Jupiter comes to opposition on March 8, which is when Earth aligns with Jupiter and the Sun. That is why Jupiter is up all night long in early March. Face east in evening twilight to watch Jupiter rise. It outshines all stars we ever see at night, so you can’t miss it. Early risers will […]
Jupiter is now a late evening object, rising in the east. It rises by 9 p.m. on Feb. 1, and by Feb. 29 it comes up just before 7 p.m., which is during evening twilight. Jupiter comes to opposition on March 8, which is when Earth aligns with Jupiter and the Sun. That is why […]
Venus is in the southeast at dawn, approaching Saturn. Venus passes Saturn the morning of January 9; the two planets are less than one tenth of one degree apart! They’re easy to tell apart, as Venus outshines all the stars we see at night and is almost 100 times brighter than Saturn. Mars is now […]
Mars remains in the west at dusk this month as it moves through Aries. Mars continues to fade a little each night as Earth continues to leave it farther behind. Later on this month, Mars begins to be lost in the glare of the Sun. Mercury enters the evening sky as Mars leaves it. By […]
Mars remains in the west at dusk this month as it moves through Pisces. Mars continues to fade a little each night as Earth continues to leave it farther behind. After this month, Mars begins to be lost in the glare of the Sun. Venus is in the west at dusk. Venus overtook Mars on […]
This month, Jupiter remains well placed for evening observing all winter and spring. Look for it almost overhead at dusk and high in the west later in the evening. Mars remains in the morning sky. It continues to brighten a bit in the south at dawn. Later in March, it also begins rising in late […]
This month, Venus has entered the morning sky. Look southeast at dawn for the brightest point of light there; only the Sun and Moon outshine Venus. Venus remains a morning star for almost all of 2014. Jupiter, up literally all night long last month, remains well placed for evening observing all winter and spring. Look […]
Jupiter is now lower in the west at dusk. Face west at dusk and look for the brightest thing there (unless the Moon is also there), as Jupiter outshines all other stars we ever see at night. It appears slightly lower in the sky each night, though, and is gone by the end of the […]
Mercury briefly enters the evening sky this month. Greatest elongation (the greatest apparent distance from Sun) is February 16, so that’s when you’ll see it the longest. However, you can begin looking in a few days. Because Mercury sets soon after the Sun, you’ll need a perfectly clear horizon right over the point of sunset […]
Happy New Year! This January, Mars continues to fade as it drops into the Sun’s glare. It is low in the southwest at dusk. Jupiter is now up all night long. Opposition, when Earth is directly between Jupiter and the Sun and Jupiter literally rises at sundown and sets at sunup, is Jan. 3. After […]
