Planet question?

Question

when and where can i see mercury, venus, mars, and jupiter with an unaided eye?

thanks.

Answer 1

You can see Mars in Gemini tonight. Look south and about halfway up the sky at midnight.

You can see Venus in the predawn sky in Virgo near the star Spica. Venus will be the brightest object in that location, in the east rising somewhat before the sun does.

Mercury and Jupiter are close to the sun now. Best to wait a while before going to look for them.

Saturn can be seen in Leo, near the star Regulus. It's between Venus and Mars, a little closer to Venus.

Answer 2

You would probably benefit from getting a program like Stellarium, which will show you the positions of the planets in the night sky and can be run on a laptop in a special low light mode so you can use it outside.

I'm not terribly good at it, but with a little patience it is possible to identify some planets with the naked eye. Mercury is virtually impossible to see because it's too close to the Sun. Venus is by far the brightest star-like object in the sky and is visible in the west in the evening and the east in the morning soon after sunset and before it gets properly dark or before sunrise just as it is starting to get light. It is really very bright.

Mars is a distinctive red colour and, like all visible planets, lies along a line called the ecliptic, which follows the path of the Sun across the sky. It could be confused with some of the bright red stars such as Betelgeuse and Antares.

Jupiter is a bright white-looking star-like object. Like Venus, it is almost big enough on occasion to appear like a tiny circle. Basically, if you see a bright definitely white star in an unusual place, that is Jupiter.

I've never been able to recognise Saturn, but like the others it would be on the ecliptic.

Answer 3

Currently, Jupiter and Mercury are gonna be tough because they are close to the Sun. Mercury rises just before the Sun and Jupiter sets right after it. Mars is adjacent to the Moon in the constellation Gemini, and Venus is in the constellation Virgo just before sunrise. You did not mention Saturn, which is visible after midnight in the constellation Leo.

Answer 4

Those 4 planets are close enough to earth and large enough to be easily visible in the sky when the conditions are right.

You understand easily that when the sun is between you and Jupiter seeing Jupiter is impossible. So those planets are not always visible. to determine which planet is visible at what time you need a book or a program to help you.

I use "Cartes du ciel" found on http://www.astrosurf.com/astropc/cartes/ it is relatively easy to use and is free (and was recommended by PC magazine www.pcmag.com)