/18/

Lest we not forget that Galileo did very well without IS.

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stevetaylor199
sage

Reged: 09/21/11

Loc: SE Wisconsin

Re: 5 Galileian Moons? new

[Re: ScumotheUniverse]
#5602204 - 01/03/13 12:03 AM

Heh, I saw that fifth moon too, though it was last night. It's fun to know I wasn't the only one who did a double take.

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BillC
on a new path

Reged: 06/04/04

Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Re: 5 Galileian Moons? new

[Re: Lou3]
#5602205 - 01/03/13 12:03 AM

"... a tiny little Star (HIP 20417 A, Mag 6.0, 1753 light years away)."

Yeah, Yeah, you Italians (or being from Kain Tuck, I-tallians) have been tryin' to get a plug in for "LITTLE STAR" since the Elegants launched the idea in . . . 1958. Anyway, while I would like to see it, 1,753 light years is too far to walk!

Cheers, and have a great new year, you old college . . . person, you.

BillC

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ronharper
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 02/14/06

Re: 5 Galileian Moons? new

[Re: BillC]
#5602224 - 01/03/13 12:21 AM

I saw this too. ...Callisto, and Daisy Mae. It was so perfect!
Ron

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Man in a Tub
Postmaster

Reged: 10/28/08

Loc: Fogpatch, CA

Re: 5 Galileian Moons? new

[Re: ronharper]
#5602309 - 01/03/13 02:40 AM

Right now Davis' Dog is playing with Jupiter and its moons.

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ianatcn
member

Reged: 05/26/10

Loc: Hampshire, UK

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: rydberg]
#5602351 - 01/03/13 04:35 AM

Hi Marco,

When I was out tracking down comet linear on 1st Jan I turned my 20x60s on Jupiter and saw the 5th moon. As you said it was dead in line and also a similar magnitude to give the illusion. There were also several fainter field stars around which gave the whole view a lovely three dimensional feel. I am with you on image stabilisation, it is hard to beat when you have to grab a quick look between clouds.

Ian

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Simon S
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/07/07

Loc: Crawley West Sussex UK

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: ianatcn]
#5602628 - 01/03/13 09:51 AM

Me too. I was trying out my new Celestron 25x100 and thought they were better than i'd expected.

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Rich V.
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/02/05

Loc: Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, USA

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: Simon S]
#5602796 - 01/03/13 11:36 AM

I've seen 5 Saturnian moons in 71x100 binos and they all really were moons!

Now there's a binocular challenge for you!

Rich

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SMark
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/29/11

Loc: Atlanta, GA USA

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5602921 - 01/03/13 12:38 PM

Quote:

I've seen 5 Saturnian moons in 71x100 binos and they all really were moons!

Now there's a binocular challenge for you!

Rich

...

Edited by SMark (01/03/13 12:42 PM)

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Sonomajfk
member

Reged: 06/30/12

Loc: northern CA, USA

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: SMark]
#5605933 - 01/05/13 02:00 AM

I watched Jupiter for a while tonight also, with 15x70s (on a tripod)and saw the 5th "moon" as well! Came inside to check the moon positions; glad I looked at this thread first! I knew it was either a well-positioned star or a funky internal reflection. Glad to confirm it was really there. Haze and clouds quickly obscured the whole scene.

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daniel_h
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/08/08

Loc: VIC, Australia

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: Sonomajfk]
#5606004 - 01/05/13 04:19 AM

i saw the same thing in my 25x100 while waiting for my yes to get dk adapted before checking out comet LINEAR -freaky

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dpwoos
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 10/18/06

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: daniel_h]
#5606145 - 01/05/13 08:57 AM

Do the moons look non-stellar in binos, as opposed to background stars? They certainly do in a scope, even using very low magnification. In fact, at public viewing events I often suggest to the more interested folks that they try and determine the relative sizes of the moons, which they more often than not get correct.

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Rich_W
member

Reged: 09/07/09

Loc: Philadelphia, PA

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: dpwoos]
#5606180 - 01/05/13 09:28 AM

Same sight here, last night with my 15 x 50s. I was looking for double stars in Taurus and took a glance up at Jupiter and ... whoa, what am I seeing? Love it when you get an unexpected treat like that.

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Sonomajfk
member

Reged: 06/30/12

Loc: northern CA, USA

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: dpwoos]
#5606760 - 01/05/13 02:50 PM

Last night, with my 15x70's, I couldn't pick out which 4 objects were the moons and which was stellar; I'll have to try that again when the opportunity comes along. I know I can tell in the telescope.

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dpwoos
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 10/18/06

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: Sonomajfk]
#5606833 - 01/05/13 03:30 PM

I know that I can tell that Neptune is a planet at 50x, and Ganymede's angular diameter isn't much less. I haven't had my 20x80 binos out for a while - something for me to check out with them, too.

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Pinewood
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/07/04

Loc: 40.77638º N 73.982652 W

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: Rich_W]
#5607279 - 01/05/13 08:52 PM

Quote:

Same sight here, last night with my 15 x 50s. I was looking for double stars in Taurus and took a glance up at Jupiter and ... whoa, what am I seeing? Love it when you get an unexpected treat like that.

Hello,
Five with the 12x50, last night.
IIRC Galileo actually saw Uranus one night, but did not realize that it was a planet. I believe that in the current slang that star would count as a "photobomb."

Clear skies,
Arthur Pinewood

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Dennis_S253
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/22/11

Loc: West Central Florida

Re: 5 Galilean Moons? new

[Re: Pinewood]
#5607343 - 01/05/13 09:40 PM

Funny story, a few years ago I was on a different forum and was making a comment about showing some family members 5 or 6 of Jupiters moons. "They" quickly told me I only seen 4. Thats when I downloaded Stellarium and started researching stuff. Clear skies...

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