On the night time of Wednesday, 14 September there’s a reasonably uncommon circumstance to watch because the planet Uranus is occulted by the Moon. This thrilling occasion might be seen from elements of Africa, Asia and Europe, together with the entire of the UK. Amazingly, Uranus has been occulted by our satellite tv for pc every month from someplace on Earth since February and that incredible pattern will proceed for the remainder of 2022, together with one other occasion, on 5 December, that’s seen throughout the UK
On Wednesday night, Uranus and the Moon rise throughout the UK at round 8.55pm BST. Uranus disappears on the shiny limb of 77-per cent-illuminated waxing gibbous Moon at about 10.27pm and 10.37pm BST (21:27 and 21:37 UT) from London and Edinburgh, respectively. By this time, the celestial pair has risen to about 12° to 13° above the japanese horizon.
Regardless of the Moon’s robust glare, a pair of binoculars and a small telescope will present the distant ice-giant off the brilliant limb (western limb of the Moon though its east on the sky) of the Moon. Uranus lies about 50’ east of the Moon as they rise, however the Moon shortly shut the hole. It is going to be fascinating to watch as this occur and because the occultation begins Uranus gained’t instantaneously disappear from view, taking a lot of seconds to utterly disappear behind the Moon. Relying on the ‘seeing’ circumstances on the time, a high-power telescopic view may very well be spectacular.
Uranus is hidden behind the Moon till about 11.21pm and 11.27pm BST (22:21 and 22:27 UT), from London and Edinburgh, respectively, when it begins to reappear on the darkish limb (japanese limb) of the Moon. With out the identical diploma of distracting glare as in the beginning of the occultation, it’ll be simpler to see Uranus. Fortunately, by this time the Moon has climbed to a way more amenable altitude of 21° or so.
In the event you’re going to attempt to spot the exact second Uranus begins to reappear, you’ll have to know roughly the place on the Moon’s limb to look, particularly if observing at excessive powers. The Handbook of the British Astronomical Affiliation offers the Cusp Angle (CA), the angle of the occasion across the Moon measured from the closest cusp. Uranus reappears at a CA of 77° and 70° at London and Edinburgh, respectively (from the northern cusp [see graphic]).
One other technique is to make use of place angle (PA), the course of an imaginary arrow within the sky measured in levels from north (0°) by east (90°), south (180°) and west (270°). Uranus reappears at PA 268° and 275° from London and Edinburgh, respectively; so about due west on the Moon’s japanese limb.
GRAPHIC] Cusps
CAPTION] The Cusps on a crescent and gibbous Moon.
