Planet Watch

Venus after sunset

Venus remains the easiest planet to find, shining brilliantly in the western sky after sunset. It is bright enough to become visible before the sky is fully dark, although it sets later in the evening and should be observed from a location with a clear western horizon.

Mars before dawn

Mars is visible in the eastern predawn sky. Its reddish colour separates it from nearby stars, and binoculars may help locate it as dawn brightens. Mars is not yet at its most spectacular, but it adds a clear planetary target for anyone already awake hunting meteors.

Saturn in the second half of the night

Saturn rises in the east during the night and climbs higher before dawn. A small telescope reveals the planet’s ring system, although the rings appear relatively narrow compared with years when they are tilted more widely toward Earth.

Jupiter near the evening glow

Jupiter is very low in the western twilight early in the week and is increasingly difficult to observe as it approaches the Sun’s direction. A completely open horizon may be required, and Venus will be the much more obvious evening beacon.