Stargazers on lookout for Uranus

Budding star watchers all over the country will have a rare chance tonight to view the planet Uranus in the night sky through binoculars.

David Moore, chairman of Astronomy Ireland, said the planet is normally too far away and dim to be viewed easily.

He said hundreds of people would be given the opportunity to view the planet through telescopes set up by Astronomy Ireland at specified locations or it could be viewed by individuals through their binoculars.

“Just look to the right of the Moon and you will easily see a bright star in the same field of view, and just to the lower right of that is a dimmer ‘star’ which is in fact the planet Uranus, a huge gas giant planet four times wider than Earth,” Mr Moore said.

“Very few of the 3,000 active members of Astronomy Ireland have even seen this planet.”

He added: “Millions of people in Ireland will have no problem seeing it in binoculars, so we wanted to alert the entire nation to this rare opportunity.”

A number of powerful telescopes will be set up in the Phoenix Park at the Papal Cross car park at 8pm tonight for people to catch a rare glimpse of the planet and Moon up close.

Astronomy Ireland will also be organising group viewing events at locations including the IT College in Carlow, Ballyphehane Community Centre in Co Cork, Dundalk in Co Louth and Clonmel in Co Tipperary.

A laser beam in the park will be aimed toward the night sky to point out the position of Uranus. Mr Moore advised people to bring their binoculars along with them to the park as well.