Starwatch: use the moon to guide you to the planet Uranus | Science

For the second month in a row, we’re going to use the moon as a signpost as we limber up for the big November challenge of seeing planet Uranus with our naked eyes.

The chart shows the view looking west-south-west from London at 1930 GMT on 7 March 2022. The moon will be a waxing crescent with just 26% of its visible surface illuminated.

A dark sky, well away from streetlights and other light pollution, and a pair of binoculars will be your best allies on Monday night. You do not need a large pair of binoculars, as you won’t be able to hold them steady enough to see anything in the sky. Instead a pair of 7x35s or 7x50s will be best.

Uranus will be easily visible in such instruments, but first, take the opportunity to look at the moon. In its crescent phases, there are plenty of dramatic shadows that accentuate the stark lunar landscape.

In the coming months, we’ll use more detailed finder charts to locate Uranus with binoculars. From Sydney, Australia, the moon and Uranus’s location will be visible on 7 March for an hour or so after sunset in the west.