Does anyone know when the best time is for observing Uranus?

Question

Uranus is supposed to be in the constellation Aquarius this year, but I dunno when that comes up. Also..where to look would be nice too. Northern Hemisphere.

hehe..ok, i guess i shoulda expected answers like that. I meant the planet, smartass. LOL.

Answer 1

Uranus is currently well-positioned for observing in the evening, being due south and at its highest around 10:30 pm. If you know the sky, it's between and slightly south of the Water Jar in Aquarius and the Circlet of Pisces. You can use the interactive star chart at skyandtelescope.com if you need help identifying the constellations.

This site http://www.astrospace.co.uk/nightsky/uranus-neptune-07.html has some useful finder charts. You can see it in binoculars, but you have to know which "star" it is. Or find the general area and observe over time - you'll see Uranus move slightly relative to the other stars. Through a telescope you should be able to note that it's a tiny disc, and a distinctly un-starlike aqua color.

Answer 2

As an outer planet, Uranus is best observed around its Opposition (An Opposition occurs when the planet is opposite from the Sun, relative to the Earth). Uranus' opposition occurs about once a year. At opposition Uranus' brightness is around magnitude 5.7. Limits for naked-eye observation with clear dark skies is about magnitude 6, so at opposition Uranus is barely visible to the naked-eye. You will most likely need a 10 to 12 inch telescope to resolve this blue-green planet to a disk.

One of the easiest ways to pinpoint the location of a planet or any celestial object for any given night is to use computer software to simulate the sky. For Windows Starry Night or TheSky is popular choice for simulating the sky.

Answer 3

You'll need a telescope. Uranus is not visible to the naked eye. Uranus doesn't have a best time of year to observe it, since it's "year" is 84 years.