Daytime planets and stars

While I was out cleaning the observatory I decided to have a look at what I could see in the heavens.
And I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. first of all Capella than Castor happy with that I wondered weather Mars would be visible in the eyepiece.So I moved the scope around and what appeared in the eyepiece but mars, I can tell you I was a happy man.After a while I turned the scope to Orion and there in the eyepiece was Betelgeuse Wow this great I thought to myself. So I went to Saturn it was in the eyepiece but it was very dim.All these Stars & Planets visible at 15.14 in the middle of the daytime on 7th of the 5th 2008 Through a 14" CGE and a 32mm 2" eyepiece.

Yea, it's surprising what you can see during the day with a scope. I've seen Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn during the middle of the day with an 8" scope. Rings around Saturn are easy as are seeing the cloud bands on Jupiter. You ideally need an accurately aligned scope and goto to pick them out during the day.

And you have another chance on saturday lunchtime to see Mars being occulted by the moon !

Keith..

I've certainly seen a few planets and the brighter stars during daylight hours. Its great fun!

Of course, it is really important that you do not point your scope anywhere near the sun.

Dave said

Of course, it is really important that you do not point your scope anywhere near the sun.

Sounds like fairly idiot proof advice that all of us know? However I do remember I was doing some solar projection onto a wall with an old Tal newt. When I had finished I put the plastic cover on the eyepiece and then moved the scope. I then found a lovely little hole still bubbling in the eyepiece cover. It was only a matter of a few seconds between capping the eyepiece and moving the scope. Glad I never had my hand near the eyepiece

Sounds like fairly idiot proof advice that all of us know?

Well, I guess the more experienced folks here know it but you never know who is reading ...

Of course, those that know that pointing your scope at the sun have usually found out that its a bad idea (unless it is a solar scope or you have the correct filters in place). Like yourself, it has just ended up in some equipment damage. Thankfully, no-one here (that I know of) has been looking through the eyepiece and suffered the injury consequences. So no harm in re-iterating the point I guess...