Only Mars? 😥

[Spacecake2]

Why are there only Mars topics and no Jupiter and Saturn? 😂😥

 

[Neil H]

May be due to mars being harder to see , been trying for weeks i hope to night may be better seeing 

[markse68]

Jupiter and Saturn are getting a bit low now and by the time i usually get out they’ve both set! They’re more summer targets for me from here. Mars only comes around once every 2 years so making the most of my first opposition

Mark

[Spacecake2]

Jupiter and Saturn are the highest for me!

Neil

[John]

Mars opposition this year is a very good one - the best that we will get for many years. I think it's natural that the months leading up to the opposition show an increasing interest in the red planet.

While we do have many members from around the world I guess the majority are from the UK and the EU where Jupiter and Saturn have been low and difficult to observe well recently. At other times those two planets feature much more here than Mars does.

Reports from folks who do have good views of Saturn and Jupiter because of their location are always very welcome of course

When you have been a member for a bit longer I think you will see a different pattern to reports in this section as Mars moves away and it's size dwindles rapidly to a small pink disk. You joined us just as Mars was peaking

Edited October 9, 2020 by John

[Rob]

Great post @John could not have said it better. Thanks

[markse68]

1 hour ago, Spacecake2 said:

Jupiter and Saturn are the highest for me!

Neil

Ah well you’re very lucky then! Enjoy 😊 Have a go at Antares while you’re at it and rub salt into the wounds- it’s nigh on impossible from here 😉

[scarp15]

Jupiter and Saturn had been too low for observing from my high backyard wall, Mars on the other hand is transiting at 42 degrees altitude seen from the UK.  Currently 38.5million miles from Earth, the planet will remain in excess of 20" in diameter for a whole month. No dust storms, surface detail has been exceptional and educational.

[Spacecake2]

Actually, I can see four planets Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Mars. 

[John]

4 minutes ago, Spacecake2 said:

Actually, I can see four planets Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Mars. 

Uranus is not that far from Mars in the sky so that could be a fifth

[scarp15]

Yes Uranus gliding across the field of view has been a good accompaniment to Mars and not so far away.

[lunartic]

I am returning to the forum (and to stargazing in general) after several years hiatus. I had a fabulous night last Wednesday around 10-11pm seeing Jupiter, Saturn, then Mars. After that I had a good hunt around with my binoculars to try to find Uranus - something I'd never managed before. After scanning several points of light in the right sort of area I happened upon one with a coolish colour. I managed to find it my with 250px and pentax 8.5 mm EP and low and behold there it was - I believe I saw a tiny suggestion of a disc of pale aquamarine. I was so excited. Really mind-blowing. Can't wait to have another go now...