Thank you, we’ll be here all week. But seriously, folks, there are a ton of stargazer opportunities if you aim your telescope towards the icy planet this month.
First, on November 8th, you will actually get a visible Lunar Occultation. These “lunar occultations of Uranus” actually happen all year long, but most of the time, we can’t see them. But this one will be different. The lunar occultation of Uranus on November 8th/9th will be visible to those in Alaska, eastern Russia, eastern China, eastern Mongolia, and all of Korea and Japan.
Whether you call these places home, or just happen to be visiting during this time frame, here’s the info you need if you want to try and spot this ice giant.
Speaking of giant, icy Uranus… If there were ever a time to try and spot it in 2022, then November 8th and 9th are the two nights to give it a go.
After the lunar occultation of Uranus on the 8th, Uranus will be at Opposition on the 9th, which means that it will be brightly lit by the sun and appear its brightest in the sky for the year. However, Uranus is incredibly hard to spot even in pristine dark sky conditions, so it’s best to grab your telescope or a pair of astronomical binoculars if you want to see this methane-blue planet. Look for Uranus in the constellation Aires between midnight and 6am local time.
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Photo Credit: Vadim Sadovski / Shutterstock.com