Saturn + Mars + Moon tonight - have a look! - 29 July

janoskiss (Steve H) · #1 29-06-2006, 10:26 AM

This is especially for new scope owners to make sure they catch Saturn before it disappears for the rest of the year.

It will be worth getting the scope out at sunset tonight. Point the scope north-west, where you will see the thin crescent of the young Moon, closely following Mars and Saturn. You can use the Moon as a reference and search for Mars & Saturn with binoculars, before they become visible to the naked eye. Mercury is up there too but very low - probably too difficult to see.

Lee · #2 29-06-2006, 12:58 PM

Nice guide for newbies....

One note - be careful with observing with bino's/scopes in the west around sunset - just be sure the sun has fully set before you go searching - especially for mercury.....

firstlight (Tony) · #3 29-06-2006, 07:21 PM

Pretty good apparition for Mercury right now, so it is still up pretty high well after sunset. Looked good last night, but cloudy tonight

.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #4 29-06-2006, 07:24 PM

Show's over! Well the Moon and Mars are still going - very low - but Saturn is well and truly gone. I pulled out the little Mak for this one. Still enjoy seeing Saturn, even in poor seeing.

And the near new moon looks enticing too. One can make out quite a bit of detail on the dark side. That is because it's a full Earth on the Moon when it's a new Moon on the Earth.

Got to thinking about how the Earth must be casting shadows up there like the Moon casts shadows on Earth when it's close to full.