Does anyone know what planets are visible in the sky right now? I have a 6" scope and want to look at some...

Question

I got a book, but i never really studied the constellations and its hard to tell. I am in the Bay Area (by SF) in CA. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please leave the direction i should face and the best times to look if you can. I also seem to be missing all the comets? Any heads up on those???

Answer 1

This will help you anytime and anywhere you are. It is freeware too.

http://www.stellarium.org/

Nick is wrong. You have a scope. Use it. Someday you will reach the peak of excitement with what your scope can show you and then you might want to upgrade but while you are still a beginner, use what you have.

I suggest that you join a local astronomy club or astronomical society in your area. You can go to their star parties and they can show you where everything is in the sky and how to get the most out of your scope. They are even more helpful if you take cookies to the star parties. Dont try to learn everything all at once. You will get overwhelmed and lose interest. I try to learn one or two new things every time that I go out. That way what I learn stays with me. Best Wishes to you.

Answer 2

Mars rises in the east right now - somewhere around 10 local time (I'm not being terribly accurate - I just know that right now when I'm out that late, Mars has made it to a decent height in the NE sky).

Mars isn't very interesting to me through amateur telescopes. It usually just looks like a larger red disc. Jupiter and Saturn are the beauty queens of the solar system for beginning telescope users.

If you stay up late enough, 3 in the morning or so - you will get to see Saturn. It's not very bright right now as it's on the far side of the Sun and thus pretty far away.

Jupiter is only above the horizon in the daytime right now, so you'll have to wait a while before you can look at it. It should be available for early morning viewing some time in March or so.

If you want an easy-to-find first constellation to recognize, look for Orion. It's VERY distinct and VERY bright. It should be visible even in the bay area's light pollution. Look for Orion in your book, and then look in the SE sky at about 9:30 or so to find it. Mars is roughly in line with Rigel and Betelgeuse - start at Rigel, go to Betelgeuse and continue that line, and you'll see a BRIGHT red light in the sky - that's Mars.

If you're having trouble finding it, wait a little later - the stars show up brighter as they get higher in the sky. Happy stargazing!

Answer 3

I have to partially agree with NICK S. What you really need is to get familiar with the night sky and do so with the naked eye. Then move up to binoculars. Then maybe a cheap telescope. But first try to know some of the constellations and subscribe to some of the astronomy magazines. Use them as your bible. Then after a few years you should feel totally comfortable using that 6" telescope. Be patient, it pays off in the end. It took me about 5 years before moving up to a cheap 4" telescope that I still use. no need for me to move up. Although lately I have been having crazy thoughts about building a 6" or even a 8" telescope.

Answer 4

Mars is visible a few hours after sunset, when it stats it's rise in the east. It looks like a big orange star, but doesn't twinkle. Venus is visible at dawn in the southeast, the brightest object in the sky a few hours before sunrise. Comet 8P/Tuttle will be visible directly overhead at night in late December, in the constellation Cassiopeia. Saturn will be visible later this month. The Geminids meteor shower will be visible the 13th and 14th of this month.

Answer 5

Mars, late evening, east. Venus, dawn, east. Saturn, midnight, east. All the others are unobservable at the moment.

Try for 17P/Holmes just north of overhead, late evening. It has faded significantly, but is still in the vicinity of Alpha Persei and looks cool with the star cluster next to it. Check the finder charts in all the usual references.

Why *did* you buy a telescope?

Answer 6

Start here, has pictures
http://www.earthsky.org/skywatching/
If you are not familiar with it, load Google Earth, go to your address, then select View / Switch to Sky and look at the Layers (click on the triangle next to the word Layers so it points down)

Answer 7

To be perfectly frank, if you don’t know, you are wasting your time with a 6 inch telescope. Sell it to someone who does know.

Anyone should at least know the basic sky before they even think of buying a telescope.

About like buying a yacht without knowing anything about seamanship (only not as dangerous).

Answer 8

Mars is really clear right now (Redish Yellow)...In North America anyway.