Visible Planets (effective 05/19/02)
Morning: After midnight, look for Jupiter setting low on
west-northwestern the horizon.
Evening: During twilight, look for Mercury
low on the west-northwestern horizon; the brilliant "evening star" Venus
appears about one-third of the way between the western horizon and the
zenith. Mars is visible a little less than halfway up in the
west-southwestern sky. Saturn is visible halfway up in the
west-southwestern sky; Jupiter appears high above the southwestern
horizon, near the zenith.
For more information, call the Smithsonian Institution's
Skywatcher's Report at 202-357-2000 (a free, tape-recorded
message).
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Did you know...
...that the word planet means "wanderer?" Over time, the planets in our
Solar System appear to move against the background of stars, hence the
name "wanderer." Five planets are visible with the unaided eye: Mercury,
Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
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