It's a new year, which means a brand new astronomy calendar. 12 months of observing the night sky to look forward to.
This evening, as something of a New Year treat, the Moon will pass in front of Uranus in an event known as a lunar occultation.
The event will happen late this evening, with the best time to see the event being between 21:45 UT until 23:40 UT, although this will depend on your location.
For a full breakdown of what to expect and when, read Pete Lawrence's fantastic guide on the lunar occultation of Uranus, or read on for some tips on observing the event.
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Where the occultation is visible in the UK
As is always the case with lunar occultations of planets, we recommend watching from 20–30 minutes earlier so you don’t miss anything.
- The observing line between near-miss and full occultation runs from Pembroke in south Wales, through the Midlands and East Anglia, leaving the east coast near Lowestoft.
- Anywhere south of this line sees a near-miss. Those further north see a full occultation.
- Deepest occultation will be seen from northern Scotland, with disappearance at 22:13 UT and reappearance at 23:10 UT.
- In the middle of the UK, it runs from 22:26 UT to 23:04 UT
- From the graze zone, Uranus will appear clipped by the Moon’s southern edge at 22:42 UT
Although a telescope will give a view of the Moon with Uranus as a disc, binoculars can also be used to see the lunar occultation.
A telescope setup showing the entire Moon’s disc guarantees a view of the reappearance, but Uranus will really only appear as a dot
More magnification shows the planet as a disc, but increases the possibility of missing the reappearance.
This guide originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
