BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy See 3 or 4 planets all close together! Maybe.

Please note: This thread was about the sky in the summer of 2010. You may still enjoy reading the postings and the links remain active. Please don't be disappointed that you can't see this line-up of planets now. Remember there's always something else to see in the sky!


Many of you will be able to see a lovely sight some 30-40 minutes after sunset.

In the western sky a very bright Venus has Saturn and Mercury close together & to its upper left. They'll all stay fairly close together into the first half of August. And if you have binoculars and sharp eyes--and a clear western horizon--you may also see Mercury. It's to the lower right of Venus.

I'm afraid that if you live at higher latitudes with late sunsets you'll probably only be able to see Venus unless you have binoculars or a telescope.

Please let me know which of these planets you see. All I've seen are clouds and a few brief looks at Venus! Oh, and lots of rain.

For more sights of the summer sky, have a look at this week's atronomy article. Absolute Beginners -- The Summer Sky

Here in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, yesterday was lovely and clear, so I walked up to the golf course (15 minutes, see the "walking" topic) to watch the sunset and look for planets. There was a band of thin clouds along the horizon that blocked any possible view of Mercury but gave beautiful pearly golden and rose colors to the sunset. After a bit Venus popped into view, but the twilight was so prolonged that I walked back home (another 15 minutes) and waited until dark when I drove up to the Nobska Point lighthouse where I was able to see Mars and Saturn quite close together with Venus below and to the right of them just above the western horizon. The air was SO clear that the lights on Martha's Vineyard across the Sound were as bright as I have ever seen them, it was a beautiful evening!

Claybird, what a wonderful description of your evening. It really is something to treasure to experience such beauty. Thank you for telling us about it--I enjoyed reading your account. (And am not too envious despite this being my sixth night of unbroken cloud cover.)

Tonight the crescent moon will be joining the three planets. Should be really special.