You'll Be Able to See Jupiter and Uranus Tomorrow Night — What to Know

Stephanie Vermillion
·2 min read
3

Here’s how to spot the Jupiter-Uranus hangout on Saturday, plus tips for snagging the best planet view.

<p>m-gucci/Getty Images</p>

m-gucci/Getty Images

On the night of April 20, two of Earth’s interstellar neighbors will hang out in the evening sky — and you can admire them with your own two eyes, or better yet, a pair of binoculars.

The two will appear only half a degree apart, according to the Society for Popular Astronomy; that’s around the same diameter as the moon. This proximity means Jupiter and Uranus will both fit in the same binocular view. A dim new moon will only enhance the viewing.

Here’s how to spot the Jupiter-Uranus hangout on the evening of April 20, plus tips for snagging the best planet view.

When to See Jupiter ‘Meet’ Uranus

Jupiter and Uranus have been hovering near each other throughout the month — to the point they even appeared together near the moon during the total solar eclipse. They will reach their closest point the night of April 20, according to stargazing app Starwalk. For the best observation, head out just after sunset. The two will slide beneath the horizon around 10 p.m. EDT. 

They may appear to touch in the sky this evening, but Jupiter and Uranus actually have over 1 billion miles of distance between them, according to ThePlanets.org.

Where to Look for Jupiter and Uranus on Saturday Night

The planet duo will travel from the western sky toward the northwest horizon as the evening wears on. Look for Jupiter and Uranus after sunset just below the Pleiades star cluster, and near the constellation Aries. Try a stargazing app, such as Starwalk or SkySafari, to aid your night-sky navigation.

How to See Jupiter and Uranus

Given Jupiter and Uranus are only half a degree from each other in the night sky, you’ll be able to see both simultaneously in a pair of stargazing binoculars. Stargazers rarely need visual aids to observe bright Jupiter, but binoculars can enhance the view —and make tougher-to-spot Uranus more visible. To further improve your stargazing, watch for the duo from a dark-sky destination with minimal light pollution, such as a stargazing-focused hotel — or, even better, a hotel with in-room telescopes and guided stargazing. 

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