--- title: Uranus: How and Where to See the Planet Tonight description: Thursday night, sky-gazers could be able to see Uranus without the help of a telescope. This is how to see it canonical: https://time.com/4989585/how-to-view-uranus-without-a-telescope/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-10-19T17:26:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T02:25:49.000Z article:section: Science og:title: How to View Uranus Without a Telescope Tonight og:description: "It's visible all night long and its blue-green color is unmistakeable." og:url: https://time.com/4989585/how-to-view-uranus-without-a-telescope/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltac94f8d41f147f08/6988e2a54ee262055130f773/uranus_nasa.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1720 og:image:height: 968 og:image:alt: Uranus og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to View Uranus Without a Telescope Tonight twitter:description: "It's visible all night long and its blue-green color is unmistakeable." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltac94f8d41f147f08/6988e2a54ee262055130f773/uranus_nasa.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How to View Uranus Without a Telescope as It Nears Earth Tonight > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: The Moon Once Had an Atmosphere That Faded Away [Watch (HLS stream): The Moon Once Had an Atmosphere That Faded Away](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/iEIHrSjw.m3u8) (1:31)  _Published 2017-10-09. The moon likely had an ancient, temporary atmosphere — similar to the pocket of gases that surround Earth — around 3 to 4 billion years ago, according to a new study._ by [Lisa Marie Segarra](https://time.com/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra Updated: Dec 13, 2023 2:25 AM UTCPublished: Oct 19, 2017 5:26 PM UTC  This is an image of the planet Uranus taken by the spacecraft Voyager 2 in 1986. This is an image of the planet Uranus taken by the spacecraft Voyager 2 in 1986. NASA by [Lisa Marie Segarra](https://time.com/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra Updated: Dec 13, 2023 2:25 AM UTCPublished: Oct 19, 2017 5:26 PM UTC Sky-gazers will have a good chance of seeing the icy planet Uranus from just 1.7 billion miles away Thursday night — without the help of a telescope. Uranus is making a close approach to our planet, NASA says, and it could be visible to the naked eye. A waning moon, and the resulting darker sky, should help. “It’s visible all night long and its blue-green color is unmistakeable. It may be bright enough to see with your naked eye — and for sure in binoculars,”[ according to NASA.](https://www.nasa.gov/mediacast/jpl/whats-up-october-2017) Uranus is 4 times wider than Earth. For perspective, NASA says, if Earth was the size of a nickel, Uranus would be about as big as a softball. Despite its relative size to Earth,[_National Geographic_](https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/10/skywatching-guide-october-uranus-meteors-moon-space-science/) notes, the planet would still be just barely visible without any viewing equipment even under ideal conditions. But binoculars, rather than a full telescope, should suffice, NASA says. The best way to see Uranus, according to _National Geographic,_ is by looking toward the southeast, where it will be close to the [Pisces constellation.](http://time.com/4183652/david-bowie-honored-with-his-own-lightning-bolt-shaped-constellation/) “Scan the constellation carefully, and look for a tiny blue-green disk to pop out against the background of fainter stars,” the magazine advises. Since Uranus will remain close by, those who do have a telescope will be able to see it throughout the month of October. **Correction:** The original version of this story misstated the position of Uranus in relation to Earth and the sun. 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