Which planets can you see tonight?
The list below is worked out for your location. Tap a planet and your phone will point you straight to it.
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Working out your sky…
How to tell a planet from a star
Planets usually shine with a steadier light than stars, which twinkle more, especially low in the sky. They stay near the path the Sun and Moon follow across the sky, and they shift position against the stars from week to week.
The planets you can see without a telescope
- Venus is the brightest. Look west after sunset or east before sunrise; it’s never up in the middle of the night.
- Jupiter is very bright and creamy white, and for months at a time it’s up for much of the night.
- Mars is orange-red, and much brighter in some years than others.
- Saturn is a steady pale yellow. A small telescope shows its rings.
- Mercury is hard to catch, low in the sky just after sunset or before sunrise.
Uranus is barely visible from very dark places, and Neptune needs binoculars or a telescope. The sky view still shows where they are.
Seeing them from a city
Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are bright enough to see from most cities. Find a spot with a clear view toward the part of the sky where the planet is, and give your eyes a few minutes to adjust.
Questions
What’s the bright “star” near the Moon tonight?
Often a planet. The Moon and the planets travel along the same path across the sky, so they regularly pass close to each other. Point your phone at it to check.
Why isn’t a planet on tonight’s list?
It’s either too close to the Sun to see right now or below your horizon all night. Planets come back into view over weeks to months.
Do I need binoculars?
Not for Venus, Jupiter, Mars or Saturn. Binoculars do show Jupiter’s four largest moons as tiny dots beside it.