You should be able to see Uranus tonight

Clear skies, planetary alignment and just a sliver of moon make tonight a great time to see Uranus, to the delight of astronomers and the fifth-grader in each of us.

"Uranus will be visible to the naked eye tonight," "When is the best time to see Uranus in your area," "Never seen Uranus?" and "Uranus at its best" are just some of the headlines in newspapers and news magazines about the phenomenon.

And, yes, you will be able to see Uranus tonight. Possibly with the naked eye.

According to NASA, the seventh planet should be visible all night long.

"Its blue-green color is unmistakable. It may be bright enough to see with your naked eye - and for sure in binoculars," the agency reports. If you have a telescope, you might be able to see it all month.

Earth is between the planet and the sun, which is called opposition. That brings the planet as close to the Earth as it ever comes and places it high in the sky where it won't be blocked by buildings or trees. It happens about every year, but not usually with the clear, dark skies that make the planet pop.

If you miss Uranus, don't get your undies in a bunch. The lack of moonlight also will make it a great weekend to see the Orionid meteor shower, NASA reports.

That show peaks on Friday and is best in the hours before dawn, when you might see up to 10 or 15 meteors per hour. As the name implies, look near the constellation Orion, a harbinger of winter that this time of year is visible in the eastern sky before sunrise.

If you want to find more about Uranus, see NASA's web page, "Uranus: In Depth." We're not kidding.