John Mosley was Program Supervisor of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles for 27 years and is the author of “Stargazing for Beginners” and “Stargazing with Binoculars and Telescopes”. He and his wife live in St. George where he continues to stargaze from his retirement home while serving on the advisory committee for Stellar Vista Observatory.
This week and the next two all five naked eye planets are visible at one time or another, beginning with Venus and Mercury. Both are very low in the west-northwest at sunset, and the trick is that 1) you need to look immediately after sunset, 2) you need a flat, low horizon, and 3) binoculars […]
Sky Report: April 26 – May 2 I always emphasize the planets because they’re what changes the quickest in the sky, and for the next two weeks all five naked-eye planets are visible at one time or another. Venus has been behind the sun since late last year, but it’s starting to peek out to […]
Venus is starting to return to the evening sky. You might see it extremely low in the west a few minutes after sunset, especially if you use binoculars and have a flat horizon. Mercury joins it next week, and more on it then. Orange Mars is half-way up the western sky as darkness falls. It’s […]
I always begin with the moon and planets because they’re what changes the fastest in the sky. That’s true for the moon this week which passes near Saturn and then Jupiter on the mornings of the 5th, 6th, and 7th. You’ll need to be up early to see them – a half hour or so […]
This remains true for at least a month: there are three planets out tonight, Mars after sunset and Jupiter and Saturn before sunrise. Look for Mars halfway up the western sky as the sky is growing dark. It’s 10° — the width of your fist held at arm’s length – directly above the star Aldebaran […]
Three planets are out tonight, one in the evening and two in the morning. The evening planet is Mars, which has been in the news because Perseverance recently landed on it and is beginning to go to work exploring its landing site and eventually looking for signs of ancient life. Mars is halfway up the […]
Starting with planets, you’ll find one in the evening sky and two in the morning. Mars remains the sole planet visible after sunset, and it sits half-way up the western sky as the sky grows dark, in the constellation Taurus. Mars has been in the sky since November 2019 and you’ll still see it in […]
This has been true for weeks and remains true today: Mars is the only planet in the evening sky. The earth and Mars were closest six months ago, when the earth, on our inside orbit, passed slower-moving Mars, and we’re now leaving it behind as we race ahead around the sun. Mars remains easily visible […]
Mars remains the sole planet in the evening sky. It’s in the news as craft from several countries go into orbit around it and land on its surface, and you can see Mars as one of the brighter “stars” high in the southwest as darkness falls. A short distance to the left, or east, of […]
Only two months ago we enjoyed the remarkable sight of Jupiter and Saturn sitting extremely close together in the evening sky, and then Mercury made a great appearance when it was easy to see. These three planets then moved close to the sun, but they’re back – now on the other side of the sun […]
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