Death Valley (Photo – Gareth Peries)
This weekend, with clear skies forecast, will be a win for planet watchers.
By Briony James
Five planets will be visible (or almost visible) in the western night sky all at once. Luckily, the new Moon occurs on Tuesday, so the night sky will be dark enough to see at least four of them with the naked eye.
Venus, always the brightest, will be visible after sunset, high in the western sky. Mars, too, will be visible in the west, fainter and lower, but with its red color distinctive. Mercury and Jupiter, low in the west, can just be seen near the thin crescent moon. Mercury will pass by Jupiter on the 27th but as the moon grows, it will become less and less visible. Uranus, also can be sighted in the west but will require binoculars to view.
We can all start our first spring weekend enjoying the night’s show with clear skies!
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