Quick session

[Lorne]

Working lates this week and managed to get out with my bins for 15 mins during my break at work, in that time (not completely astro dark) had a look at Jupiter and 4 moons, Venus, Mars and a very feint Uranus - looking similar in size but dimmer than Jupiters moons as it was sinking in the murk low in the west. Uranus in the bins is a first for me.

Still getting to grips with my Nikon bins, 3 weeks old, they replaced the Rocktrail 10 x 50's from Lidl. Noticable straight away was less internal reflection, the eye relief stayed in position and the focus is tighter and need less tweeking to keep the views pinpoint. Hard to knock the Lidl bins for the price mind you.

Still to give the Nikons a proper workout from a real dark site - hopefully when I'm off over the Easter weekend I'll get that chance.

L.

[ghostdance]

Very impressed that you saw Uranus with 10×50s given its position, congratulations!

You must have either good skies or eyes in Livingston

[Alfian]

I'm impressed too!  Tried to find Uranus a time or two with my  10x50s, knew where it was, give or take, but no luck. Well done.

[Lorne]

Now's the time to try given its apparent position in relation to Mars, it will be very close by in the same FOV.

[Lorne]

Just been out, Ghostdance & Alfian put doubts in my mind..... it's definitely a faint Uranus, down to the left of Mars, well chuffed here 

PS....... just as happy here to have 2 clear evenings in a row!!!! Woo hoo 

[Piero]

I saw Uranus a few times with small instruments (10x50, 15x75, TV60). Apart from the time I saw it with a pair of 10x50 under dark skies on the Dolomites, I generally saw it under average skies. 

I would say that it is crucial to know the surrounding stars so that the position of Uranus can be 'easily-ish' determined by exclusion. 

Although it doesn't reveal any detail apart from a green-ish or blue-ish colour using small instruments, to me the thought of seeing a so far planet is always amazing! 

[Lorne]

I saw Uranus a few times with small instruments (10x50, 15x75, TV60). Apart from the time I saw it with a pair of 10x50 under dark skies on the Dolomites, I generally saw it under average skies. 

I would say that it is crucial to know the surrounding stars so that the position of Uranus can be 'easily-ish' determined by exclusion. 

Although it doesn't reveal any detail apart from a green-ish or blue-ish colour using small instruments, to me the thought of seeing a so far planet is always amazing! 

Given its position these past 2 evenings, there was nothing to exclude