Uranus at solar conjunction in May 2026
When it occurs: Uranus will reach solar conjunction—when it passes almost directly behind the sun from Earth’s perspective—on May 22, 2026, at 16:00 UTC (12 p.m. EDT).
Significance: Uranus at solar conjunction marks its transition from the evening sky to the morning sky.
Visibility: Around its solar conjunction, Uranus will not be visible in our sky for a few weeks, as it is lost in the sun’s glare. It will reappear in the morning sky in mid-June 2026.
Distance from Earth: Uranus will reach its farthest distance from Earth around solar conjunction on May 22, 2026, passing to a distance of about 20.48 AU or 3.1 billion km.
Size of Uranus: Uranus will appear smallest in size around solar conjunction on May 22, 2026. If it could be observed using proper sun-blocking filters, Uranus would measure only about 3.4 arcseconds in diameter.
How often does Uranus reach solar conjunction?
Uranus reaches its solar conjunction once every 369 days. This interval is called the synodic period of Uranus. It is the time Uranus takes to orbit the sun relative to Earth.
Uranus at solar conjunction from 2026 to 2030
Here are the dates of solar conjunction of Uranus from 2026 to 2030:
| Date of solar conjunction | Distance from Earth (AU) |
|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | 20.48 |
| May 27, 2027 | 20.41 |
| May 31, 2028 | 20.34 |
| June 4, 2029 | 20.27 |
| June 9, 2030 | 20.20 |
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