Five Planets Visible in the Night Sky upto 10 Apr - Four among them to Enthrall Us for months to come

Since time immemorial night skies caused greater curiosity to Humankind, the efforts to understand them laid one of the foundations of modern science. Among various twinkling objects in the sky the moving objects (which were known to ancients as wanderers) among stars surprised the observers

Watch the Five Planets - As our Ancestors Did - Without Telescope :

Four Planets (Venus, Mercury, Mars, Saturn) are visible in the evening sky for many days to come and One Planet (Jupiter) is visible in the morning sky. Whereas importantly Planet Mercury which is always hidden in sun’s glare would be visible for two days.

How and Where to Locate the Planets?


1. Venus: Planet Number two also known as twin sister of Planet Earth is very unique. The Ancient not have perfect understanding of it motion mistook it to be two different objects. That is morning star or evening star. It is a fact that Venus is the object which can be spotted in the evening in certain part of year or as morning object in certain part of year.

Presently Venus can be seen till 2nd Week of October, 2010 in the evening skies. After that becoming close to sun it will disappear from evening skies and begin visible in the morning skies from 2nd week of November, 2010.

How to Locate : Immediately after Sunset one can easily locate planet Venus in the Western Sky as very bright object.


2. Mercury for Next Two Days (3-4 Apr) Closest Approach to Venus – At Elongation on 8th Apr – Can be spotted easily until 10th April 2010: Planet Mercury being very close to sun is always hidden in the glare of sun’s bright light. On 8th April it will reach at Greatest Eastern Elongation (reaching the farthest point it can get from sun) because of which it can be observed even after a hour of sunset.

How to Locate : Planet mercury can be spotted toward Right side of Venus. Due to Greatest Eastern Elongation as of now Mercury is away from sun hence is visible in the sky even after Sunset. Thus giving us opportunity to spot it. Whereas it can be easily spotted using Venus until 10th April, 2010.

3. Planet Mars: On 30 March Planet Mars was at Opposition to Sun. Ever since then it started appearing in the evening sky every day. Planet mars can be spotted up till first week of November, 2010.

How to Locate: Facing East if one looks above his head near to zenith one can spot bright non twinkling reddish object which is planet Mars. Whereas in the morning it can be found in Western Sky.

4. Saturn: on 22nd March, 2010 Saturn was at Opposition. Because of which as sunset in the west in Saturn rose in the east, whereas Sun rose Saturn set in west. As of now its closest, brightest, biggest it can get. It can be spotted in evening skies till 2nd Week of September, 2010.

How to Locate: If one looks at East Direction in the evening one would see Non twinkling star like object Which is nothing but planet Saturn. At 12 Midnight one can find Saturn above ones head near to zenith and at 5.00 a.m. it can be found on in western direction.

5. Jupiter: Planet Jupiter was visible all through year 2009. However becoming close to sun it was not visible for brief time in beginning of year 2010. However these days it can be spotted in the morning sky. It can be spotted in sky till 1ST Week of March 2011.

How to Locate: As of now it is visible in the morning skies before sunrise. Around 5.15 a.m. one has to look towards Eastern Sky to spot.

Request For Observation through Telescopes: Commemorating above events and with a view to create awareness among people while providing people an opportunity to observe through astronomical telescopes. Society likes to organize series of “Public Sky Observations” in various districts with the help of District Coordinators of APCOST. For this we invite schools/organizations across the state to write to planetarysociety.india@gmail.com or or at Planetary Society India P.O.Box.No.1361, Hyderabad -28. Importantly now invites individual join the society and supplement its efforts.

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