Sherri07 · 18-21, F
Astronomy is something I’m studying as a hobby. But I’ve just started!
WandererTony · 56-60, M
The reddish one is Mars and the bright one just after sunset or just before sunrise on the horizon toward the sun is Venus.
Typically planets dont twinkle like stars, or so i was told in school. They have a steady light. I still do not know why, though. 😀
Now about the alignment. I doubt whether we can see them in a straight line because Venus and Mercury have an orbit smaller than ours and the rest are after the earth. Now how can we possibly see all in a straight line!! They are on opposite sides of earth, right?
Ok, just checked the net. Link here:
https://www.cnet.com/science/how-to-see-january-21-planet-parade-six-planets-in-alignment
This answers your question I guess.
Typically planets dont twinkle like stars, or so i was told in school. They have a steady light. I still do not know why, though. 😀
Now about the alignment. I doubt whether we can see them in a straight line because Venus and Mercury have an orbit smaller than ours and the rest are after the earth. Now how can we possibly see all in a straight line!! They are on opposite sides of earth, right?
Ok, just checked the net. Link here:
https://www.cnet.com/science/how-to-see-january-21-planet-parade-six-planets-in-alignment
This answers your question I guess.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@WandererTony They are not in a straight line, simply all visible on the same nights, and yes, in different directions although for a time very roughly in an East-West band.
What you told at school is not quite right. The twinkling is not by the bodies' own actions but by scattering and absorbtion effects of their light by our atmosphere. This is more likely to affect how we see the stars because they are far smaller and fainter than the larger of our neighbouring planets, but any distant point of light such as street-lamps some miles away can seem to twinkle.
What you told at school is not quite right. The twinkling is not by the bodies' own actions but by scattering and absorbtion effects of their light by our atmosphere. This is more likely to affect how we see the stars because they are far smaller and fainter than the larger of our neighbouring planets, but any distant point of light such as street-lamps some miles away can seem to twinkle.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
If you view them through binoculars the planets appear as tiny discs. if your hands are less shaky at holding instruments than mine! The stars stay as tiny points of light.
The brightest, in the West in the early evening, is Venus. I don't know which of the others is which or where.
The brightest, in the West in the early evening, is Venus. I don't know which of the others is which or where.
DrWatson · 70-79, M
The key is to learn the constellations. The old fashioned-way is to get a star-map ( they appear in paper form, in books, but also online) and go out every night and , and try to identify the constellations that are in the sky, and observe how the "dome of the sky" gradually rotates during the night, with stars rising and setting. And, over the course of the year, to see how the visible constellations change. (In summer, the night side of the earth is facing different stars compared to the winter, since the earth is on the opposite side of the sun.)
Then, when you see a light that is "not supposed to be there", you know it's a planet. If it is a planet close to the sun, you will notice changes in its position relative to the surrounding stars over the course of weeks. If it is a planet farther out, you will need months to observe its progress,
On the other hand, there are apps you can download on your phone. You point your phone camera to the sky, and the screen will label everything you see!
There are websites (and monthly print magazines like "Astronomy" and "Sky and Telescope") that will tell you which planets will be visible on a given night and in which constellations.
Then, when you see a light that is "not supposed to be there", you know it's a planet. If it is a planet close to the sun, you will notice changes in its position relative to the surrounding stars over the course of weeks. If it is a planet farther out, you will need months to observe its progress,
On the other hand, there are apps you can download on your phone. You point your phone camera to the sky, and the screen will label everything you see!
There are websites (and monthly print magazines like "Astronomy" and "Sky and Telescope") that will tell you which planets will be visible on a given night and in which constellations.
DrWatson · 70-79, M
They are not actually lined up, but many are above the horizon at the same time.
Around sunset, when the sky is getting dark but stars have not come out yet, look toward the west. The bright light is Venus. Nearby is Saturn, not as bright.
Then turn to the east. You will see Jupiter. Lower to the horizon is Mars, which is less bright but distinctly red.
Neptune is not too far from Saturn in the sky, but it is impossible to see without a telescope, because it is so far from the sun that the light reflected off it is very dim.
Around sunset, when the sky is getting dark but stars have not come out yet, look toward the west. The bright light is Venus. Nearby is Saturn, not as bright.
Then turn to the east. You will see Jupiter. Lower to the horizon is Mars, which is less bright but distinctly red.
Neptune is not too far from Saturn in the sky, but it is impossible to see without a telescope, because it is so far from the sun that the light reflected off it is very dim.
scorpiolovedeep · 51-55, M
All except one I think.
davidstorm · C
LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
The round ones.