Rare Alignment Brings Uranus Closest to Earth, Making It More Visible Amid New Moon’s Darkness
On Thursday night, the planet Uranus will reach opposition, coming into its closest alignment with Earth on the same side of the Sun. Although it remains a vast 2.8 billion kilometers away, this alignment enhances its visibility, allowing it to appear as a faint star just above the eastern horizon throughout the night. With no interference from moonlight, as the New Moon coincides with the event, Uranus will showcase its distinct pale blue-green hue — a characteristic of the methane in its atmosphere — especially when viewed through a telescope or binoculars. This rare alignment offers skywatchers a prime opportunity to observe the distant planet in the night sky.
