It is a tale of two planets this week: Mars and Uranus. While Mars, the fourth planet of the solar system, will be relatively easy to see with the unaided eye, the seventh planet, Uranus, will be almost impossible unless you live somewhere with pristine skies and no light pollution.
So, if you have a pair of binoculars, take those with you as that will help ensure success in tracking down this planet that is technically visible to the naked eye but hardly ever seen that way.
The chart shows the view looking east-south-east from London at 04.00 BST. Mars will be distinctly red, and brighter than the red star Aldebaran in Taurus, the bull. It will also be a steady beacon, whereas Aldebaran may be twinkling depending on the atmospheric conditions.
Having found Mars with your naked eye, lift the binoculars and find it again. Uranus will appear as the pale blue dot, diagonally up and to the left of Mars in the field of view.
From Sydney, Australia, the pair of planets will appear in the north-eastern sky, and Uranus will be diagonally downwards to the left in binoculars.
