As the nights become longer, we look forward to stargazing again.

And the next few months see the return of the planets to our night sky.

In this blog we’ll see when our neighbouring worlds are best placed to observe.

As ever, we are indebted to Stellarium for the star maps.

You can download Stellarium for free –  it’s an excellent guide to the night sky.

For the latest version,  click here

We’ll begin with the two planets close to the Sun.

Venus

Venus is the brightest object in the night sky after the Sun and Moon.

In coming months it will be particularly well placed.

We will have to wait a while though.

Venus, Christmas Day.  Stellarium

Through November and December, Venus becomes a brilliant ‘evening star’.

By the end of the year, Venus sets about 4 hours after the Sun.

Look to the south-west after sunset and Venus is a brilliant jewel in a darkening sky.

Our  Stellarium image shows Venus on 25th December, with Saturn to the east.

Venus will make a brilliant Christmas star.

If you view Venus through a telescope, you’ll see it shows a phase like our Moon.

On Christmas Day it will be at half phase, like a tiny half Moon.

Mercury

This tiny scorched world is notoriously difficult to see.

It is simply too close to the Sun.

There’s a chance to see it in late December.

Then it’s a ‘morning star’, rising around 2 hours before the Sun.

So if you’re up before dawn, look to the south-east.

Mercury shines bright low in the sky before sunrise.

Mercury, 23rd December.    Stellarium

Mars

Mars will be at opposition – closest to Earth – in January 2025.

So through November and December Mars will become increasingly bright.

Mars, late 2024.   Stellarium

There’s plenty to guide you to Mars in the night sky, as our Stellarium image shows.

The red planet lies to the left of bright Jupiter.

It’s above the bright Winter Triangle of stars and below the twin stars of Gemini.

Mars through a small telescope: Stellarium

Jupiter

The king of planets will dominate our night sky for the remainder of 2024.

Jupiter is a beacon point of light in the stars of Taurus.

It shines brilliantly to the left of the red star Aldebaran.

And as we go through the year, Jupiter gets higher in the sky.

It is closest to Earth on December 7th, when it’s visible through the hours of darkness.

Jupiter, 1st December.   Stellarium

With a telescope you can see Jupiter’s four big moons.

They appear on either side of the planet, tiny beads in a row.

It’s fascinating to watch them change position from night to night.

Occasionally you might see them track across in front of Jupiter.

Sometimes they don’t appear at all, hidden behind their giant parent world.

Jupiter and moons, small telescope.

Your telescope will also show the bands of clouds on Jupiter’s disc.

With luck, you might see the Great Red Spot, a storm which has blown on Jupiter for centuries.

Saturn

Saturn is closest to Earth on September 7th.

It’s a bright object below the Square of Pegasus, quite low in the night sky.

Saturn, September 2024.   Stellarium

A telescope shows that Saturn’s rings look thin this year.

The rings are titled towards us at the moment.

By March 2025, they’ll be virtually edge on and almost disappear from our sight.

Saturn, small telescope

Uranus.

The return of the planets is completed by the two outermost worlds.

Uranus is closest to Earth on November 17th.

So the last three months of 2024 bring this distant world in range of telescopes.

Because of it’s huge distance, Uranus appears as a tiny greenish disc.

It is nicely placed in our sky, below and right of the Seven Sisters star cluster in Taurus.

Uranus and Seven Sisters.   Stellarium

If you have a pair of binoculars, it’s a nice challenge to find Uranus.

Use our Stellarium image and find the green dot of a distant world.

Neptune

Even more difficult to observe is Neptune, the most distant major planet.

Like Saturn, Neptune lies low in the night sky below the Square of Pegasus.

It is to the left of Saturn and appears as a blue dot in a telescope.

Neptune & Saturn.  Stellarium

Planet Parade

By now you will have realised that the return of the planets sees

all of them on view during the final months of the year.

Late 2024 is a great time to see the worlds of our Solar System.

Solar System: NASA

And there may be a maverick joining the planet parade.

During October we might – just might – see a bright comet in the night sky.

More of that nearer the time.

For now, enjoy the night sky, enjoy our neighbouring worlds.

The author: Dennis Ashton is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a Wonderdome presenter.

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