See Mars and Uranus make a close approach in the night sky tonight (Image Credit: Space.com)
Skwatchers will see both Mars and Uranus in the same field of view today using a pair of binoculars as the two planets make a close approach.
Mars and Uranus shared the same right ascension (the celestial equivalent of longitude) in the dawn sky yesterday (June 15), in an arrangement called a conjunction. The pair will still be close together in the predawn sky early on Tuesday (July 16), rising in the east around 2:30 a.m. (0630 GMT).
The pair should be comfortably visible through a pair of binoculars, according to In-The-Sky.org. Mars and Uranus will be in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull. The planets will be visible in the dawn sky starting at nearly 4 hours before the sun rises. If you use optics such as binoculars or a telescope to view the arrangement, take care not to point them at the sun as it rises, as it could cause permanent damage to your eyes.
Mars will have a magnitude of 0.9, while Uranus will have a magnitude of 5.8. The planets will be most visible in the pre-dawn sky, reaching an altitude of around 47 degrees above the eastern horizon before they fade from view as dawn breaks at around 6:30 a.m. local time.
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While the pair will be too widely separated to fit within the field of view of a telescope, the two planets will be visible together through a pair of binoculars. To spot the planetary pair, viewers can use Mars as a beacon to locate the fainter, blue-green Uranus, which will be located to the upper left of the Red Planet.
During their close approach, Mars will pass only 0.55 degrees (which is roughly the diameter of the full moon) south of Uranus. The pair will appear in close proximity in the night sky through July 23, as Uranus shifts farther to the upper right of Mars.
If you want to get a closer look at the planets of the night sky take a look at our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars.
And if you want to photograph the pair, we have tips for how to photograph the planets, as well as guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s Note: If you snap an image of the close approach between Uranus and Mars and would like to share it with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
