Moons full and Im bored.

[JJDOBBER79]

Hi All,
I was thinking of getting the scope out tonight and trying for uranus and neptune. does anyone know of some reliable charts that will tell me where they are at the moment. I have detailed star maps so I guess I will just look for the object that doesnt show on the map?

[FlashDrive]

Moon washes out everything at the moment....:shrug:
Although looking at the Moon itself thru' bino's is a treat....3D almost...and I tend to stay at the ' eyepiece ' a lot longer.

Flash....

[AG Hybrid]

To actually answer OP question. Stellarium is a good free one. That being said neptune and Uranus are just blue and green dots in the sky. Even at 400x. They are bright though, and if they are not right next to the moon they should still be findable. Mind you I'm using a 12" when I say they are bright.

If I have my scope out on a 80%+ I like looking for double stars since they are bright.

[mental4astro]

Sky & Telescope every year produces a set of finder charts for Uranus & Neptune:

http://media.skyandtelescope.com/documents/Uranus-Neptune-2013.pdf

I've been using these downloading these charts for several years now. Yes, Stellarium & other programs provide an on-screen chart, but I find a paper one more convenient.

I agree with Hybrid that both Uranus & Neptune are very much getable targets with the full Moon. Uranus is easy just with binos - I spotted it from home in Sydney using 10X50 binos. It has a distinct bluey-green colour. It has a small disk when the magnification is cranked up (& seeing conditions allow). Neptune is a challenge though. The really only way to identify it is with its dramatic blue colour - too blue to be a star. It requires patience to spot. I've seen it in an 8" dob (using the S&T charts). Its disk is very small, & requires very good stable conditions to make it out from the surrounding star field. Which is why the best way to identify it is with its colour.

If you are really up to a challenge with these two jokers, you might want to chase down some of their moons. Uranus has a few that are attainable, up to 5, & Neptune's will put hair on your chest if you manage Triton, it's largest.

Mental.

[AG Hybrid]

Actually. A good point Alex mentioned is chasing down the moons. That's interesting. When I actually found (bothered to) Neptune for the first time myself last month I was absolutely buzzed to see Triton with averted vision. That was a good night.

[JJDOBBER79]

Thanks for the info guys. A quick question. i have trouble seeing colour through my scope. I am still very new at this and im wondering if it is a skill which is aquired over time. For example, I look at the jewel box and see a cluster of white stars. I am definately not colour blind. In fact antares for example looks noticably reddish with naked eye but with my scope looks like a white light. maybe i have no imagination?:sadeyes:

[AG Hybrid]

What scope are you using and eyepieces? They can make a big difference in color rendition.

[mental4astro]

Did a quick look through Jas' threads, and he's got a 6" scope.

Colour is a tricky thing with the low levels of light we have to contend with and our very human eyes. Photos are actually the very worst way to represent colour that 'can' be seen. The reality the cameras used are much more sensitive than our eyes, the exposure times run into the hours, and the processing software is very powerful. The end result is a misrepresentation of what can actually be seen directly through the eyepiece (with exceptions). Photographs are a completely different representation of the night sky. The end result is that novices expect to see through a scope what we see in these amazing images.

You mentioned the Jewel Box. There are several red stars in the cluster, but just eyeballing it directly, we really only see one standout red star. I like to describe the cluster to first time observers as "a smattering of diamonds with a ruby thrown in". I've found this works to have these first timers to suss out the 'ruby'.

Other notable red stars are Antares in Scoripus, gamma crux (the 'top' star in the Southern Cross), and Betelgeuse in Orion. If detecting their colouration is difficult, use averted vision and a bit of patience. The brilliance of these stars can overwhelm the colour.

In so far as the colour blue goes, blue is one of least easily seen colours by our eyes at low light levels. So, for Neptune to be distinguished by its blue colouration, it is very intense and vivid. The intense colour that we see in photos of Neptune is actually what we seen through the scope, but as a pin point of light.

Uranus' bluish/green colour likewise, take your time with it.

See how you go.

[JJDOBBER79]

Ok, good so I am not expecting to see much colour with a 6". EPs are just the plossls that came with it. Just had a go at Neptune and I'm pretty sure I found it. There were a few low magnitude stars in the area that weren't on my star chart (detailed). One of these objects looked different. I could definitely see a disc shape, very small though. It was also blue, I think, or maybe I do have an imagination after all:lol: it was more that the stars around it were white lights and when I looked back at it. It lacked that shine. Bit duller. Maybe blue??????

[Suzy]

When I had my 6" dob it didn't show much colour to me at all with stars.
In fact it was quite noticeable comparing the views thru mine to a 10" dob at the same time. I was comparing the gold star in the Jewel Box (NGC 4755) star cluster and that gold star really stood out in the 10", but was very pale in the 6". Sometimes good seeing conditions would improve the colour a little.
I couldn't even see any green colour in the Orion nebula hard as I tried (tho my daughter could- younger eyes it seems are good at picking out colour).
Then, with my first viewing thru my 10" dob, wow, coloured stars everywhere. It's the first thing that threw me that was such a huge noticeable difference. And easy to see green in the Orion nebula now!

That being said, many people do have trouble seeing star colour.
Also, interesting to note, about how we see colour in planetary nebulae- some people will see an object as blue, some as green. I've read that we see it as one or the other (I see blue). From what I understand, it's how our eyes are wired (I don't know all the details why). I really don't know why that doesn't apply to Neptune, as I think we all see it as blue... Maybe it's got something to do with the fact a PN is a DSO :question:. Mental, you'll probably know why?

De-focussing helps greatly to pick out star colour. A technique I use all the time with colourful doubles to bring out more colour. It's surprising just how blue some of those stars are when that's done.

Jas, it sounds like you got Neptune. Stars have a pin point bright look about them, where as Neptune and Uranus, yes, is dull I guess the way you described it. It an even, flattish, luminence, you can make out a perfectly shaped circle rather than a point like a star (if that makes sense). Uranus reminds of a zit- perfectly round. :lol:. Neptune is a bit smaller, but quite strikingly blue in my 10". As for Uranus, I could only just make out the green tinge on it. Yet many people say it's very green, so there you go. :shrug: And I thought I was fairly good at picking up colour these days :shrug:. As you've worked out, they do look different compared to the stars around them.

Now is the perfect time to observe Uranus as it's in its opposition period, so it's a good size and bright.

P.S.
Jas, I'd be interested to know how you go picking out the colour with the 6" aimed at Albireo (http://hubblesite.org/explore_astronomy/black_holes/encyc_mod1_q4.html) aka beta Cygni. The star is very easy to find naked eye, but once you observe it thru a scope it reveals itself as a colourful blue and gold double star. And then try de-focussing a bit to bring out more colour.
And oooh, I have another one for you that I'd curious to see if you can get- though not a star, but a galaxy. M77 (Cetus A (http://www.universetoday.com/39131/messier-77/)) in the constellation of Cetus is quite a bright face on spiral and ridiculously easy to find as it sits within a degree of delta Ceti. There you- nice little challenge for you! :) I never got to observe these with my 6" so I'd love to hear your report.

[glenc]

Jas you live near me.
Do you want to look through my 16" from a dark location?
Glen