Mercury becomes visible as an evening planet this month and offers plenty of opportunities for viewing as it moves from behind the Sun. Start watching
for this speedy planet around the 8th shortly after sunset. Mercury will rapidly move higher and set later each day, and by the 15th will be within a couple of
degrees from Jupiter.
Venus remains bright as a morning planet, rising about an hour before the Sun. Venus will come with one-half
degree from the outer planet Neptune on the morning of the 31st. This graphic shows a simulated view through a 25 mm eyepiece on an 8-inch Schmidt Cassegrain
Telescope. Venus shines at magnitude -4, while Neptune is at 8th magnitude.
Mars is in solar conjunction, on the opposite side of the Sun and will not be seen
until later this spring.
Jupiter is over the southwestern horizon at sunset and sets about 1-2 hours after sunset. It will gradually
be lost in the Sun's glare and will move into conjunction with the Sun by early next month. It will gradually reappear as a morning planet.
Saturn is moving toward opposition early next month and so it rises at around sunset and sets at around sunrise this month.
Mercury becomes visible as an evening planet this month and offers plenty of opportunities for viewing as it moves from behind the Sun. Start watching
for this speedy planet around the 8th shortly after sunset. Mercury will rapidly move higher and set later each day, and by the 15th will be within a couple of
degrees from Jupiter.