Two of the outer solar system’s gas giant planets come to opposition this month. A planet is said to be in opposition when it is directly opposite the sun in the sky.
This occurs when Earth is between the planet and the sun. In this configuration, Earth is as close to the outer planet as it can be that year, and so the planet is also at its brightest. This month Jupiter and Uranus are in opposition.
The chart shows the view looking east from London at 8pm GMT on 6 November. Jupiter will be unmistakably bright in the night sky, shining with reflected sunlight from its cloud tops. It will be visible even from urban environments.
Uranus, on the other hand, is a real challenge. At opposition, it just becomes visible to the naked eye. To see it requires a dark sky well away from any light pollution, a nice steady atmosphere when the weather is good, and patience so that your eyes can adjust to the dark. Uranus can be found as a faint spot halfway between Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster. The planets are also easily visible from the southern hemisphere.
