Visibility
of the Planets
Winter 2009 | Spring
2009 | Summer 2009 |
Autumn 2009
As the Earth and its celestial neighbours travel around the Sun, the
other planets become visible in different areas of the night sky. The
following tables offer a general "time and place" to find the
planets which can be seen with the naked eye (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter
and Saturn). For a more detailed location, specific to the day of year,
use the sky maps provided at Sky
and Telescope. These positions and timeframes are applicable to Canadian
skies.
All of the planets, except for Pluto, travel in orbits which are more-or-less
within the plane of the solar system. For example, if the solar system
was a pie plate with the Sun at the centre, all the planets move around
the Sun right on the surface of the pie plate - not off into the air.
(Pluto's orbit is tilted so that it goes above and below the pie plate
at times.) Being in one plane causes all the planets to look as though
they're traveling on a line through the sky. This line, which passes through
the constellations of the zodiac, is called the ecliptic.
Be sure to also visit the links at the bottom of this page for more information
on observing. Clear skies!
January 2009
Mercury: Southwest at dusk
Venus: Southwest at dusk
Mars: Not visible
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
February 2009
Mercury: Not visible
Venus: Western skies at dusk
Mars: Eastern skies at dawn
Jupiter: Not visible
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
March 2009
Mercury: Not visible
Venus: Not visible
Mars: Found in the constellation Aquarius, in the morning sky
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
April 2009
Mercury: Western skies at dusk (after mid-April)
Venus: Eastern skies at dawn
Mars: Found in the constellation Aquarius
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
May 2009
Mercury: Western skies at dusk (until mid-May)
Venus: East-northeast at dawn
Mars: Found in the constellation Cetus (early May) and Pisces (late
May)
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
June 2009
Mercury: Eastern skies at dawn
Venus: East-northeast at dawn
Mars: Found in the constellation Aries
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
July 2009
Mercury: Not visible
Venus: East-northeast at dawn
Mars: Found in the constellation Aries
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
August 2009
Mercury: Not visible
Venus: East-northeast at dawn
Mars: Found in the constellation Taurus (early August) and Virgo (late
August)
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Not visible
September 2009
Mercury: Not visible
Venus: Eastern skies at dawn
Mars: Found in the constellation Gemini
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Not visible
October 2009
Mercury: East at dawn
Venus: Eastern skies at dawn
Mars: Found in the constellation Gemini
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
November 2009
Mercury: Not visible
Venus: Not visible
Mars: Found in the constellation Cancer
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
December 2009
Mercury: West at dusk
Venus: Not visible
Mars: Found in the constellation Cancer
Jupiter: Found in the constellation Capricorn
Saturn: Found in the constellation Leo
Related Links:
with files from the Observer's Handbook
(
RASC)
compiled by the
CASCA education Webteam, (2009)
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