Volume 16 -- Issue 12 Planet Watch -- December 2010 Mercury will be at eastern elongation on the 1st of the month and then will quickly move west past Mars and the Sun, reappearing in the pre-dawn skies for the last week or so of the month. Venus is very visible before sunrise shining brightly over the eastern horizon. Mars is very low over the southwestern horizon at sunset and basically is not visible as it is lost in the Sun's glare. Mars will reappear as a morning planet later next spring. Jupiter rises during the daylight hours and by sunset is well placed very high above the southern horizon and is visible throughout the night hours. Saturn rises a couple of hours after midnight local time and is visible over the southeastern horizon this month.