The planet Uranus reaches opposition on 17 November 2024, when it appears to shine at mag. +5.6 among the stars of Taurus.
At present, the planet is extremely well placed from the UK.
More on planet observing
Listed as being theoretically visible to the naked eye, now – while it’s at its opposition brightness – is the time to put that theory to the test, if you have access to a dark-sky location.
In practice, although it can be seen unaided, any stars of a similar brightness nearby tend to confuse the sighting.
Observing Uranus in November
Approaching midnight on 15 November, the full Moon (the Moon also being at opposition) appears to sit 3.7° to the north of the planet.
This is a sighting best suited to binocular or small telescope viewing.
Uranus is able to reach its highest position in the sky, 56° up when due south, all month long under truly dark skies.
Although some of the major planets can be seen under lighter twilight skies, true darkness delivers the best contrast and makes seeing Uranus’s green hue a more dramatic experience.
At least a small scope is required to achieve this.
Larger instruments, especially ones equipped for lucky imaging with high-frame-rate cameras, may reveal detail on the planet, typically in the form of subtle banding.
Good seeing and well-collimated optics are required for this. A dark red filter also helps.
Another popular Uranian imaging challenge is to try to grab a shot of the planet’s major moons.
For this you’ll definitely need to be able to show the planet as a disc and to use an exposure that over-exposes the planet to reveal the moons as tiny star-like points.
If you own a smart telescope, give it a try as many can show the moons, albeit at a small scale.
Quick stats
- Best time to see: 17 November, 00:00 UT
- Altitude: 56°
- Location: Taurus
- Direction: South
- Features: Colour, subtle banding through larger instruments, main moons
- Recommended equipment: 150mm scope or larger
If you manage to see Uranus with the naked eye in November, let us know! Email us at contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
