Although Neptune is visible with binoculars, it appears just like a rather faint star so it’s best to use either high-power mounted binoculars or a telescope with a good mounting that you can control in detail. Finding it requires some observing ability and patience!
Start by finding Jupiter, the very bright object quite high in the south-west in December 2022. Neptune lies between Jupiter and the fourth-magnitude star Phi Aquarii, as shown below.
With binoculars or a telescope, move from Jupiter towards Phi Aquarii using the map below, which shows stars to magnitude 9. The circle shows a 5° field of view, typical of binoculars or the optical finder of a telescope. The planet moves slightly from week to week as shown.
