Observing Neptune and Uranus
Posted by Lydia on August 12th, 2008
Neptune is at opposition on August 15 and is easily located from August through October. Neptune, along with the other three gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, all have diameters over 48,000 kilometres. (The other five “small” planets, including Earth, have diameters under 13,000.) Of Neptune’s known moons, only two are visible from Earth.
Uranus, along with moons Titania and Oberon, are visible at a good mag. 6 from September to early December in Aquarius.
27 Uranian moons have been identified so far, many of them however, difficult to observe. Umbriel and Ariel, for example, situated in the Uranian glare, are especially elusive to amateur telescope apertures. Can you name all 27 Uranian moons?
Wishing you dark skies and good observing weather.
