brianb11213
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/09
Loc: 55.215N 6.554W
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: starrancher]
#5298887 - 07/02/12 03:56 AM
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Whatever its status, Pluto is a worthy challenge for anyone observing visually with 6 to 8 inches of aperture ... provided they have a reasonable observing location; not too far north; quite honestly, anything at declination 19 degrees South has to promise to be pretty darned spectacular to get me to point a scope at it, and Pluto (if I could see it at all though the horizon murk) would appear to be a very ordinary 14th magnitude star, just like millions of others, except for the movement which would not be apparent at the eyepiece.
By the time Pluto gets back to a decent declination, I'll be long gone, meanwhile there are lots of things I'd rather try for. 136472 Makemake and 136108 Haumea are Pluto-like objects at around mag. 17 with reasonable northerly declinations; they'd need 16"+ aperture to stand much chance of seeing visually but should be within the CCD range of small scopes. If you really want to identify an Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt Object and are at a highish northern latitude, I humble reccomend them to your attention.
And, if you can't be bothered, that doesn't worry me in the slightest.
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mark8888
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/24/10
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: starrancher]
#5298890 - 07/02/12 04:03 AM
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Merely not being interested in a single aspect of the hobby as opposed to thinking the hobby as a whole is a waste of time are not one and the same .
OK... you and a guy you work with both play piano.
"Dude, guess what. I've been trying to learn how to play jazz".
"I've never be able to drag myself into such a waste of time at the piano".
LOL OK I guess that's fine. You're right, clearly when it's an aspect of a hobby, rather than the hobby itself, that changes the whole tone. If anyone was annoyed by that response in that situation he'd surely be a "cry baby". Never mind then.
Quote:
136472 Makemake and 136108 Haumea are Pluto-like objects at around mag. 17 with reasonable northerly declinations; they'd need 16"+ aperture to stand much chance of seeing visually but should be within the CCD range of small scopes.
Wow thanks for these, never heard of them, very interesting!!
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starrancher
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/09/09
Loc: Northern Arizona
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: blb]
#5298915 - 07/02/12 05:21 AM
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On a grand night under nice dark skies one object tracking all night , like M31 , M33 or M42 where I don't even want to move on to another object because there is so much to see in one view is time much more well spent IMHO .
It's like going to a museum full of art and sitting down to look at only one piece of art all day. So what if you missed some realy great works of art, you can go back again, maybe.
I guess that is why there are so few who have actualy seen this minor planet, once known as the ninth planet in the solar system. Let's just look at the easy stuff and not challenge ourselves. It's OK to have seen the other seven planets and never tryed to identify this not so easy one. I wouldn't wont you to spend any effort to see something that probably very few in your club have seen, if any .
Anyway this is a hobby and if you choose to miss out on seeing Pluto, hey it's your choice.
[It's like going to a museum full of art and sitting down to look at only one piece of art all day. So what if you missed some realy great works of art, you can go back again, maybe.]
All a matter of opinion . Nights when seeing and transparency cooperate simultaneously are rare and seeing M33 or M101 or NGC7293 , as a few examples come through in a way that is rare and might be ones only chance to ever see them like that in a lifetime .
But yet it must be stupid not to see all the other things that don't require the perfect seeing conditions that some objects do .
Aside from being somewhat ignorant , if it doesn't sound like condescension , I don't know what does .
[Iguess that is why there are so few who have actualy seen this minor planet, once known as the ninth planet in the solar system. Let's just look at the easy stuff and not challenge ourselves. It's OK to have seen the other seven planets and never tryed to identify this not so easy one. I wouldn't wont you to spend any effort to see something that probably very few in your club have seen, if any .
Anyway this is a hobby and if you choose to miss out on seeing Pluto, hey it's your choice.]
Again;
We all know that these are the easy objects that aren't a challenge in any way shape or form and we do just want to look at the easy stuff and not challenge ourselves right ? That's not a put down or a condescending remark ?
Man the hypocrisy abounds here .
So I guess condescension if fine and dandy here , just don't tell anybody you might think something is a waste of time . That would be a put down .
Hello ! ?
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thinairart
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/18/09
Loc: Denver, Co
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: starrancher]
#5298939 - 07/02/12 06:02 AM
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I gave it a try last week in my 14" and believe I was able to spot it, but did not get the chance to do a follow-up observation the next day to confirm. Looking forward to trying again in a couple weeks, Pluto always fascinated me as a kid and since I completed my larger scope I've been looking forward to observing it.
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RLTYS
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/18/04
Loc: New York (Long Island)
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: thinairart]
#5298944 - 07/02/12 06:08 AM
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To All
Lets keep this discussion friendly and on the subject of observing Pluto. 
Rich (RLTYS)
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Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: blb]
#5298962 - 07/02/12 06:53 AM
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blb,
Mike said: Quote:
Anyone who wants to try for Pluto is welcome to do so. More power to them. 
Sorry, I'll try to refrain from such negativity in the future. Pluto is a challenge that is there for amateur astronomers if they choose to take it on. If not, there are many other worthy objects.
Mike
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azure1961p
Postmaster
Reged: 01/17/09
Loc: USA
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: starrancher]
#5298971 - 07/02/12 07:02 AM
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I actually found Mr. Ranchers view on Pluto humorous. It was a little forward but it is a forum afterall. Whats mind bending to me is later on he mentions "armature astronomers". Is this supposed to be armchair astrononmers, amateur astronomers or those who observe supported by some unique device?
Anyway, I found the frankness a little funny.
Pete
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E_Look
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/06/08
Loc: near New York
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: azure1961p]
#5299279 - 07/02/12 01:41 PM
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Well, there's lots of us armature astronomers!
Who here has a go-to, or a mount with at least one axis motorized?... a lot of armatures there, I'd think!
So, are we the ones who are "wound-up"??
Or are we just spinning around???
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blb
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/25/05
Loc: Piedmont NC
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: E_Look]
#5300959 - 07/03/12 05:14 PM
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From about the 12th to the 30th of July, Pluto will be passing just south of M25, which will make finging the minor planet much easier. This will also occur around New Moon, which will help in seeing a 14th mag. star like object from a dark sky site. Good luck and happy hunting.
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Loc: Inner Solar System
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: blb]
#5302519 - 07/04/12 03:53 PM
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Man, I can't leave you guys alone for a minute.
OK:
Everyone who wants to see Pluto, line up on the left.
Everyone who doesn't, on the right.
Now go observe whatever you want.
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E_Look
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/06/08
Loc: near New York
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: Rick Woods]
#5303027 - 07/04/12 10:41 PM
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LOL! Rick, great post! 
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starrancher
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/09/09
Loc: Northern Arizona
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: E_Look]
#5303117 - 07/04/12 11:50 PM
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That's me , the right winger . Glad to be on the "right" side of the issue ! 
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Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: starrancher]
#5303340 - 07/05/12 07:04 AM
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That's better than to be left on the wrong side. 
Mike
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Loc: Inner Solar System
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: Sarkikos]
#5304093 - 07/05/12 05:33 PM
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That's better than to be left on the wrong side.
A sinister notion, that!
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hokkaido53
member
Reged: 05/07/12
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: Cotts]
#5323264 - 07/18/12 09:10 AM
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I have yet to see Pluto in over 50 years in the hobby.......
Dave, you probably have seen it, but couldn't pick it out from all the stars in the field around it.
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Cotts
Just Wondering
Reged: 10/10/05
Loc: Toronto, Ontario
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: RLTYS]
#5324822 - 07/19/12 11:11 AM
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To All
Lets keep this discussion friendly and on the subject of observing Pluto.
Rich (RLTYS)
As suggested in the quote above, I am thrilled to report that I had a positive sighting of Pluto last night with my 16". I had found the field in my Sky Safari Pro program on my iPad in advance and then, with very little difficulty, centered the field. Putting in the 8mm Ethos (150x) - there it was, popping in and out of averted vision, exactly where it should be!!! Several others joined me at the eyepiece. to share. I took a confirming view through a 25" Obsession nearby. The difference of 9 more inches of aperture was that Pluto was easily and steadily held with direct vision in the larger scope.
The seeing was moderate - about 5-6 on the Pickering scale and the transparency was only average, according to the consensus of observers on the field....
A 50-year drought has been ended. 
Pluto's 5 moons eluded us......
Also, got Mars and Saturn in the dusk, Uranus and Neptune around midnight and Jupiter at about 3am. Didn't stay up for Venus, though.....
Dave
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Cotts
Just Wondering
Reged: 10/10/05
Loc: Toronto, Ontario
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: Cotts]
#5325379 - 07/19/12 04:28 PM
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On Wasting Time
All of us are allotted a finite amount of time in this life, a fact made much more fascinating by the fact we are not told exactly how much time we are to receive. We spend a certain amount of time feeding, sleeping, learning, contributing to society, helping to raise our young and so on and so forth. When the time required for the preceding is added up and subtracted from our total allotment what remains is time that we are free to waste.
We should consider how fortunate we are to have any time left at all after taking care of the necessities. Our distant ancestors probably had very little time to waste. Sadly, there are millions of people on Earth today whose struggle to live leaves them virtually devoid of time to waste.
If we have time to waste we should waste it wisely. Read, walk, play softball, phone a friend for no reason, smile, collect stamps, listen to distant radio stations, hang out on the Internet, make music, listen to music, build something, look at art, make art, hug your kids, say hello to your neighbor, gaze at the night sky, observe birds, photograph old barns, write, sail, collect sea shells, remember your past, wonder about the future............
It's all a complete and utter waste of time. No two people waste time in exactly the same way. But our collective time-wasting activities enrich us all.
So be thankful you have some time to waste and get busy wasting some today, while you still can.
Dave
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: Cotts]
#5325642 - 07/19/12 07:08 PM
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... I am thrilled to report that I had a positive sighting of Pluto last night with my 16"..... A 50-year drought has been ended.
Dave
Congratulations! 
I'd tried many times with the 8"SCT but Pluto's quite low here, and is in a double-city light dome which can get quite soupy-looking depending on atmospheric conditions. But then i decided to double my aperture and get a 16" Lightbridge - and finally got Pluto on June 1, 2011 (and again on the 4th) using a very detailed chart from Sky Tools. BTW, i didn't need the second sighting for verification or anything - i just wanted to take another look at the cute little fella.
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bassplayer142
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/03/11
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: Carol L]
#5326818 - 07/20/12 12:21 PM
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Here's a great reason for observing pluto....
Telling a random person you saw a galaxy hundreds of millions of light years away and they will say cool. Tell them you saw Pluto and they will be WOWed.
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bassplayer142
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/03/11
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Anybody else trying for Pluto?
[Re: Cotts]
#5326849 - 07/20/12 12:41 PM
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Quote:
On Wasting Time
All of us are allotted a finite amount of time in this life, a fact made much more fascinating by the fact we are not told exactly how much time we are to receive. We spend a certain amount of time feeding, sleeping, learning, contributing to society, helping to raise our young and so on and so forth. When the time required for the preceding is added up and subtracted from our total allotment what remains is time that we are free to waste.
We should consider how fortunate we are to have any time left at all after taking care of the necessities. Our distant ancestors probably had very little time to waste. Sadly, there are millions of people on Earth today whose struggle to live leaves them virtually devoid of time to waste.
If we have time to waste we should waste it wisely. Read, walk, play softball, phone a friend for no reason, smile, collect stamps, listen to distant radio stations, hang out on the Internet, make music, listen to music, build something, look at art, make art, hug your kids, say hello to your neighbor, gaze at the night sky, observe birds, photograph old barns, write, sail, collect sea shells, remember your past, wonder about the future............
It's all a complete and utter waste of time. No two people waste time in exactly the same way. But our collective time-wasting activities enrich us all.
So be thankful you have some time to waste and get busy wasting some today, while you still can.
Dave
Perfection!
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