When were telescopes used to see and to photograph the planets Neptune Uranus and Pluto?

Answer 1

Saturn was the outermost planet known until William Herschel discovered Uranus in the late 18th Century, so unless you count this as ancient, it would be inaccurate to say that the ancients could 'see' the planets beyond Saturn.

Telescopes are first definitely attested in the early 17th Century. Photography in the modern sense (using a camera to record sharp images on a light-sensitive film, as opposed to more basic forms like the pinhole camera) didn't exist until the early 19th Century.

I'm guessing that your question arises from the (quite sensible) assumption that all of the planets were named by the ancients, but this is not the case. The 'trans-Saturnian' (if you'll pardon the term) planets were named after Greek and Roman deities by later astronomers.

Interestingly, Uranus and Pluto are named after Greek gods, rather than the Roman gods that give the other planets their names. I suppose that 'Caelus' and 'Dis Pater' didn't quite have the same ring to them.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Neptune was first observed through a telescope in 1846, while Uranus was discovered through a telescope in 1781. Pluto was first observed in 1930. These discoveries led to the use of telescopes to photograph and study these planets further.

Answer 3

Uranus was discovered by Sir William Herschel in 1781.

Neptune was discovered by John Couch Adams in 1846.

Pluto was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930.

Answer 4

Hubble Space telescope

Answer 5

2001

Answer 6

In 1863