[AZ-Observing] All 5 unaided-eye planets plus moon!

With Mercury moving into the evening sky, all 5 unaided-eye planets are now 
visible within 60 degrees of each other along the ecliptic in evening twilight. 
 Look about 35 to 45 minutes after sunset (7:35 to 7:45 p.m. MST).  Mercury is 
still quite difficult -- only a degree or two above the WNW horizon -- but will 
be rapidly climbing higher during the next 2 weeks.  Presently the crescent 
moon is also among the planets, as it will be again May 13-15.

Last night (April 16) the line-up looked like this, from lowest to highest: 
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn (moon just above Saturn), Jupiter.  Tonight (April 
17) the moon will be between Saturn and Jupiter, and tomorrow (April 18) the 
moon will be just to the upper right of Jupiter.

All 5 planets will remain visible until mid-May in shifting configurations, 
with Venus, Mars and Saturn being especially close to each other the first week 
of May.  I believe this is the last time for about 40 years that all five 
unaided-eye planets will be in the same part of the sky, so go take a look!

--Joe Orman

Joe Orman's Photo Pages:
http://pages.prodigy.net/pam.orman/JoeGallery.html


--
This message is from the AZ-Observing mailing list.  See this message's
header if you want info about unsubscribing or the list's archive.

This is a discussion list.  Please send personal inquiries directly to
the message author.  In other words, do not use "reply" for personal
messages.  Thanks.

Other related posts: