hi frenZ out there... i have something to ask the experts out there....
currently i am consider a newbie to astronomy... and up til now.. i only get to see mars. mercury gemini in singapore and tts all!! isn tt pathethic? but yesterday .. i actually make a new record.. i saw a new planet jupiter!! (which is suspect is..) the location is abt south south east bearing bearing abt 150 degree from the moon.. and is abt orange in colour.. i dunno whether is it jupiter... and can anyone teach me how to read a starmap? i have actually tried by outline the stars on a piece of paper and then compare to the starmap...but in the end i still cant understand.. and lastly.. in singpore.. can i see the nine planets here? or even the tenth planet that will discovered a few months ago? tnkZ.. my aim is to discovered the nince planets and if i get to see them .. i will be over the moon.. tnkZ
newbie,
Desmond Lim
27/06/04
request.. anybody help..
- weixing
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Hi,
I think what you saw is not jupiter. You can see jupiter at the west after sunset now... it is orange colour and should be the brightest "star" like object.
Anyway, you can see Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn using your nake eye very easily... Mercury is quite difficult, because it is usually very low in the west (evening) or very low in the east (morning) which is usually very cloudy in singapore. Uranus and Neptune can be seen using binocular or a small telescope. You need at least a 8" telescope to spot pluto... if you can identify which is pluto (it appear as a point of light like any other star)... hee hee
. About the "tenth" planet, it is not a planet and don't think about seeing it... I think you need a very very very large telescope to spot it.... 
Have a nice day.
I think what you saw is not jupiter. You can see jupiter at the west after sunset now... it is orange colour and should be the brightest "star" like object.
Anyway, you can see Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn using your nake eye very easily... Mercury is quite difficult, because it is usually very low in the west (evening) or very low in the east (morning) which is usually very cloudy in singapore. Uranus and Neptune can be seen using binocular or a small telescope. You need at least a 8" telescope to spot pluto... if you can identify which is pluto (it appear as a point of light like any other star)... hee hee


Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." 


- Airconvent
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Hi Desmond,
I think you have to be a little bit more patient.
The past few weeks have been cloudy, so it going to very difficult to recognise the constellations unless you have seen it before. I suspect the bright orange dot you saw is Antares. Wait till the weather improves before you try again.
Best is the start with Scorpius and constellation-hop from there...
As for the planets, they are all naked eye objects except perhaps Pluto.
You just need to know which "dot" it is!
rich
I think you have to be a little bit more patient.
The past few weeks have been cloudy, so it going to very difficult to recognise the constellations unless you have seen it before. I suspect the bright orange dot you saw is Antares. Wait till the weather improves before you try again.
Best is the start with Scorpius and constellation-hop from there...
As for the planets, they are all naked eye objects except perhaps Pluto.
You just need to know which "dot" it is!
rich
The Boldly Go Where No Meade Has Gone Before
Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R
United Federation of the Planets
Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R
United Federation of the Planets
Hi Desmond,
U are consdered to be really lucky to get a chance to spot mercury as many experienced observers have not seen it before. The weather con is veri bad for these days, thus, wait for clearer sky to enable u to see more stars, so u can make out the constellations. Some easy constellation for the month is
South
1)Scropious, which look like a s-shaped fishing hook. It has a red star known as Antares.
2) Sagittarus is at the tail of the scorpion ( the tip of the hook), stars formed looks like a teapot.
3)Cux is a group of 4 stars that look like a cross.
North
1)Ursa Major aka big dipper. 6 or 7 stars formed to look like a cooking pot.
2) Leo is like wat it is a lion, Parrallegram with a sickle on it
3) Bootes is like a kite with a bright white star at tip known as arcturus.
U are consdered to be really lucky to get a chance to spot mercury as many experienced observers have not seen it before. The weather con is veri bad for these days, thus, wait for clearer sky to enable u to see more stars, so u can make out the constellations. Some easy constellation for the month is
South
1)Scropious, which look like a s-shaped fishing hook. It has a red star known as Antares.
2) Sagittarus is at the tail of the scorpion ( the tip of the hook), stars formed looks like a teapot.
3)Cux is a group of 4 stars that look like a cross.
North
1)Ursa Major aka big dipper. 6 or 7 stars formed to look like a cooking pot.
2) Leo is like wat it is a lion, Parrallegram with a sickle on it
3) Bootes is like a kite with a bright white star at tip known as arcturus.
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Haha.. take this opportunity to share pictures.. these two were taken last night with my new digital camera.. 15 second exposure:


The most easily recognisable constellations in the sky at the moment is Scorpius and Crux. See if you can compare with your starmap and identify them. The first one is facing southeast and is Scorpius - the red star is Antares. The second one is of Crux and Centaurus. The four stars in the shape of a cross at bottom right is crux.
Cheers,
Chris
The most easily recognisable constellations in the sky at the moment is Scorpius and Crux. See if you can compare with your starmap and identify them. The first one is facing southeast and is Scorpius - the red star is Antares. The second one is of Crux and Centaurus. The four stars in the shape of a cross at bottom right is crux.
Cheers,
Chris
- weixing
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Hi,
The easier and faster method to learn is actually join in an observation and ask them to teach you how to read a star chart. It is quite simple, but I found it quite difficult to explain in words...
By the way, nice pictures chris...
Which camera are you using and what is the ISO setting??
Have a nice day.
There are a few different type of star chart for different use depend on how detail the star chart is... so what star chart are you using??then can anyone teach me how to read a starmap? i have actually tried by outline the stars on a piece of paper and then compare to the starmap...but in the end i still cant understand..
The easier and faster method to learn is actually join in an observation and ask them to teach you how to read a star chart. It is quite simple, but I found it quite difficult to explain in words...

By the way, nice pictures chris...

Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." 

