How to spot Uranus this week using Mars as your guide
By
Jamie Carter
Summary
A personal, narrative-driven astronomy guide about observing Uranus, the seventh planet. The author shares their long struggle to spot Uranus with modest equipment, explaining why it's so difficult to see compared to other planets. The article highlights a rare astronomical event where Mars passes close to Uranus in the night sky, providing a perfect "cheat" for amateur skywatchers to locate Uranus by using Mars as a guidepost. The piece blends practical stargazing advice with the author's own journey of persistence and eventual success in spotting the elusive planet.
Source
Key quotes
· 3 pulledI used to think Uranus was the sort of planet you graduated into.
But Uranus? The seventh planet feels like something reserved for people with huge telescopes, expensive eyepieces and incredibly lucky atmospheric conditions.
There's a perfect way to cheat this week as Mars glides by Uranus.
You might also wanna read
See Venus and Jupiter tonight! Plus: Phobos isn’t hollow. Shocker.
June 2026 Night Sky Guide: Planets, Stars, and Meteor Showers Visible This Month
A comprehensive stargazing guide for June 2026, detailing what celestial objects (planets, stars, Moon phases, meteor showers) are visible i
Scientists Use Mars Orbiter to Observe Third Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS
Astronomers observed a third interstellar object (3I/ATLAS) passing through our solar system. Since Earth was poorly positioned to view the
Jupiter and Venus set for close planetary conjunction visible in night sky
A brief article about the upcoming planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, described as a 'cosmic kiss', with meteorologist Elizabeth Ri
How astronomers and amateurs alike mistake celestial objects — a look at cosmic misidentifications
A personal, humorous essay about how astronomers and stargazers can mistake one celestial object for another — from the author's college ane
Astronomers Investigate Interstellar Object Speeding Through Solar System
Astronomers are racing to study an interstellar object spotted moving through the Solar System at high speed, sparking online interest and o

Comments
Sign in to join the conversation.
No comments yet. Be the first.