What am I looking at?

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by Bowser, Jul 12, 2018.

  1. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    So, these past two nights I've noticed what looks to be several stars cluster together--to the naked eye. I can't find my binoculars, and the best I could do is capture it with my video camera--not very good. I was hoping someone might be able to tell me what it is--planets possibly. From my location in the Pacific Northwest, they are sitting in the lower southern hemisphere. I've been observing them between 12:00 am and 2:00 am. I checked online but all I could find were references to Mercury and Mars--nothing sitting in clusters.
     
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  3. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    Download a free program and start working it out.
    Alex
     
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  5. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    If only I had time to find, learn and make practical application of such a program. I was hoping there might be a genius astronomer who might have the answer.
     
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  7. origin Heading towards oblivion Valued Senior Member

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    Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all in the southern sky at those time at your location, but I would not call them clustered. How close were the clustered stars. At arms length how much of the sky did they cover (can your thumb, fist or open hand cover them)? How low in the sky were they (at arms length how high above the horizon are they)?
     
  8. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    8,502
    Find your binnos and look along the Milky way as there are many glob

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    ular clusters that you will see.

    Here is the best one, Omega Centuri, but you wont see it from where you are I expect.
    Alex
     
  9. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    8,502
    However the above cluster only appears like a star to the naked eye as will all globular clusters...you may just be noticing the large number of stars in a section of the Milly Way.
    Download an app for your phone there are many out there...
    Alex
     
  10. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    What makes you think they are close together? They could be galaxies millions of light years apart in depth.
    Just because you receive their light at the same time does not mean they emitted that light at the same time.
     
  11. origin Heading towards oblivion Valued Senior Member

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    11,883
    He did not say they were close together, he said they look close together.
    No, that is not a possibility.
    He never said they emitted their light at the same time.

    You should RTFP before replying.
     
  12. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    They looked like a cluster to the naked eye, not necessarily close together.
     
  13. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    They would look like a single star otherwise. That's why I wanted my binoculars, so I could verify they were, in fact, multiple objects.
     
  14. el es Registered Senior Member

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  15. el es Registered Senior Member

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    July is a good month for Sagitarius, lots to see there.
     
  16. Neddy Bate Valued Senior Member

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    Click the thumbnail below for a larger version of a screenshot from theskylive.com/planetarium:

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    This was 11-Jun-2018 at 01:20am Pacific time, looking toward the south-southwest from Oregon.

    Stars labeled Sgr are from the Sagittarius constellation, and stars labeled Sco are from the Scorpius constellation. Saturn and Jupiter also in view, but not very close together.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2018
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  17. el es Registered Senior Member

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    Bowser;

    Antares is a nice red star in Scorpius. Is what you are asking about closer to Jupiter or Antares? Jupiter is the most prominent thing in the south sky tonight. Antares is a nice little bit to the left and lower than Jupiter.
     
  18. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    Here is Antares the bright one...I have been working on this region lately.
    I have a nice globular in the oven set again dust and star clouds that is nice.
    Antares is in the back of the scorpian.

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  19. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    Details. Camera Nikon D5500 (24 meg) non modded uncooled on HEQ5 tracking but unguided mount. 120 frames each of 30 seconds stacked in Deep Sky Stacker (free software) and processed in Gimp (free soft ware)
    Alex
     
  20. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Excellent photography!
     
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  21. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    Thanks.
    Gotto show another Corona Australis...80 mm triplet scope everything else same as above.
    Alex

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  22. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    Bowser may e seeing this region.
    I have to check but Saturn may be in there☺

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  23. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    Just out of frame
     

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