Uranus and a moon, maybe ?

[John]

I'm observing Uranus at the moment with my 12" dobsonian.

At 454x it's disk is clearly defined and pale blue. I can also see a dim star around 30 arc seconds to the NNE of Uranus. It's visible to direct vision though faint so I'd say around mag 13. Thats a little bright for a Uranian moon though, isn't it ?. Titania might be a candidate and would be in more or less that position according to Stellarium and Cartes du Ciel but somehow I'm a little doubtful

Anyone else observing Uranus tonight ?

Edit: Actually Oberon (mag 13.9 ?) could be in the position I see that "star" in ?

Edit 2: There is another fainter star not far from the above one at 530x. It's closer to due N of Uranus and a little further from the planet.

Edit 3: Starry Night Pro 6 seems to confirm the brighter of the above to be a mag 12.7 star and the fainter one is bang in the correct position for Oberon which is mag 14.1 according to SN Pro 6. I may have glimpsed Titania closer in to the planet as well but it was very fleeting. The Oberon candidate needed AV from time to time.

I can't see any details on the Uranian disk though, or at least nothing that is definite.

The Moon is about to poke it's bright face around the shielding conifers so thats probably going to wash things out somewhat but it's been fun. I also had a look at Neptune and Triton earlier although they were a little lower in the sky so Triton needed AV to pick up clearly.

AV = averted vision.

[Stu]

Nice one John.

Skysafari seems to agree with you, but has slightly brighter magnitudes for the field star (mag 12.4) and Oberon (mag 14).

NB Just standard 'binocular' view, not flipped for Newtonian

[Paul73]

Hi John

Oberon should be doeable given the right conditions. I got it in my 10" over several nights last autumn. The extra couple of inches should help you out there.

A session with Oberon & Triton does get you thinking. Oberon the dead pitted silent lump vs Triton the vibrant evolving enigma. (Hope that I've got that the right way round).

Paul

[Mike73]

Great bit of observing once again John, you do like to push your eyes and equipment to the limit don't you?

I'd guess that even with the moon just below the horizon it still made a difference to the sky brightness?

I didn't stay up for Uranus last night, its lost behind trees and Plymouths light dome for me to even try but I'm off to my local dark site which overlooks the sea to try and pick out Pluto tonight.

[John]

Thanks for the feedback folks

The Moon would have had some effect I guess which is why I was slightly surprised and questioning what I'd seen.

Thanks for the Skysafari pics Stu - they do seem to match my crude biro sketch, allowing for the newtonian reversal. The mag 12.something star was direct vision visible all the time. There was definitely something in the position that Oberon is shown in although AV was required for that one most of the time and occasionally something popped into view in the Titania position.

I'd have thought that Titania would be a touch easier to pick up than Oberon although it was closer to the planets glare last night

Hey, ho, I'll repeat the observations when the Moon is less intrusive and see what I get then

[rockystar]

Very nice, If I can just find it, I'll be happy. Off to a dark site tonight, so maybe I can catch it before the moon rises.

[niallk]

Great report! Was looking last night too - caught Neptune for the first time ever, and also had a second ever look at Uranus. I was down by the sea, and there was an on-shore breeze buffeting my scope, along with the moon washing out contrast with the murk down within ~20° of the horizon... Uranus showed a blue-green small disk, and Neptune an even smaller pale blue disk (no Triton).

The views might not have been all that great, but knowing that I was looking at these distant mysterious ice giants with my very own eyes is still something special

[Bazz]

I think I got it last night. Not 100% sure though.

[John]

I think I got it last night. Not 100% sure though.

Well done if you did

These were right at the limit of my 12" dob at 400x and more magnification so real "toughies" I felt.

[Bazz]

Well done if you did

These were right at the limit of my 12" dob at 400x and more magnification so real "toughies" I felt.

Not it's moon unfortunately but Uranus.