Volume 18 -- Issue 12 Planet Watch -- December 2012 Mercury has its best viewing for us in the Northern Hemisphere for the first week or so of this month as it rises within an hour before sunrise. It will be in a nice alignment with Venus and Saturn as this animated graphic is showing. Venus is still dominating the eastern sky before sunrise however it is setting earlier each morning and by around the end of the month will start becoming to close to the Sun to be easily seen. Mars sets about 1 hour after the Sun sets and is low over the wouthwestern horizon. Jupiter is at opposition on the 3rd so it rises at sunset and will be visible all night near the stars of the open cluster, the Hyades. Saturn is visible in the morning skies rising about 1-2 hours before the Sun and lines up along the ecliptic with two other morning planets and the star Spica in Virgo.