dipper@utastro.UUCP (Debbie Byrd) (12/10/85)
The sideways planet Uranus is directly behind the sun from Earth today. More on when it comes back to our sky -- after this. December 10 Uranus at Conjunction Today Uranus moves across our daytime sky precisely with the sun. The planet is located directly behind the sun today from our vantagepoint -- in a position known to astronomers as "superior conjunction." Uranus was the first planet ever discovered with a telescope -- and it will be the next planet seen close-up through the robot eyes of a spacecraft. Voyager 2 will fly about 65 thousand miles from the cloudtops of Uranus next month. The spacecraft should reveal the gas giant planet itself, plus its tenuous system of rings, and nine known moons. By the way, the moons of Uranus are sure to become known as worlds in their own right. There's been some speculation that there are active ice volcanos on at least two uranian moons -- volcanos that spew not lava -- but instead water which instantly freezes to ice. Again, Uranus can't been seen in our night sky now because it's moving on the opposite side of the sun in our solar system. Uranus is now crossing the daytime sky with the sun. The planet will be rising shortly before the sun around New Years -- and by January 24, when Voyager is closest to Uranus, it should be possible to observe the planet with binoculars. To find it, you'd need a chart -- and the January issues of some astronomy magazines often contain finder charts for Uranus. If you use one, you will be able to peek at the planet in our sky -- while Voyager turns its gaze on the planet in space. Script by Deborah Byrd. (c) Copyright 1984, 1985 McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin