Obseving Pluto

[mickoking]

G,day all

In the next week I would like to give observing pluto a go. Does anyone have any descent finder charts? and observation tips :)

Cheers, Mick

[astronut]

Hi Mick, Don't expect too much when you do find it, it looks just like a star.
Check out the finder chart in Astronomy 2006, it's very accurate.
If you have access to any of the computer star charts, these will give you printable maps.
There's also "Carte de Ceil" it's free and again very accurate. Just type in the name as written, then find your self some dark skies.
B.T.W. I will be looking for it next week through my scope and my club will visiting the Magellan Observatory in Goulburn and I will try it through the 18" as well. John:)

[Starkler]

The hard part is knowing which of the 14th magnitude points of light is actually pluto, and CDC only goes down to 12th magnitude for me :(

[AstroJunk]

I found it a while back using a chart printed from Starry Night (and Argo Navis to get me close).

I have to say, it was pretty much at the edge of limiting madnitude in my sky even with the 20" - Well worth the effort though, just to say I found it!

My tips - get a finder chart with a FOV indicator printed on it to match your eyepiece so that you can match up the view exactly, and find the darkest site possible.

[bojan]

CDC can access other catalogues and images online... like STSCI_GSC1....
Try File-> Online Resources -> HST Guide Star Catalogue -> STSC1. Sometimes the server is not online, though...
Bojan

[CosMos]

http://www.nebraskastarparty.org/nsp/1998/pluto-finder.html

The above map may help. :hi: :shrug:

[mickoking]

Thank you all for your help, I will try to check Pluto out, hopefully this week :thumbsup:

[higginsdj]

Why try to pinpoint it from a chart. Just get to the field, draw what you see then come back to the field a few hours (or a day) later and draw it again - the one that moved is Pluto.......

[circumpolar]

This is what I do all the time with minor planets. I am planning to do the same for pluto as soon as the clouds clear.
It really is a thrill to note that the "star"(point of light) you sketched has moved over 24hrs. You find yourself thinking about it all the next day, waiting for days end to get behind the scope again. And then you see that it's moved! Excellent:D

OK, lets do it again.