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Star map showing the path of Uranus against the background stars of Aquarius and Pisces from June 2006 to January 2019. Positions are marked for each opposition date and selectively for Eastern and Western stationary points. In this diagram, the marked stationary points are paired for each loop, e.g. the '2009 Jul' and '2009 Dec' stationary points occur in the same loop, the planet passing opposition in between, i.e. at '2009 Sep 17' (the planet will always be moving retrograde - East to West - when it passes opposition). Uranus describes a series of shallow, Southward-facing loops because the planet is South of the ecliptic (by less than 1º) throughout the period shown on the chart (the individual loops are not discernible in this chart because of the scale of the map; instead, each loop appears as a thickened line). Note that because of the distance of Uranus from the Earth, the angular width of each loop (about 3º.9 from Eastern to Western stationary points) is such that the loops have only a narrow gap between them. The star map applies to observers in the Northern hemisphere (i.e. North is up); for the Southern hemisphere view, click here. Printer-friendly versions of this chart are available for Northern and Southern hemisphere views (the above chart will help in finding the general location of the planet throughout the period in question, however a more detailed star chart will probably be required to pinpoint the planet precisely - for more details, see below). |
From June 2006 to March 2009, Uranus continues its motion through Aquarius, the Water Carrier, where it has been located since early 2002. From March 2009, Uranus begins its passage through one of the zodiac's faintest constellations - Pisces, the Fishes.
Uranus reaches opposition to the Sun (when it is closest to the Earth and brightest in the sky for the year) every 369.6 days on average, i.e. about 4 days later in each successive year. The apparent magnitude of the planet varies little during the period shown in the star chart - from +5.7 (at opposition) to +5.9 (at superior conjunction).
Note that in 2010, Uranus reaches opposition on the same day as Jupiter (September 21st) with just five hours between their opposition times. Uranus will be positioned 0º.8 to the North of the Giant Planet.
In February 2009 Uranus will reach aphelion (its furthest point from the Sun; in this case 20.1 Astronomical Units or 3 thousand million kms) and consequently it will also be at its most poorly-placed orbital position for observation from the Earth. The situation only slowly improves and Earthbound observers will have to wait until 2050 (when the planet is in Leo) before it reaches perihelion (its closest point to the Sun, at 18.28 AU or 2.73 thousand million kms) to see the planet at its brightest and best. Despite the closeness, however, the planet's opposition magnitude will only increase by about 0.4 magnitudes to +5.3.
Uranus will cross the celestial equator in Pisces in April 2011 (heading North-eastwards and moving direct), then in October 2011 (moving retrograde and temporarily heading South-westwards) and again in January 2012 (resuming North-easterly motion, moving direct). For the first time in over 41 years, the planet will then become visible for a longer period of time in the Northern hemisphere than in the Southern hemisphere (it last crossed the celestial equator - heading South-eastwards along the ecliptic - in Virgo in 1969).
Looking further ahead, the planet will continue its Northward motion along the ecliptic until it reaches its most Northerly point in Gemini in 2034, having crossed its ascending node on the ecliptic (i.e. crossing the ecliptic from South to North) in Taurus in 2029.
[Terms in yellow italics are explained in greater detail in an associated article describing planetary movements in the night sky.]
Twins Reunited
Further to the South-west (moving through Capricornus and, from 2010, through Aquarius) is Uranus' distant and elusive planetary 'twin' - Neptune. From the viewpoint of the Earth, faster-moving Uranus 'overtook' Neptune when they were in Sagittarius in July 1993 (at which point they were in conjunction, i.e. at the same celestial longitude). This was the first time the two planets had been seen at conjunction since these planets were discovered (Uranus in 1781, Neptune in 1846). Conjunctions of these two planets are rare events indeed, occuring about every 172 years; the next one will not take place until the year 2164.
Finding Uranus from 2006 to 2018
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Uranus, photographed in moderately light-polluted conditions in August 2005, when the planet was in central Aquarius. When mounted on a tripod, modern-day digital cameras fitted with a zoom lens will easily detect the planet at shutter speeds of only a couple of seconds at higher ISO (film speed) settings. Some photos will even show the characteristic pale green colouration of the planet. The field of view is approximately 2º.8 by 3º.0 (move your pointer over the image to see the star magnitudes, or click here). |
From
late 2006 through 2007, pale-green
Uranus
was located to the
South-east of the asterism
(star pattern) unofficially known as
'The Steering
Wheel', in
the Northernmost region of Aquarius. Together
with its nearby star Sadalmelik (
Aqr or Alpha Aquarii, apparent
magnitude +2.9),
'The Steering
Wheel' is the most recognisable
feature of Aquarius
(the complete constellation can be seen on the Neptune
2006-2023
page).
The
'Steering
Wheel' is found
by looking West of the Circlet
of Pisces -
five stars in a roughly circular formation, which form the head of the Fishes
(there are actually seven stars in the circle; two fainter stars are not shown
on the map).
The Circlet
is itself found by looking
South of the Great
Square of Pegasus
- four fairly
bright stars forming a near-perfect square. The four stars are (moving clockwise
from North-east): Alpheratz
(
And or Alpha Andromedae, mag. +2.0), Scheat (
Peg or Beta Pegasi, mag. +2.4v), Markab (
Peg or Alpha Pegasi, mag.
+2.5) and Algenib
(
Peg or Gamma Pegasi, magnitude +2.8v).
Once
at the 'The Steering
Wheel', a
'star-hop'
will be required towards the South-east to the star
Aqr
(Lambda Aquarii or 73 Aqr, mag. +3.7) which is shown in the above star
map, next to the '2006 Nov' position of Uranus.
This star, together with
Aqr (Phi Aquarii
or 90 Aqr, mag. +4.2) should be the main reference points of
all searches for the planet through to around early 2009. A finder chart
will most likely be needed to locate the planet with certainty (of which, see
below).
From early 2009, Uranus may prove a more tricky object to find because by then, the planet has moved into Pisces, a relatively faint constellation with no stars brighter than magnitude +3.6. This having been said, the track which the planet takes through the constellation is along a region of faint stars, so at any given time, Uranus will be one of the brightest objects - if not the brightest object - seen in the area immediately around its track (i.e. within a typical binocular field of vision).
From around April 2008 to early 2010, the planet can be found to the South of the Circlet; from mid-2010, a star-hop will be required to find the planet, moving Eastwards from the Circlet. Again, a finder chart will be needed to locate the planet with certainty.
Around all opposition dates shown on the map, the planet will be due South at local midnight in the Northern hemisphere (due North at local midnight in the Southern hemisphere).
Finding Finder Charts for Uranus on the Web
The above star chart is unlikely to prove sufficient to pinpoint the planet precisely, and a larger scale finder chart - showing a smaller area and fainter stars - will probably be required.
Accurate finder charts for locating Uranus are published on a variety of websites, such as Paul Money's AstroSpace site and the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (in this case the available star chart shows the Southern hemisphere view, with South up and East to the right; they will need to be inverted for the Northern hemisphere view). Northern hemisphere charts for the current year can usually be found at the Sky & Telescope website by performing a search there on finding Uranus and clicking on the appropriate result. Charts at other websites can be found by using the following search engines (be sure to check the correct orientation of any chart found; it will need to be orientated North-up for Northern hemisphere observers and South-up for Southern hemisphere observers):-
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Northern Hemisphere |
Southern Hemisphere |
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Positions of the Superior Planets:
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Mars, 2007-2008 |
Jupiter, 2006-2008 |
Saturn, 2006-2009 |
Neptune, 2006-2023 |
Pluto, 2006-2022 |
Current Position of the Sun and the Brighter Naked-Eye Planets (Star Map)
|
Philip's Guide to Stars and Planets Sir Patrick Moore & Wil Tirion |
Simple Stargazing: A First-Time Skywatcher's Guide Anton Vamplew |
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides) Richard Schmude, Jr |
Atlas of Uranus Garry E. Hunt & Sir Patrick Moore |
Uranus: The Planet, Rings & Satellites Ellis D. Miner |
Why Is Uranus Upside Down? And Other Questions about the Universe Fred Watson |
There Once Was a Sky Full of Stars (Ages 4 to 8) Bob Crelin & Amie Ziner |
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Credits
Copyright © Martin J. Powell Dec 2006 with minor update Jan 2008