This week is one for planet lovers, as the five planets visible to the naked eye can be found in the sky! Mars and Venus will be visible around nightfall each evening. Venus will be a little lower in the sky and will appear MUCH brighter than her reddish counterpart.
Asteroid Vesta will be easier to see this week because it reaches opposition on Tuesday night. That means it'll be opposite the sun in the night sky. It's the brightest asteroid in the asteroid belt even though it's not the largest.
To find this one, look for the constellation of Cancer and it'll be to the right of it. This rock in space isn't visible to the naked eye but a set of binoculars or a small telescope can be used to spot it.
We'll likely see cloud cover on Tuesday but you'll be able to see this on other nights as well. Just find a dark place and use an optical aid.
Stargazers will have a chance to see a few planets in the morning sky this week as well. Mercury and Saturn can be found near the horizon a little before sunrise.
Mercury will actually be at its greatest western elongation on Thursday morning, which means it'll be out of the sun's glare.
But catching this one is tricky. If you look too soon, it'll be below the horizon. If you look too late, it'll get lost in twilight's glare. As a result, the best time to see this planetary wonder will be about an hour to an hour-and-a-half before sunrise so look from about 6:20 to 6:50 a.m.
While you're at it, say "hello" to Saturn which will be above and right of Mercury. The brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius, Antares won't be too far off.
Jupiter will also be visible this week. If you look east after midnight it'll be peeking over the horizon and rise in the sky through the wee hours of the morning.
This will be easy to spot as it is very bright. Viewing will be easier on Thursday morning, the last quarter moon will be nearby making it tough to miss.
Happy hunting!
