Ice Giants

[algol]

so when are the best times to view these two frosty gods? stargaze and stellarium show them at a decent height in bout spetember is this right?

can't wait for them, hope my scope is good enough to at least show a colured disc.

[Talitha]

Yes, that's what my Sky Tools program is showing.. September and October. I'm not really much of a planet-lover, but do recall seeing a hint of Robin-egg blue in one of them a number of years ago with the 8" SCT. Can't recall if it was Neptune or Uranus, though.

[trevboyd]

Hi Algol

I saw Uranus once last year - very pleased to find it! In my 120mm refractor, it appeared as a very small blue disk - just about apparent that it wasn't a point like a star. I would guess with your scope, you should be able to see something similar.

HTH

Trev

[algol]

cheers tal and trev, i'm not really a planet nut, think a refractor would have been better in that case.

but at the min the nebulae and galaxies are just to faint from my neck of the woods. clusters are good though.

only nebulae i've seen is in orion, and galaxy m31 very faint though.

but the ice giants are my fave 2.

[Paul G. Abel]

Hi there!!! I looked at Uranus with my 8" reflector. At 400x I could see a green disk with some belt structure and I think a couple of satellites. I was rather pleased with myself. It only took me 15 years to find it!