ICEINSPACE
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Moon Phase
CURRENT MOON
Waning Gibbous 97.2%
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10-05-2015, 08:10 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Riverland, South Australia
Posts: 430
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Finding Saturn
I was just wondering if someone could tell me what Saturn looks like to the naked eye? Is it visible or do you have to us a telescope/binoculars to find it? I've tried star hopping from Alpha Centauri but I get lost pretty quickly.
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10-05-2015, 08:47 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Mornington Peninsula Victoria Australia
Posts: 328
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Hii, if you look directly east and then its about 26 degrees altitude above the horizon, thats for you in Adelaide. I used "Stellarium" for the altitude. Mark
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10-05-2015, 08:49 PM
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Dazed and confused
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 3,268
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10-05-2015, 08:50 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Mornington Peninsula Victoria Australia
Posts: 328
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It will look like a yellowish large "star" but not not as bright as a star of course as we see Saturn by the reflected sunlight of our sun. Mark
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11-05-2015, 07:00 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Kelvin Grove
Posts: 1,300
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Billi,
Saturn is easy to find in the early evening at the moment. It rises in the East at about 6:00 pm, so is halfway up the sky by about 9:00 pm. It looks like a bright yellowish star, but it "burns" more steadily than a star (the visible planets don't twinkle). Right now, it's about 10 degrees away from Antares, a Magnitude 1 red star, so if you see two bright yellow / orange stars in the eastern sky, Saturn is the more northerly one of the pair.
If you have a smartphone or tablet, get yourself a planetarium app, as they can be a huge boon in finding your way around the night sky. There are many to choose from, including some very good free or sub-$5 apps. SkySafari is my personal favourite.
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11-05-2015, 08:01 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Gateway to the Barossa
Posts: 314
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Another helpful tip is to learn to recognise Scorpius, with it's bright orange star Antares. Saturn is hanging just off the end of that at the moment. As others have said it has a yellow/gold colour and lacks the shimmer of a star.
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11-05-2015, 08:25 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Riverland, South Australia
Posts: 430
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I've been using Star Walk to help me get around. It's easy to use once you know some of the basic constellations. I had Stellarium on my phone but that got a bit too confusing 
Hipefully tonight the skies will be clear and my girls will be well behaved so that I can go outside for a look  fingers crossed!
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11-05-2015, 02:15 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 6
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I can recommend the Sky Chart App. I'm a noob and managed to find Saturn using its AR mode (ie GPS, screen orientates with movement).
Now all I need is a better scope, clear skies and my copy of 'turn left at orion' to arrive! 
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11-05-2015, 02:47 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Riverland, South Australia
Posts: 430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OneSmallStep
I can recommend the Sky Chart App. I'm a noob and managed to find Saturn using its AR mode (ie GPS, screen orientates with movement).
Now all I need is a better scope, clear skies and my copy of 'turn left at orion' to arrive! |
I'll download that one and see what it's like Turn Left at Orion is supposed to be a great book. My dad is getting me The Backyard Astronomer's Guide for my birthday so I can't wait for that! Don't hold your breath for clear skies though, these clouds seem to be pretty stubborn.
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11-05-2015, 09:55 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Riverland, South Australia
Posts: 430
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I found it!
Thanks everyone for helping me out  it didn't take long, with the help of Star Walk and the tips on what to look for. After I locked onto it with my 25mm ep I popped in the 10mm and oh my! It's definitely something special. Even without the colours that you see in magazines and on tv. Haha I've definitely caught the bug now! 
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11-05-2015, 10:25 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Mornington Peninsula Victoria Australia
Posts: 328
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Thats great you found it, I am sure you will view it many times in the future too. Its a wonderful sight. Mark
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11-05-2015, 10:46 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 6
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Nice! No clear skies here unfortunately, like you though my first sight of Saturn has given me the bug.
Now to find a bargain priced 8" dob!
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12-05-2015, 07:56 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Gateway to the Barossa
Posts: 314
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BilliGoatsGruff
Thanks everyone for helping me out it didn't take long, with the help of Star Walk and the tips on what to look for. After I locked onto it with my 25mm ep I popped in the 10mm and oh my! It's definitely something special. Even without the colours that you see in magazines and on tv. Haha I've definitely caught the bug now! |
That's awesome. Such a good result!
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12-05-2015, 12:27 PM
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Nerd from Outer Space
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Next to my scope
Posts: 1,091
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Congratulations!
By the way, Saturn will be in opposition on the 23rd (so it should be really nice to watch)! I hope to have a look at it again soon myself. Last year I had some nice views - small, but cute!
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12-05-2015, 01:12 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Riverland, South Australia
Posts: 430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OzStarGazer
Congratulations!
By the way, Saturn will be in opposition on the 23rd (so it should be really nice to watch)! I hope to have a look at it again soon myself. Last year I had some nice views - small, but cute! |
Cute is definitely the best way to describe it. It's funny though, because it is such a grand planet. I'm hoping for clear skies on the 23rd! Haha maybe I should just throw a party and invite my whole family over for a look!
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12-05-2015, 02:19 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BilliGoatsGruff
Haha maybe I should just throw a party and invite my whole family over for a look!
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Might want to place your booking for clears skies first! 
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12-05-2015, 03:23 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Riverland, South Australia
Posts: 430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OneSmallStep
Might want to place your booking for clears skies first! |
A girl can surely dream! 
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13-05-2015, 06:00 AM
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Nerd from Outer Space
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Next to my scope
Posts: 1,091
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BilliGoatsGruff
A girl can surely dream! |
I used to believe in dreams of clear skies more before I got into astronomy... I often asked for clemency from the clouds gods  , but they still shattered my dreams.
Now though the situation has slightly improved, so fingers crossed!
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13-05-2015, 06:07 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Riverland, South Australia
Posts: 430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OzStarGazer
I used to believe in dreams of clear skies more before I got into astronomy... I often asked for clemency from the clouds gods , but they still shattered my dreams.
Now though the situation has slightly improved, so fingers crossed! |
Haha I've never cared so much about the clouds in my life! Well apart from when I used to walk home from school and they threatened to rain. The cloud gods have probably gone on a holiday and left their kids in charge. It might explain why we've had hardly any clear skies. The forecast for here next week is looking pretty gloomy. Possible showers and thunderstorms from Monday onwards 
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13-05-2015, 08:38 AM
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Nerd from Outer Space
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Next to my scope
Posts: 1,091
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Here we finally have some clear skies, but it is very cold at night, and even worse, VERY windy... 
http://static.quoteswave.com/wp-cont...pointments.jpg
Last edited by OzStarGazer; 13-05-2015 at 09:41 AM.
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