What will Uranus look like?

[Manok101]

I've been trying to find Uranus with my little 4.5 inch reflector, and am not expecting too much, through my scope would it look like a bluendot? Or would I be able like with Jupiter to see some of the bigger moons as tiny dots?

[pvaz]

It's a blue dot even on a much larger telescope, such as a 12". I think only professional scopes can resolve it as a disk, though I'm not sure.

[GazOC]

Its clearly a disk at anything above (going from memory) about x150 in my ED120. Absolutely no surface detail though obviously!!! Some of the larger moons can be seen in medium sized scopes but I don't think a 4.5" refractor will be enough to show them.

[Tim]

You'll need good seeing to see any moons, oh, and a bigger tube I couldn't catch any in my C9.25 at all, neither in an 18" obsession, but the seeing wasn't good.

[pvaz]

Erm... I need to have another go at it then.

The 2 times I tried it looked like a bluish star but the seeing was bad. Maybe I didn't find it.

[Nexus 6]

Have not managed to see Uranus this yesr so far but have before with my 925. I could make out the planet but no moons even using my 9mm Nagler. It appeared to gave a slightly greenish impression more than blue to me.

Clear Skies

Alan

[John]

This is what Uranus looks like with my 6" maksutov-newtonian at around 180x magnification:

[NGC 1502]

Here is a finder chart for Uranus. Most scopes should show it as a tiny

disc at 100 - 150x. Scroll down for main chart.

http://media.skyandtelescope.com/documents/Uranus_Neptune_2010.pdf

Happy hunting, Ed.

[starstalker]

this is my only picture of Uranus :

[bish]

To my eyes it looks blue/green. It may be the atmosphere at the time or that my eyes aren't very good. As said already you will need quite a high magnification to see it as a disk and it's easily overlooked without good maps. I tend to just track it in the bins.

[Doc]

Saw it last night in my 16" and it was defintely a resolved disk, actually looked pretty large and a distinct blue hue to it. Best view was with the 7 Uwan at x261.

[beamish]

I can resolve it in my 7" Mak, tho in this pic it is over processed and the seeing was pants, Blue-ish/green too to my eye in the EP

[Gary1]

saw the other night through my 150pl, a small blue dot

[Skills]

I saw Uranus in my 200p a few weeks ago, it was blue/green and clearly a disc (but small and featureless). Being close to Jupiter certainly makes it easier to find.

[Dazraz]

I have seen Uranus this year as a very small disc shaped and very light blue.

[milkyjoe]

I've seen my anus in the mirror, haven't seen uranus though!

Boo, hiss!

[milkyjoe]

Someone had to do it!

[tinvek]

I've seen my anus in the mirror, haven't seen uranus though!

Boo, hiss!

now that settles it, definately "blue"

[matteboy]

Has you seen Jackass when they go to mianus? on youtube if you wanna laugh:D

PS Sorry but Milkyjoe got there before me on that one

I've tried 4 times and failed to see the blue dot:(

[spaceboy]

Have not managed to see Uranus this yesr so far but have before with my 925. I could make out the planet but no moons even using my 9mm Nagler. It appeared to gave a slightly greenish impression more than blue to me.

Clear Skies

Alan

This is because TV's coatings give false colour not because of the planet. My celestron LPR filter shows Jupiter slightly green in the same way so I assume this is how TV's acheive such good contrast. ( a little bit of lpr coating in the mix)

I have seen Uranus through my 10" (with a 6.5 SP) as a clear disc and with a clear colour blue to it. I have also seen it through my 8" although the seeing was not as good and it was a little smaller you could still make out a disc shape. Although it was a little harder to find in the 8" it was still a respectable view of the planet.

I may be wrong but I would think you will struggle to get anything more than a tiny disc like image from a 4 1/2" and you would have to scan real slow not to confuse it with a star. I should think there would be a slightly noticable white/blue tinge to the colour with dark adapted eyes.

Good luck with the search

[CowsonConcrete]

Excuse my ignorance but does it "follow" Jupiter in it's ecliptic and if so is it to the right, left, up or down side. I only have a 5" spotting scope with a 10mm eyepeice but while I'm looking at Jupiter I may as well give it a whirl.

A blue dot you say,

[NGC 1502]

Post #21 Hi Al, it's currently to the upper left of Jupiter. If you click on the link

I posted ( #8 ) it takes you to a finder chart. Scroll down to the lower chart.

HTH, Ed.

[Kef9]

I saw Uranus I few nights ago in my 150 startravel. In all eyepieces it resolved as a greenish disc. For me it was definitley more green than blue. I could not see any surface detail and no moons.

[spaceboy]

I saw Uranus I few nights ago in my 150 startravel. In all eyepieces it resolved as a greenish disc. For me it was definitley more green than blue. I could not see any surface detail and no moons.

Try using a plossl (high power or low power & barlow) this may show a different colour

[LukeSkywatcher]

I can resolve it in my 7" Mak, tho in this pic it is over processed and the seeing was pants, Blue-ish/green too to my eye in the EP

WOW. Thats amazing. To think if i just up my apeture by 2" that is the view i will get.