Science
Related: About this forumrlegro
(339 posts)Both Mars and Jupiter are hundreds of millions of miles away but closer to Earth now than they usually are thanks to orbital mechanics. I have trouble spotting Mars, even so, but Jupiter is a very bright star right now, coming close to the usual champ in that department, Venus. which generally speaking is closer to us than either of those planets and which has a high reflectivity, like Jupiter. Mars has a lower albedo but it can often be seen as a red dot.
William Seger
(11,042 posts)John1956PA
(3,368 posts)Jupiter is in the overnight sky.
Mars and Mercury are very close to the sun.
I recommend accessing Fourmilab. Set the map for a nearby major city, and you will get a contemporaneous view of which ever celestial objects are in the field of view over your location. Here is the link: https://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/
eppur_se_muova
(37,397 posts)Demovictory9
(33,757 posts)eppur_se_muova
(37,397 posts)Venus is sometimes visible when the sun is out -- I've even spotted it around midday.
Third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and the Moon. In very dark countryside, it can even cast a discernible shadow.
sakabatou
(43,050 posts)Demovictory9
(33,757 posts)sakabatou
(43,050 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,727 posts)by how bright they are. Venus is noticeably brighter than Jupiter. Also, it will never be very high in the sky, whether in the morning or the evening. I believe the highest it can be is about 46 degrees. Go outside and point straight up with your arm. That's 90 degrees. So 46 degrees is half way. Lower your arm that much. Now turn around and look at the other horizon. Okay, you now know the very highest Venus can possibly be. So if you see a bright object a lot higher up, it's Jupiter. Well, it might possibly be Saturn, although Saturn is never that bright. Nor is Mars, and Mars is always noticeably red/orange. I'm not sure it's visible right now.