On Wednesday, (Nov. 9), Uranus will transfer reverse the sun in an astronomical association referred to as ‘opposition.’ The distant ice giant and the seventh planet from our sun, Uranus will likely be seen for a lot of the night time and will likely be at its highest level at round midnight.
For skywatchers in New York Metropolis, Uranus in opposition will start at 6:33 p.m. EST (2333 GMT) in keeping with In the Sky (opens in new tab), when the ice giant will seem at 21 levels over the jap horizon within the constellation of Aries. (Bear in mind: Your fist at arm’s size corresponds to roughly 10 levels.)
It is going to rise to 65 levels over the southern horizon at 11:35 p.m. EST (0435 GMT on Nov. 10). Uranus at opposition will stop to be seen at 4:38 a.m. EST (0938 GMT) on Thursday (Nov. 10) when it sinks under 21 levels on the western horizon.
Associated: Night sky, November 2022: What you can see tonight [maps]
The association between the 2 will start at round 4:23 p.m. EST (2023 GMT) changing into seen over the sky of New York Metropolis within the night at round 6:06 p.m. EST (2206 GMT) because the sky darkens, in keeping with In The Sky (opens in new tab).
The seventh planet from the sun, Uranus an ice giant composed principally of a frigid mixture of water, ammonia, and methane with the latter compound accountable for giving the planet its hanging blue look.
On the identical time Uranus reaches opposition it’s going to even be making its closest strategy to Earth, also referred to as its perigee. At the moment, the solar system will likely be aligned in such a method that Uranus and Earth are on the identical aspect of the sun. Because of this the ice giant will likely be at its brightest within the night time sky.
Although Uranus will seem barely brighter at opposition, having a magnitude of round 5.7, it will not seem a lot bigger within the sky, that means it’s going to solely be seen in favorable viewing circumstances with binoculars or a telescope as a tiny twinkling level of sunshine.
It’s because the ice giant is positioned at an amazing distance from our planet, with Uranus dwelling at round 1.7 billion miles (2.8 billion kilometers) from Earth on the time of opposition.
This nice distance from the interior solar system and the sun at its coronary heart implies that Uranus takes round 84 Earth years to finish an orbit. That implies that ever since changing into the primary planet to be found with assistance from a telescope in March 1781 by astronomer William Herschel, Uranus has accomplished lower than three solar orbits.
Following this astronomical occasion throughout which era Uranus will likely be seen from sundown to dawn, the planet will attain its highest level within the sky round 4 minutes earlier every subsequent night time.
This may imply Uranus will step by step turn into much less seen within the hours earlier than daybreak whereas nonetheless remaining seen within the night for just a few months.
The ice giant planet will subsequent be in opposition going through the sun on Nov. 13, 2023.
Editor’s Word: Should you snap a photograph of Uranus at opposition and want to share it with House.com’s readers, ship your photograph(s), feedback, and your title and site to spacephotos@space.com.
Observe us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook.
