The chart shows the path of Uranus across the background stars over the course of the year. Stars to magnitude +9.5 are shown. The white circles represent the planet on the first day of the month and are scaled according to apparent magnitude. The faint paths before the first circle and after the last circle represent the planet's positions in December of last year and January of next. In general, the planet moves from right to left except when it's in retrograde and proceding in the opposite direction.
The lower chart shows how the appearance of Uranus changes over the year. Below each image is listed the date, the apparent magnitude, the apparent diameter of the disk (in arc-seconds) and the geocentric distance (in au). Because the relative distance of Uranus does not greatly vary throughout the year, neither does its appearance through a telescope.
Uranus hovers around sixth magnitude so it is best viewed with some kind of optical aid. It enters the year in retrograde motion in the evening sky and its position in the constellation of Aries means that northern hemisphere observers have the best views of this faint planet. Conjunction takes place in early May after which Uranus moves into the morning sky. Last year, the Moon made increasingly close passes by the green ice giant; this year these encounters become lunar occultations. Opposition occurs in November, with Uranus on view all night.
| 11 January | 1.3° north of the Moon |
| 17 January | maximum declination south |
| 18 January | stationary in right ascension: retrograde → direct |
| 30 January | east quadrature |
| 07 February | lunar occultation: 1.1° north of the Moon |
| 07 March | lunar occultation: 0.8° north of the Moon |
| 03 April | lunar occultation: 0.6° north of the Moon |
| 14 April | 0.2° north of sixth-magnitude star ο Arietis |
| 18 April | planetary conjunction: 1.9° south of Mercury |
| 01 May | lunar occultation: 0.4° north of the Moon |
| 05 May | conjunction |
| 28 May | lunar occultation: 0.3° north of the Moon |
| 11 June | planetary conjunction: 1.5° south of Venus |
| 24 June | lunar occultation: 0.1° north of the Moon |
| 22 July | lunar occultation: 0.2° south of the Moon |
| 02 August | planetary conjunction: 1.3° north of Mars |
| 11 August | west quadrature |
| 18 August | lunar occultation: 0.6° south of the Moon |
| 23 August | maximum declination north |
| 24 August | stationary in right ascension: direct → retrograde |
| 14 September | lunar occultation: 0.7° south of the Moon |
| 12 October | lunar occultation: 0.8° south of the Moon |
| 08 November | lunar occultation: 0.8° south of the Moon |
| 09 November | opposition: magnitude +5.6, apparent diameter 3.7 arc-seconds |
| 05 December | lunar occultation: 0.6° south of the Moon |
