Planet Parade

All seven planets are visible in the sky during the next three months. Learn how to spot them on today's episode of Astro Minute!

What is Astro Minute?

Welcome to the Astro Minute! I'm Lauren Smyth, and with the help of astronomer and teacher Kelli Smyth, I'll be your tour guide as we explore the secrets of the night sky sixty seconds at a time.

Welcome to the Astro Minute, where we’re exploring the universe sixty seconds at a time. I’m Lauren Smyth, and today we are excited to see all of our neighboring planets!

In the last three months of twenty-twenty-four, all seven planets are visible to the naked eye and binoculars, along with some of their moons. Begin looking just after sunset for brilliant Venus low in the southwest. Yellowy Saturn rises next in the southeast, and binoculars can reveal its large moon Titan. Nearby is Neptune, findable with an online chart and binoculars. Uranus rises next, near the Pleiades, also findable with a chart and binoculars. Bright Jupiter is not far from Uranus in the constellation Taurus, and binoculars can reveal its four largest moons. Orangey Mars rises a little later near the twin stars Pollux and Castor. Mercury will be a latecomer to the party, appearing in December predawn eastern skies.

That’s your Astro Minute!