Planet Viewing

Mercury

The solar system's smallest planet flits back and forth from morning sky to evening sky several times a year. It never strays far from the Sun in our sky, so it's tough to find in the glare. From the northern hemisphere, it is visible in the morning sky this year in January, April/May, August, and December. The late-year appearance is the best because the planet will stand highest above the horizon. In the evening, Mercury is best seen in February/March, June/July and October. The early March appearance is best.

Venus

Venus, the dazzling morning or evening star, outshines all the other stars and planets in the night sky. It begins the year in the evening sky, in good view in the west as darkness begins to fall. It stages a spectacular encounter with Jupiter in mid-March. It will disappear from view in May as it passes between Earth and the Sun. In fact, Venus will pass across the face of the Sun on June 6, staging its last transit for more than a century. The planet will return to view as a “morning star” a few days after the transit, and will remain there for the rest of the year.

Mars

Mars puts on its best showing early in the year, when it shines like a brilliant orange star. The planet is at opposition in early March, when it passes closest to Earth and shines brightest. As the year progresses, it will fade as it moves farther from Earth. Mars will huddle close to Regulus, the brightest star of Leo, in late March and early April, then stage beautiful close encounters with Spica, the brightest star of Virgo, in mid-August, and the planet Saturn a few days later.

Jupiter

The largest planet in our solar system, and the second-brightest object in the night sky after the Moon, begins the year quite high in the south at nightfall. It will stage a beautiful encounter with Venus, the “evening star,” in March. Jupiter will disappear in the Sun’s glare in late April, then return to view in the dawn sky in late May. The planet’s best appearance comes in December, when it lines up opposite the Sun in our sky. It will shine at its brightest for the year and remain visible all night.

Saturn

Saturn looks like a bright golden star. It spends all but the last part of December in the constellation Virgo, the virgin. Saturn is at its best in April, when it is closest to Earth. It disappears behind the Sun in early October, then returns to view in the morning sky in November.

Uranus

Although it is the third-largest planet in the solar system, Uranus is so far from the Sun that you need binoculars to see it. It begins the year in the western sky at sunset, then disappears behind the Sun in late March and early April, after which it returns to view in the morning sky. Uranus stages its best appearance in late September, when it is at its brightest and is in the sky all night. The best chance to see it, however, comes around February 8-10, when the planet is in the same binocular field of view with Venus, the brilliant “evening star.”