Uranus At Opposition

[Greg Bryant]

When it comes to observing the outer Solar System, the members beyond Saturn don't change much in visual appearance as seen by amateurs.

Next week (Monday, September 10), Uranus is at opposition, rising around sunset and setting around sunset.

Closest approach is the day before.

I mention it because we're near the end of Uranus' poor apparitions (if there is such a thing). Uranus, in its orbit, has its "worst" opposition in 2009. After that, the planet will slowly get a little brighter at each opposition.

It might not mean much, but several tenths of a magnitude in brightness can make all the difference in sighting Uranus with the unaided eye from your observing site.

[h0ughy (David)]

come on you planetary guys, get a image of it???

Often wonder when we might get the opportunity to explore the depths of this planet?

[Greg Bryant]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

Often wonder when we might get the opportunity to explore the depths of this planet?

David,

Prospects for another probe to Uranus are bleak (bleaker than prospects in general for new probes beyond Saturn).

At present, from what I've been hearing, Neptune is very much favoured over Uranus, not just because its atmosphere shows more activity, but its largest moon Triton (with its active geysers) has scientists eager to explore it.

Still, in terms of new launches to planets beyond Mars, we're really looking at only Jupiter and Saturn again in the medium-term.

[AJames]

Greg

Thanks for the general notification, all we have to hope for in Sydney is a clear night from the cloud and rain. It's also funny the I have just prepared the design and updates for my Southern Astronomical Delights page on Uranus and Neptune, both in three parts apiece - which was amazingly was only finished yesterday.
New comers to the ICE members here might like to read this information for their own interest. It also has an ephemeris and the magnitudes you have mentioned.
The planet is not difficult to find, and most astronomical software produces a easy chart to identify it.
The page is;
http://homepage.mac.com/andjames/PageUranus001.htm
and for Neptune;
http://homepage.mac.com/andjames/PageNeptune001.htm

Regards,
AJames

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by Greg Bryant

Uranus is at opposition, rising around sunset and setting around sunset.

Clever Uranus! Rises AND sets around sunset

Greg, I hope you mean 'rises at sunset and sets around SUNRISE'.

[rogerg (Roger)]

Thanks for that info. It's interesting that Uranus gets so little attention. Easy to forget it's there! Makes me wonder just how much goes on on all these plants and moons on our door step that we don't see. Thinking about it I know very little about Uranus. These days with what seems like 24 hour coverage of Mars, Saturn and Jupiter it's easy to assume we have camera's watching just about everything. Well not quite, but you perhaps know what I mean.

I almost shot a picture of Uranus and Neptune last night but didn't, think I might have to now, next time it's clear.

[Greg Bryant]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Clever Uranus! Rises AND sets around sunset

Greg, I hope you mean 'rises at sunset and sets around SUNRISE'.

Ken,

It moves very quickly!

Yes, a little typo.

[astroron (Ron)]

Earlyer this year I was able to see some of the moons of Uranus, and on most observing evenings observe this planet and Neptune.

[Stephen65]

I've tried imaging it a few times but all I ever get with a 5" refractor is a very small green disc with no visible features. Apparently the only feature you can hope to see with an amateur telescope is polar brightening. This is typical of the shots I get (FLT132+TV 3x barlow+SPC900NC, image scaled up 200%), I took this on 1 September: