Visually Sighting Pluto

[stringscope (Ian)]

Has anybody spotted Pluto visually? If so what size scope?

Just for fun I thought I would have a go at attempting to visually spot Pluto. Given I am only using an 8" Dob without any form of DSC's from suburban Canberra, I reckon this will be a staged process.

Firstly I have printed off the excellent finder charts provided by the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (RASNZ). For orientation I then plotted Pluto's position on SA2K Map 15.

Last night, rather than using our solid tube 8" Dob which is fitted with a 70mm finderscope, I forced myself to use my stringscope which only has a Rigel QuikFinder to start the process of "learning" the starfield surrounding Pluto's location. Using the RASNZ findercharts I found it quite easy to locate where Pluto should be. Could I see it??......nah!.....

I didn't expect to see it last night, as at Mag 14 it will be a stretch for an 8" Dob from a suburban location. However, next Saturday is the CAS deep sky night at a much darker location...............

[slice of heaven]

Yep, in a 12", dont know if an 8" will grab it?
Good charts are a must, No moon and a good night.(Several good nights over a period to confirm it). Definitely easier in an empty starfield.
I've only hunted it down and followed it for a month once. Might do it again some time for the kids sake.
Its not a spectacle, but with Pluto its about the hunt.

Good luck

[acropolite (Phil)]

Limiting Magnitude of an LX90 8 inch is 14.0; I would imagine that your 8 inch dob would be around that figure as well, but I'm sure I have read where others have spotted pluto on an 8 inch. Most techniques I have seen recommend sketching (Or photographing) the field and comparing some time later to detect movement of pluto. I will be interested to see how you go.

[slice of heaven]

Those stats make it a worthwhile 'Quest' then, thanks Phil.
Its just a matter of being able to 'spot the moving dot'

[Starkler (Geoff)]

I have seen Pluto in an 18 inch dob. The problem is with the planet being at mag 13.8, you need charts that go this deep to positively identify it, or wait for it to move as acropolite says.

[p medcraft]

I remember doing it about a year ago with an observing buddy, Con Stoitsis from the ASV. We were using a 12" Meade SCT connected to the Sky version 5. We each sketched the field and eliminated the background stars before we were able to safely confirm that we had seen it. It was by far the faintest object in the field. We made the claim on our own discussion group and got challenged by our then president as having not seen it...
It is a difficult object to observe at best... and I would very much doubt it could be done at the moment (mag13.8) with 8" or less, perhaps good dark sky cold improve the chances though.

Paul Medcraft

[slice of heaven]

Originally Posted by Starkler

I have seen Pluto in an 18 inch dob. The problem is with the planet being at mag 13.8, you need charts that go this deep to positively identify it, or wait for it to move as acropolite says.

18" ???? Should have been looking for Charon not Pluto!