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Uranus to begin reversing path across the night sky on Wednesday
UPI ^ | By Clyde Hughes

Posted on 08/24/2022 12:30:34 PM PDT by Red Badger

This image, taken by the Voyager 2 space probe in 1986, shows the blue-green appearance of Uranus. Photo courtesy NASA/Voyager 2

. . . .

Aug. 24 (UPI) -- As part of a cosmic phenomenon called retrograde motion, Uranus -- the second-to-last planet in our solar system -- will reverse its eastward course on Wednesday and begin moving west in the sky for a few months.

Retrograde motion occurs as the Earth moves around the sun and the stellar views at night change little by little. The orbit, in turn, makes objects like planets in our solar system move horizontally across the sky throughout the year.

All the outer planets of the solar system are affected by retrograde motion periodically before they reach opposition.

Uranus can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye, but retrograde motion requires a telescope or binoculars.

The ice giant will enter retrograde motion beginning at 9:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday and will remain in the motion until Jan. 22.

Astronomers advise skywatchers to look to the southeast between 10:46 p.m. and 5 a.m. when Uranus is above the horizon before dawn. Watchers can also use the stars in the constellation Aries to spot the blue-green planet.

"Uranus will be sitting at the bottom corner of a box formed by the 4th and 5th magnitude stars Botein or Delta Arietis, Epsilon Arietis, and Pi Arietis -- creating a distinctive asterism for anyone viewing Uranus," geophysicist Chris Vaughan said according to Space.com.

Centuries ago, the backward motion puzzled ancient observers because they couldn't explain why the planets shifted in the sky during the year when, they believed, they were in uniform circular orbits around the Earth.


TOPICS: Astronomy; History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: astronomy; science; uranus
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To: fwdude

Lol!


41 posted on 08/24/2022 1:13:35 PM PDT by EvilCapitalist (81 million votes my ass.)
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To: Red Badger

Uranus is reclined on its side and has a ring.


42 posted on 08/24/2022 1:13:41 PM PDT by fwdude (Racism is not dead, but it is on life support - kept alive by politicians….” — Thomas Sowell)
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To: Red Badger

Uranus: “I tell ya, I don’t get no respect.”


43 posted on 08/24/2022 1:13:42 PM PDT by Huskrrrr (Alinsky, you magnificent Bastard, I read your book!)
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To: fwdude

Sounds like someone needs more TP.


44 posted on 08/24/2022 1:14:34 PM PDT by EvilCapitalist (81 million votes my ass.)
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To: fwdude

Astronomers speculate that it was hit at some time by a massive object.........................


45 posted on 08/24/2022 1:14:47 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

Spackle that crack, plumber pants!


46 posted on 08/24/2022 1:15:58 PM PDT by Flag_This
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To: antidemoncrat

LOL!


47 posted on 08/24/2022 1:18:34 PM PDT by dragonblustar (Romans 12:12)
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To: MtnClimber

Doesn’t Charley swing both ways?


48 posted on 08/24/2022 1:19:51 PM PDT by dragonblustar (Romans 12:12)
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To: EvilCapitalist
I was referring to the off-color jokes that high school kids make when Uranus is mentioned in class.

But we could probably extend that to grade school these days.

49 posted on 08/24/2022 1:20:09 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (3,903,096 users on Truth Social)
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To: SamAdams76

I know you were. But I remember learning them in 2nd grade science class. Mr. Munoz was our teacher.


50 posted on 08/24/2022 1:23:41 PM PDT by EvilCapitalist (81 million votes my ass.)
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To: SamAdams76

By the way, there’s another Uranus thread at 4:15pm.


51 posted on 08/24/2022 1:27:14 PM PDT by EvilCapitalist (81 million votes my ass.)
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To: EvilCapitalist
Uranus Jokes
52 posted on 08/24/2022 1:28:35 PM PDT by fwdude (Racism is not dead, but it is on life support - kept alive by politicians….” — Thomas Sowell)
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To: fwdude

Lol!


53 posted on 08/24/2022 1:30:18 PM PDT by EvilCapitalist (81 million votes my ass.)
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To: Songcraft

Well, that settles it, then. In the interest of inclusion, it must be renamed “Theiranus.”


54 posted on 08/24/2022 2:19:34 PM PDT by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: Red Badger

Monkey Pox began on Uranus !!


55 posted on 08/24/2022 2:22:29 PM PDT by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: gundog

Sounds good, but you might have to clear that with the appropriate pronoun authorities.


56 posted on 08/24/2022 2:28:16 PM PDT by Songcraft
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To: Red Badger
Uranus


57 posted on 08/24/2022 2:36:46 PM PDT by Kenny Bania (Ovaltine? Why not call it Roundtine?)
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To: Red Badger

Like Charlie Crist.


58 posted on 08/24/2022 5:30:41 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (America Owes Anita Bryant An Enormous Apology)
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To: Red Badger

“creating a distinctive asterism for anyone viewing Uranus”

Shouldn’t that be spelled assterism?


59 posted on 08/24/2022 7:33:06 PM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

😜....................


60 posted on 08/25/2022 5:09:55 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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