{"id":65045,"date":"2024-10-28T14:42:29","date_gmt":"2024-10-28T14:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/c39b0da4-0a40-4f93-8b65-b02f93377404"},"modified":"2024-10-28T15:39:38","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T15:39:38","slug":"visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Visible planets in the night sky, month-by-month, 2024\/2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\">Our month-by-month guide to locating the planets throughout 2024 <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By Pete Lawrence\n      <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Monday, 28 October 2024 at 14:42 PM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html> <head\/> <body> <p>If you want to know what planets are visible in the night sky tonight, this guide is for you.<\/p> <p>Here we&#8217;ll reveal what the planets are doing in the night sky throughout 2024 and 2025, month by month, and which planets are not visible.<\/p> <p>If you want to get out and see the planets tonight, you may be wondering where to start.<\/p> <p>Finding and observing the planets of the Solar System in the night sky isn&#8217;t as tricky as you think. You just need to know where to look.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">  <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> A panorama showing the Milky Way (centre) and planets. Mars is bright to the left, Saturn is dimmer and bright Jupiter is right. The arcing line joining the planets defines the arc of the ecliptic. Credit: Alan Dyer \/ Stocktrek Images \/ Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-quick-links\"><strong>Quick links<\/strong><\/h2> <p>To find out what planets are in the sky tonight, jump to:<\/p> <ul> <li><a href=\"#h-january-2024\">January<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-february-2024\">February<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-march-2024\">March<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-april-2024\">April<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-may-2024\">May<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-june-2024\">June<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-july-2024\">July<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-august-2024\">August<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-september-2024\">September<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-october-2024\">October<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-november-2024\">November<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#h-december-2024\">December<\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-planets-in-2024\"><strong>Planets in 2024<\/strong><\/h2> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"807\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/01\/july-planets-2024.jpg\" alt=\"After a rocky start, the planets reappear with style in late July 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144699\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> After a rocky start, the planets reappear with style in late July 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p>The planets tease us early in 2024, when initially well-placed <strong>Jupiter<\/strong> and <strong>Uranus<\/strong> eventually succumb to evening twilight in March.<\/p> <p>The other superior planets are lost in the Sun\u2019s glare. Morning <strong>Venus<\/strong> heads back towards the Sun at the start of 2024, lost from view in March.<\/p> <p>However, as we head into spring the planets are rather poor. In May, it\u2019s unlikely you\u2019ll see any planet with the naked eye. \u00a0<\/p> <p>If planets are your thing, it may be best to get some rest in the first half of the year because the second half of 2024 will be planetary heaven.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn<\/strong> reappears, approaching 30\u00b0 altitude when due south and appearing quite edge-on through the eyepiece.<\/p> <p>This causes interesting interactions with its largest moon <strong>Titan<\/strong> at the end of 2024. Saturn reaches opposition on 8 September 2024<\/p> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong> will be back in spectacular fashion later in 2024, appearing 60\u00b0 above the horizon when due south and reaching opposition on 7 December.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong> and <strong>Venus<\/strong> also burst back on the scene later in the year, Venus in the evening sky, while Mars heads for opposition in January 2025.<\/p> <p>There are two <strong>rare lunar occultations<\/strong> of planets to look forward to as well: Saturn on 21 August and Mars on 18 December.\u00a0<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tips-for-spotting-planets-in-the-night-sky-tonight\"><strong>Tips for spotting planets in the night sky tonight<\/strong><\/h2> <p>When a planet is in a favourable position in the evening or morning sky, it will look like a bright &#8216;star&#8217;, the most obvious point of light visible to the naked eye.<\/p> <p>Any visible planets tonight can be found along the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/ecliptic-tracing-sun-path-across-the-sky\/\">ecliptic<\/a>, which is the line the Sun appears to traverse in the sky over the course of a day.<\/p> <p class=\"p3\">Since the major <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-science\/planets-solar-system-guide\/\">planets of the Solar System<\/a> orbit the Sun in roughly the same plane, the ecliptic marks the path of the planets.<\/p> <p class=\"p3\">Is it bright, but on the wrong side of thesky to the ecliptic? Then it&#8217;s not a planet.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1575\" height=\"1038\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/07\/Mars-opposition-92d6ce5.jpg\" alt=\"Mars at opposition can be a wonderful sight, even with the naked eye. But through a telescope you'll see so much more. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-50824\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Mars at opposition can be a wonderful sight, even with the naked eye. But through a telescope you&#8217;ll see so much more. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p>Another thing to consider is what planets are at or are near opposition, which is the best time to see a planet in the night sky.<\/p> <p>If there&#8217;s a planet near opposition tonight, that&#8217;s the one to look for, as long as it&#8217;s nice and high in the sky too<\/p> <p>For more advice, read our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/how-to-find-planets-night-sky\/\">how to find planets in the night sky<\/a>.<\/p> <p>And download an astronomy and stargazing app to help you locate any planets visible in the night sky.<\/p> <p>If you&#8217;re out spotting visible planets tonight, don&#8217;t forget to let your eyes adapt to the dark first.<\/p> <p>Wait 20-30 minutes without looking at any artificial light (streetlights, your smartphone etc.) and you&#8217;ll see so much more.<\/p> <p>Once you&#8217;ve got to grips with this, all you need to know is what planets will be visible in the night each month, so you know what to look out for, and what dates they will be best placed.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/11\/Jupiter-Mars-Saturn-ESO-02dd8a4.jpg\" alt=\"Follow the planets in 2023 and you'll see different Solar System worlds each month. Jupiter, Mars and Saturn imaged at ESO's La Silla Observatory in the Atacama desert. Credit: ESO\" class=\"wp-image-55776\" title=\"\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Jupiter, Mars and Saturn imaged at ESO&#8217;s La Silla Observatory in the Atacama desert. Credit: ESO <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p>This is where our guide below comes in. Use it throughout the coming 12 months to find out which planets are visible in the night sky in 2024, which are at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/what-is-opposition-astronomy\/\">opposition<\/a>, and to keep track of any interesting upcoming <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/conjunctions-in-night-sky-how-see\/\">conjunctions<\/a>.<\/p> <p>Sign up to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/newsletter\/\">BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-science\/why-does-the-moons-appearance-change\/\">lunar phases<\/a> and monthly astronomy highlights delivered direct to your email inbox.<\/p> <p>You can also listen to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/podcasts\/star-diary\/\">Star Diary podcast<\/a> each week for more advice on what to see in the night sky.<\/p> <p>If you&#8217;re out spotting the planets tonight, take a pair of headphones and listen for up-to-date stargazing tips.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"826\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/11\/Jupiter-Saturn-f33879a.jpg\" alt=\"Jupiter (the bright spot in the centre) appears near Saturn (8 o'clock of Jupiter) against the backdrop of the Milky Way, Pune, India, 5 May 2019. Credit: Pratham Gokhale\/Hindustan Times via Getty Images\" class=\"wp-image-56163\" title=\"\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Jupiter (the bright spot in the centre) appears near Saturn (8 o&#8217;clock of Jupiter) against the backdrop of the Milky Way, Pune, India, 5 May 2019. Credit: Pratham Gokhale\/Hindustan Times via Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-visible-planets-tonight-2024\"><strong>Visible planets tonight, 2024<\/strong><\/h2> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-january-2024\"><strong>January 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li class=\"p1\"><strong>1 January:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/comet-144p-kushida\">Comet 144P\/Kushida<\/a> lies 2\u00b0 south of Uranus<\/li> <li class=\"p1\"><strong>4 January:<\/strong> Quadrantid meteor shower peak (am)<\/li> <li class=\"p1\"><strong>7 January:<\/strong> Double shadow transit of Jupiter, from 02:09 UT until setting<\/li> <li class=\"p1\"><strong>18 January:<\/strong> Jupiter lies 2\u00b0 south of first quarter Moon (pm)<\/li> <li class=\"p1\"><strong>22 January:<\/strong> Jewelled Handle <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/clair-obscur-effects-on-moon\">clair-obscur<\/a> visible on the Moon (am)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, best early January. Close encounter with Mars on 27 January.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, slips closer to the Sun this month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, hard to see well. Near Mercury on 27 January.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2403\" height=\"1479\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/comet-kushida-january-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Comet 144P\/Kushida passes through Taurus during January and February 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144411\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Comet 144P\/Kushida passes through Taurus during January and February 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet edging into twilight by the end of January.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn<\/strong><\/p> <p>The Ringed Planet loses ground to the evening twilight during January.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>This ice giant planet is currently well placed in the evening sky, making it one of the best planets to spot tonight.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>The position of this planet deteriorates in the evening sky over the month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-february-2024\"><strong>February 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>7 February:<\/strong> Dark skies for comet 62P\/Tsuchinshan<\/li> <li><strong>14 &amp; 15 February:<\/strong> Waxing crescent Moon near Jupiter (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>16 February:<\/strong> First quarter Moon south of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/astrophotography\/stars\/star-clusters\/pleiades\">Pleiades<\/a> (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>17 February:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/lunar-x-v\">Lunar X and V<\/a> optimal to view around 00:40 UT<\/li> <li><strong>22 February:<\/strong> Venus and Mars lie 38-arcminutes apart (dawn)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Unlikely to be seen, superior conjunction on 28 February.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, visibility deteriorating as it approaches the Sun.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Too low and dim to be seen properly in the morning sky this month.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"954\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/comet-62P-Tsuchinshan-february-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Out observing the planets tonight? See if you can spot Comet 62P\/Tsuchinshan 1 in January and February 2024 as it tracks from Leo through into Virgo. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144412\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Out observing the planets tonight? See if you can spot Comet 62P\/Tsuchinshan 1 in January and February 2024 as it tracks from Leo through into Virgo. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, best placed at start of month when still at decent altitude. Position deteriorates through month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not viable this month, solar conjunction on 28 February.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, losing altitude as darkness falls. Currently Close to Jupiter.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Lost in the evening twilight at the end of the month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-march-2024\"><strong>March 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>2 March:<\/strong> Minor planet 3 Juno reaches opposition<\/li> <li><strong>13<\/strong> <strong>March:<\/strong> Jupiter lies near a waxing crescent Moon (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>14<\/strong> <strong>March:<\/strong> Waxing crescent Moon lies near the Pleiades (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>26<\/strong> <strong>March:<\/strong> Spica lies very close to the Moon (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>29-31<\/strong> <strong>March:<\/strong> C\/2021 S3 PanSTARRS crosses the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/coathanger-asterism\">Coathanger Cluster<\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, best seen later in the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Lost in the morning twilight this month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet lost in twilight.<\/p> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Hanging on in the evening sky but its visibility is deteriorating, the planet losing altitude rapidly as darkness falls.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/Comet-C-2021-S3-PanSTARRS-march-2024.jpg\" alt=\"At the end of March 2024, Comet C\/2021 S3 PanSTARRS passes in front of Collinder 399. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144415\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> At the end of March 2024, Comet C\/2021 S3 PanSTARRS passes in front of Collinder 399. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Too close to the Sun to be seen this month.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, deteriorating through the month. Currently lies close to Jupiter and, like its brighter companion, is losing altitude rapidly as darkness falls.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-april-2024\"><strong>April 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>8 April:<\/strong> Small partial solar eclipse visible from western UK at sunset<\/li> <li><strong>11 April: <\/strong>Mars and Saturn in conjunction (am)<\/li> <li><strong>20 April:<\/strong> Jupiter and Uranus in conjunction (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>22 April:<\/strong> April <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/lyrid-meteor-shower\">Lyrid meteor shower<\/a> peak (unfavourable)<\/li> <li><strong>29 April:<\/strong> Mars and Neptune in close conjunction (am)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Inferior conjunction on 11 April, best seen in the evening sky at the start of the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>This planet is unlikely to be seen this month as it is too close to the Sun.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Poorly placed morning planet, which is best seen at the end of the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Jupiter\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>This planet is unlikely to be seen this month as it becomes lost in the evening twilight.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1266\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/8-april-2024-eclipse-uk-ireland.jpg\" alt=\"A partial solar eclipse is visible on 8 April 2024 from western parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144418\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> A partial solar eclipse is visible on 8 April 2024 from western parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet but poor.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus<\/strong><\/p> <p>Lost to the evening glare. In conjunction with Jupiter on 20 April.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-may-2024\"><strong>May 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>6 May:<\/strong> Eta Aquariid meteor shower (am)<\/li> <li><strong>8 May:<\/strong> Ultra-thin waxing crescent Moon lies near the Pleiades (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>14 May:<\/strong> Waxing crescent Moon lies near M44 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/astrophotography\/stars\/star-clusters\/beehive-cluster\">Beehive Cluster<\/a> at 01:00 BST<\/li> <li><strong>17 May:<\/strong> Asteroid 2 Pallas reaches opposition<\/li> <li><strong>24 May:<\/strong> Full Moon occults M4 and is near Antares (am)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Unlikely to be seen this month.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Unlikely to be seen this month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet emerging from the Sun\u2019s glare, best at the end of the month. A shallow ecliptic angle puts mag. +1.1 Mars close to the horizon, making it hard to find.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"831\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/Asteroid-2-Pallas-May-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Asteroid 2 Pallas reaches opposition on 17 May 2024 when it can be seen against the stars of Hercules, shining at mag. 8.9. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144419\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Asteroid 2 Pallas reaches opposition on 17 May 2024 when it can be seen against the stars of Hercules, shining at mag. 8.9. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Solar conjunction on 18 May and unlikely to be seen this month.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Poor visibility in the morning sky.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-june-2024\"><strong>June 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>All month:<\/strong> Possibility of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/noctilucent-clouds-what-they-are-and-how-to-see-them\">noctilucent cloud<\/a> displays<\/li> <li><strong>3<\/strong> <strong>June:<\/strong> Waning crescent Moon lies near Mars (am)<\/li> <li><strong>4<\/strong> <strong>June:<\/strong> Jupiter and Mercury lie half-a-degree apart (am)<\/li> <li><strong>20<\/strong> <strong>June:<\/strong> Northern hemisphere\u2019s summer solstice (21:50 BST)<\/li> <li><strong>29 June:<\/strong> Cutlass clair-obscur effect visible on the Moon<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Superior conjunction 14 June, making it one of the best planets to see tonight. Best in the evening sky at the end of June when it can be seen shining at mag. -0.5, located 10\u00b0 east of Venus.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Unlikely to be seen this month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, rises nearly three hours before sunrise at the end of June.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1202\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/mercury-jupiter-june-2024.jpg\" alt=\"On 4 June 2024, Mercury and Jupiter can be seen half-a-degree apart. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144421\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> On 4 June 2024, Mercury and Jupiter can be seen half-a-degree apart. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, close daylight conjunction with Mercury on 4 June.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet with poor visibility.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-july-2024\"><strong>July 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>All month:<\/strong> Possibility of noctilucent cloud displays<\/li> <li><strong>1 July:<\/strong> Mars lies near the waning crescent Moon (am)<\/li> <li><strong>6 July:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-science\/dwarf-planet-ceres\">Ceres<\/a> reaches opposition<\/li> <li><strong>15 &amp; 16 July:<\/strong> Mars and Uranus in conjunction (am)<\/li> <li><strong>30 July:<\/strong> Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and crescent Moon in Taurus (am)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, not optimally placed. Best mid-month.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, not easily visible at present.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet near Jupiter. In close conjunction with Uranus on 15 July.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"788\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/planets-july-2024.jpg\" alt=\"The end of July 2024 sees a morning gathering of the Moon and planets. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144426\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> The end of July 2024 sees a morning gathering of the Moon and planets. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet. Impressive scenes towards end of July with Jupiter close to Mars and crescent Moon, against the stars of Taurus.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, best visibility occurs at the end of the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet in conjunction with Mars on 15 July.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, best seen at end of July.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-august-2024\"><strong>August 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>1 August:<\/strong> Waning crescent Moon lies near M35 after rising (am)<\/li> <li><strong>5 August:<\/strong> Jupiter, Mars and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/aldebaran\">Aldebaran<\/a> form a right-angled triangle (am)<\/li> <li><strong>9 August:<\/strong> Double shadow transit of Jupiter (am)<\/li> <li><strong>12 August:<\/strong> Peak of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/perseid-meteor-shower-how-to-see-it\">Perseid meteor shower<\/a><\/li> <li><strong>21 August:<\/strong> Saturn occulted by the Moon (am)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Inferior conjunction 19 August, best in morning sky at end of month.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, setting only 40 mins after Sun all month.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, forming interesting patterns with Aldebaran and Jupiter.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1034\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/saturn-occultation-august-2024.jpg\" alt=\"A rare lunar occultation of Saturn can be seen in morning skies on 21 August. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144430\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> A rare lunar occultation of Saturn can be seen in morning skies on 21 August. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/taurus-constellation\">Taurus<\/a>. Reaching good altitude of nearly 40\u00b0 under dark skies at end of month.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, occulted by the Moon on 21 August.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, currently near the Pleiades.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet able to reach peak altitude, due south, in darkness from mid-August.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-september-2024\"><strong>September 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>2 September:<\/strong> Very thin Moon lies near Regulus (am)<\/li> <li><strong>5 September:<\/strong> Venus lies near 5%-lit waxing crescent Moon (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>8 September:<\/strong> Saturn at opposition<\/li> <li><strong>13\/14 September:<\/strong> Excellent Ganymede shadow transit from 23:38 BST<\/li> <li><strong>18 September:<\/strong> Small partial lunar eclipse of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/astrophotography\/moon\/harvest-moon\">Harvest Moon<\/a> (am)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, best on 5 September. Superior conjunction 30 September.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, improving slowly. Best at end of month.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, near open cluster M35 on 9 September.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/lunar-eclipse-september-2024.jpg\" alt=\"A small partial lunar eclipse occurs on the morning of 18 September, the eclipsed Moon being the Harvest Moon for 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144435\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> A small partial lunar eclipse occurs on the morning of 18 September, the eclipsed Moon being the Harvest Moon for 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Excellent position at the end of September, reaching 60\u00b0 altitude in darkness.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Opposition on 8 September, well presented all month, making Saturn among the best planets to see tonight, September 2024.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well placed planet, able to reach 56\u00b0 altitude under dark skies from mid-September.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Opposition on 21 September and visible at peak altitude under dark skies for the whole month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-october-2024\"><strong>October 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>5 October:<\/strong> Venus lies near the waxing crescent Moon (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>14 October:<\/strong> Saturn very near the waxing gibbous Moon (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>17 October:<\/strong> Perigee full Moon (supermoon)<\/li> <li><strong>19 October:<\/strong> Lunar occultation of the southern part of the Pleiades (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>26 October:<\/strong> Ganymede shadow transit of Jupiter from 23:42 BST (pm)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Unlikely to be seen.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, setting 90 minutes after the Sun at the end of the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-presented morning planet currently in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/constellation-gemini\">Gemini<\/a>.<\/p> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Superbly placed planet, best at the end of October when it\u2019s able to reach its highest altitude of nearly 60\u00b0 when due south, under dark skies. One of the best planets to see tonight.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1037\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/moon-pleiades-october-2024.jpg\" alt=\"The Moon crossing the Pleiades open cluster on the evening of 19 October 2024 offers a chance to see occultations. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144438\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> The Moon crossing the Pleiades open cluster on the evening of 19 October 2024 offers a chance to see occultations. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-presented evening planet, reaching nearly 30\u00b0 altitude when due south.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-positioned planet, able to reach peak altitude, due south, in darkness all month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-presented evening planet in Pisces, visible at peak altitude under dark skies all month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-november-2024\"><strong>November 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>1 November: <\/strong>Callisto lies south of Jupiter\u2019s southern pole (am)<\/li> <li><strong>4 November: <\/strong>Venus near the waxing crescent Moon (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>4 November: <\/strong>Rare transit of Titan\u2019s shadow on Saturn from 21:08 UT (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>17 November: <\/strong>Uranus reaches opposition<\/li> <li><strong>30 November: <\/strong>Mars lies near M44 (pm)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, reaches greatest eastern elongation on 15 November. Not ideally placed.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving evening planet, setting nearly three hours after the Sun at the end of November.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-placed planet. Located 2\u00b0 from M44 end of month.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1290\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/saturn-titan-transit-november-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Titan\u2019s shadow transits Saturn on the evenings of 4 and 20 November 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144441\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Titan\u2019s shadow transits Saturn on the evenings of 4 and 20 November 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Approaching opposition and well presented in Taurus.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-presented evening planet in Aquarius.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Opposition on 17 November and beautifully presented all month long.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-positioned evening planet that reaches peak altitude of 35\u00b0 in darkness all month.<\/p> <hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-december-2024\"><strong>December 2024<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>6 December:<\/strong> Titan shadow transit on Saturn from 18:32 UT (pm)<\/li> <li><strong>7 December:<\/strong> Jupiter reaches opposition in Taurus<\/li> <li><strong>8\/9 December:<\/strong> Excellent Ganymede shadow transit on Jupiter from 22:30 UT<\/li> <li><strong>18 December:<\/strong> Daylight lunar occultation of Mars (am)<\/li> <li><strong>22 December:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/ursid-meteor-shower-when-how-to-see-it\">Ursid meteor shower<\/a> peak (am)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Inferior conjunction on 6 December. Excellent morning planet at end of December.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Excellent position in the evening sky, setting over four hours after sunset by the end of December.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Excellent planet approaching opposition next month. Daylight occultation by Moon on 18 December.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1079\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/mars-occultation-december-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Mars will be occulted by the Moon in daylight on 18 December 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-144444\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Mars will be occulted by the Moon in daylight on 18 December 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Opposition on 7 December. Gets to 60\u00b0 peak UK altitude in dark skies all month.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well placed at the start of December.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-placed evening planet.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-placed binocular planet for most of December.<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Planets in 2025<\/strong><\/h2> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>January 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>3\/4<\/strong> <strong>January: <\/strong>Quadrantid meteor shower peak<\/li> <li><strong>4 January: <\/strong>Evening lunar occultation of Saturn<\/li> <li><strong>10 January: <\/strong>Venus at greatest eastern elongation (47.2o from the Sun; evening)<\/li> <li><strong>16 January: <\/strong>Mars reaches opposition<\/li> <li><strong>18 January: <\/strong>Venus 2.2\u00b0 north of Saturn (evening)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Visible low in the dawn twilight, lost after 9 Jan.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Greatest elongation on 10 Jan, near Saturn on 18 Jan and Neptune on 31 Jan.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Reaches opposition 16 Jan, presents 14 arcsecond disc through the eyepiece.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"945\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/saturn-lunar-occultation-january-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Saturn is occulted by the Moon, early evening on 4 January 2024, along with the mag. 6.7 star HIP 114054. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-163988\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Saturn is occulted by the Moon, early evening on 4 January 2024, along with the mag. 6.7 star HIP 114054. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well placed evening planet in Taurus, reaching altitude of 59\u00b0 when due south.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Occulted by the Moon on 4 Jan, early evening.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet in Aries, reaching peak altitude of 55\u00b0 in darkness all through the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Deteriorating evening planet, west of south as darkness falls at the start of the month.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>February 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>1<\/strong> <strong>February:<\/strong> Venus near the 13%-lit waxing crescent Moon (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>7 February:<\/strong> Jupiter near the crescent Moon before setting (morning)<\/li> <li><strong>8 February: <\/strong>Callisto 3 arcseconds from Jupiter\u2019s southern limb (19:08 UT)<\/li> <li><strong>9 February:<\/strong> Mars very close to the Moon\u2019s southern limb (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>24 February: <\/strong>Titan and its shadow transit Saturn (12:28-18:50 UT)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Superior conjunction 9 Feb. Visible approximately 30 minutes after sunset on 25 Feb, 1.5\u00b0 from Saturn.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, visible soon after sunset. Near 13%-lit waxing Moon on 1 Jan.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet over 60\u00b0 altitude when due south. Very near Moon on 9 Feb at 18:50 UT.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1156\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/mars-moon-february-2024.jpg\" alt=\"At 18:50 UT on 9 February 2025, Mars appears just 4 arcminutes south of the Moon\u2019s southern edge. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-163990\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> At 18:50 UT on 9 February 2025, Mars appears just 4 arcminutes south of the Moon\u2019s southern edge. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-placed evening planet. Near waxing gibbous Moon on the morning of 7 Feb.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Deteriorating evening planet. Best at start of February. Near waxing Moon and Venus on 1 Feb.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well positioned evening planet in Aries, best at the start of the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet in Pisces which becomes too low to be viable after 7 Feb.\u00a0<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>March 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>4 March:<\/strong> Double shadow transit on Jupiter (23:36-01:13 UT)<\/li> <li><strong>6 March: <\/strong>Lunar X clair-obscur effect visible on the Moon (around 23:00 UT)<\/li> <li><strong>14 March: <\/strong>Total lunar eclipse (sets during totality from the UK)<\/li> <li><strong>20 March:<\/strong> March equinox<\/li> <li><strong>29 March: <\/strong>Partial solar eclipse<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet at start of March, greatest eastern elongation 8 March. Lost from view mid-month.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, sets over 3 hours after sunset on 1 March, lost after mid-month.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, 56-arcminutes south of 74%-lit waxing gibbous Moon on 9 March.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"866\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/lunar-eclipse-march-2025.jpg\" alt=\"The Moon experiences a total eclipse on the morning of 14 March 2025. From the UK it reaches totality just before setting\" class=\"wp-image-163994\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> The Moon experiences a total eclipse on the morning of 14 March 2025. From the UK it reaches totality just before setting <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Despite losing the battle with brightening evening twilight, remains a decent altitude throughout March.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible, ring plane crossing on 23 March.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Loses altitude due to brightening spring skies throughout the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>April 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>1 April: <\/strong>The Moon occults the Pleiades open cluster (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>8 April:<\/strong> Jewelled Handle clair-obscur effect visible on the Moon (early morning)<\/li> <li><strong>16 April: <\/strong>Callisto appears to almost touch Jupiter\u2019s southern pole (22:40 BST (21:40 UT))<\/li> <li><strong>22 April:<\/strong> Lyrid meteor shower peak<\/li> <li><strong>25 April: <\/strong>Venus near the Moon (dawn)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, not visible despite reaching greatest western elongation of 27.4\u00b0 on 21 April.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, rises 70 mins before sunrise. Forms a small triangle with Saturn and Neptune. 10%-lit waning Moon in triangle on 25 April.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong><\/p> <p>Deteriorating evening planet. 1.6o south of a 57%-lit waxing Moon on evening of 5 April.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1226\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/moon-pleiades-april-2025.jpg\" alt=\"On the evening of 1 April 2025, the Moon will pass in front of the centre of the Pleiades open cluster giving rise to a number of occultation events. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-163998\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, deteriorating through the month. Moon nearby on 2 and 30 April.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn<\/strong><\/p> <p>Hard to see in the morning twilight. Near Venus 23 April.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, visible near a 16%-lit waxing Moon on 1 April, but rapidly lost.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>May 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>2 May: <\/strong>Vesta reaches opposition, potentially naked-eye visible (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>4 May:<\/strong> Mars near the Beehive Cluster (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>5 May:<\/strong> Lunar X clair-obscur effect visible on the Moon (01:14 BST (00:14 UT))<\/li> <li><strong>15 May:<\/strong> Unusual daylight transit of Titan shadow across Saturn<\/li> <li><strong>23 May:<\/strong> Approximate start of the Northern Hemisphere\u2019s noctilucent cloud season<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, too low to be seen properly from UK.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, lowering so hard to see before sunrise.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, best at start of May. Crosses the Beehive Cluster M44 on 4 May.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1084\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/vesta-opposition-may-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Vesta reaches opposition on 2 May 2025, when it may just be visible to the unaided eye from a dark sky site. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-164001\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Vesta reaches opposition on 2 May 2025, when it may just be visible to the unaided eye from a dark sky site. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet in Taurus, compromised by twilight mid-month onwards.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Poorly placed morning planet forming a compact triangle with Venus and Neptune early in May.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month. Solar conjunction on 17 May.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>June 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>All month:<\/strong> Keep watch for noctilucent clouds as the season progresses<\/li> <li><strong>1 June: <\/strong>Venus at greatest western elongation (morning)<\/li> <li><strong>17 June:<\/strong> Mars and Regulus separated by just 0.7\u00b0 (morning)<\/li> <li><strong>19 June:<\/strong> Conjunction of Saturn, the last quarter Moon and Neptune (morning)<\/li> <li><strong>21 June: <\/strong>Northern Hemisphere\u2019s summer solstice<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Best placed at end of June in evening sky. 2%-lit waxing Moon nearby 26 June.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet. Greatest western elongation 1 June.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong><\/p> <p>Low altitude morning planet. Conjunction with similar brightness Regulus 16 June.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"987\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/moon-saturn-neptune-june-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Early risers on 19 June 2025 get to see the last quarter Moon near Saturn with a tricky Neptune close by too. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-164006\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Early risers on 19 June 2025 get to see the last quarter Moon near Saturn with a tricky Neptune close by too. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, near the Sun. Solar conjunction 24 June, thereafter a morning planet.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn<\/strong><\/p> <p>Another poorly located morning planet, currently close to Neptune.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Difficult morning planet. Possibly visible on 19 June (02:15 BST (01:15 UT)) when near Saturn and 47%-lit waning Moon.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>July 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>All month:<\/strong> Possible noctilucent cloud displays<\/li> <li><strong>2 July:<\/strong> Lunar X &amp; V clair-obscur effects visible on the Moon (around 23:40 BST (22:40 UT))<\/li> <li><strong>4 July:<\/strong> Mercury at greatest eastern elongation (evening twilight)<\/li> <li><strong>16 July:<\/strong> Saturn and Neptune less than a degree apart (01:40 BST (00:40 UT))<\/li> <li><strong>29\/30 July:<\/strong> Peak of the Delta Aquariid meteor shower<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Greatest eastern elongation (25.9\u00b0) on 4 July, poorly located in evening sky.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>In conjunction with Uranus 4 July and near M35 on 31 July.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong><\/p> <p>Poor position evening planet.\u00a0<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"896\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/southern-delta-meteor-shower-2025.jpg\" alt=\"The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower 2025 has no Moon interference, with peak ZHR around 25 meteors per hour. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-164009\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower 2025 has no Moon interference, with peak ZHR around 25 meteors per hour. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>May be visible low above northeast horizon from mid-July in the dawn twilight.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, reaching 34\u00b0 altitude under relatively dark twilight on 31 July.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Low conjunction with Venus on 4 July. Reaching 16\u00b0 altitude at the end of the month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune<\/strong><\/p> <p>Very near Saturn. Reaches 30\u00b0 altitude under darkness by the end of the month.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>August 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>11 August:<\/strong> Titan eclipsed by Saturn\u2019s shadow\u00a0<\/li> <li><strong>12<\/strong> <strong>August:<\/strong> Venus 0.9\u00b0 from Jupiter (morning)<\/li> <li><strong>20 August:<\/strong> Impressive display of planets and the waning crescent Moon (morning)<\/li> <li><strong>27<\/strong> <strong>August:<\/strong> Titan eclipsed by Saturn\u2019s shadow<\/li> <li><strong>31 August:<\/strong> Ganymede&#8217;s shadow transits Jupiter (03:28-06:37 BST (02:28-05:37 UT))<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, difficult to see at the start of the month, easier to spot after 19 Aug.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, near M35 at the start of Aug. Jupiter conjunction 12 Aug. Near M44 31 Aug.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Poorly located in bright evening twilight.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/jupiter-venus-august-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Jupiter and Venus appear 0.9\u00b0 apart on 12 August 2025, best seen from 03:30 BST (02:30 UT) low above the east-northeast horizon. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-164014\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Jupiter and Venus appear 0.9\u00b0 apart on 12 August 2025, best seen from 03:30 BST (02:30 UT) low above the east-northeast horizon. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>52 arcseconds from Venus 12 Aug at 04:30 BST (03:30 UT).<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, reaching peak altitude of 35\u00b0 under darkness from 17 Aug.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, best end Aug when reaches 48\u00b0 altitude in dark conditions.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet near Saturn. Reaches peak altitude of 36\u00b0 under darkness from 17 Aug.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>September 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>7 September:<\/strong> Total lunar eclipse at moonrise (evening twilight)<\/li> <li><strong>12 September: <\/strong>Moon occults the Pleiades (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>19 September:<\/strong> Daylight lunar occultation of Venus<\/li> <li><strong>20 September:<\/strong> Titan and its shadow transit Saturn together (from 05:13 BST (04:13 UT))<\/li> <li><strong>21 September:<\/strong> Saturn at opposition<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Near Regulus in morning sky, lost from 3 Sept onwards. Solar conjunction on 13 Sept.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet rising 3 hours before the Sun on 1 Sept. Daylight lunar occultation on 19th Sept.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet not visible this month.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"819\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/venus-occultation-september-2025.jpg\" alt=\"A daylight lunar occultation of Venus occurs on 19 September 2025, mag. -3.8 Venus appearing 11 arcseconds across and 88%-illuminated\" class=\"wp-image-164017\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> A daylight lunar occultation of Venus occurs on 19 September 2025, mag. -3.8 Venus appearing 11 arcseconds across and 88%-illuminated. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet reaching 51\u00b0 altitude on 30 Sept. Near Wasat 6 &amp; 7 Sept.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well presented this month, opposition on 21 Sept with a peak altitude around 34\u00b0.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Improving morning planet, reaching peak altitude of 57\u00b0 in darkness from 22 Sept on.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Near Saturn, reaching opposition on 23 Sept.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>October 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>2 October:<\/strong> Dwarf planet Ceres at opposition (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>6 October:<\/strong> Titan and its shadow transit Saturn (from 02:25 BST (01:25 UT))<\/li> <li><strong>7 October:<\/strong> Harvest Moon for 2025<\/li> <li><strong>21 October: <\/strong>Orionid meteor shower peak<\/li> <li><strong>26 October:<\/strong> End of British Summer Time, clocks go back an hour<\/li> <li><strong>29 October: <\/strong>Titan occulted by Saturn (20:38 UT)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Greatest eastern elongation on 29 October, but too low in the evening sky to be seen.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet, rising 2 hours and 15 minutes before sunrise on 1 October. Harder to see at the end of October.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, not visible.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1049\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/orionid-meteor-shower-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Conditions couldn\u2019t be better for the Orionid meteor shower peak in 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-164021\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Conditions couldn\u2019t be better for the Orionid meteor shower peak in 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Bright morning planet. Reaches 58\u00b0 altitude under darkness at end of month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, in Aquarius. Reaches 34\u00b0 altitude from the UK.<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-placed morning planet south of the Pleiades, reaching 57\u00b0 altitude.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet, in Pisces. Reaches 36\u00b0 altitude when due south.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>November 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>8-11 November:<\/strong> Comet 24P\/Schaumasse crosses the Beehive Cluster, M44<\/li> <li><strong>14 November:<\/strong> Titan occulted and partially eclipsed by Saturn\u00a0<\/li> <li><strong>17 November:<\/strong> Leonid meteor shower peak<\/li> <li><strong>21 November:<\/strong> Uranus at opposition (evening)<\/li> <li><strong>22 November:<\/strong> Titan transits Saturn (18:52-01:10 UT)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>After inferior conjunction on 20 November, visible in the morning sky at the end of the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet rising 1 hour 40 minutes before sunrise on 1 November, lost by the end of the month.<\/p> <p><strong>Mars<\/strong><\/p> <p>Not visible this month.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"996\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/Comet-24P-Schaumasse-November-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Comet 24P\/Schaumasse appears to cross the Beehive Cluster M44 on 8-11 November 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-164025\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Comet 24P\/Schaumasse appears to cross the Beehive Cluster M44 on 8-11 November 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>Superb morning planet in Gemini reaching just shy of 60\u00b0 altitude when due south.<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-positioned evening planet, reaching 33\u00b0 altitude under dark sky conditions all month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Well-positioned evening planet, reaching 57\u00b0 altitude when due south. Opposition on 21 November.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet near Saturn.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>December 2025<\/strong><\/h3> <ul> <li><strong>4 December:<\/strong> Moon occults the Pleiades (early morning)<\/li> <li><strong>8 December:<\/strong> Titan transits Saturn (17:38-23:52 UT)<\/li> <li><strong>13\/14 December: <\/strong>Geminid meteor shower peak<\/li> <li><strong>22 December: <\/strong>Ursid meteor shower peak<\/li> <li><strong>24 December: <\/strong>Titan transits Saturn (16:58-22:59 UT)<\/li> <\/ul> <p><strong>Mercury<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet visible until around 23 Dec, greatest western elongation on 7 Dec.<\/p> <p><strong>Venus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Morning planet but not visible this month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Mars\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet too close to the Sun to be visible.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1075\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/06\/Comet-24P-Schaumasse-December-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Comet 24P\/Schaumasse brightens from mag. 7.4 to 5.9 by the end of December 2025, peaking at 5.8 in early January 2026. Credit: Pete Lawrence\" class=\"wp-image-164029\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Comet 24P\/Schaumasse brightens from mag. 7.4 to 5.9 by the end of December 2025, peaking at 5.8 in early January 2026. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <p><strong>Jupiter<\/strong><\/p> <p>If observing the planets tonight, this is the one to focus on. Superbly positioned morning planet reaching just shy of 60\u00b0 altitude when due south.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening planet just able to reach peak altitude of 33\u00b0 under darkness all month.\u00a0<\/p> <p><strong>Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Nicely placed evening planet, mag. +5.6 in Taurus south of the Pleiades.<\/p> <p><strong>Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> <p>Evening binocular planet located close to Saturn. Peak altitude of 36\u00b0 when due south.<\/p> <p><strong><em>Are you a planetary observer or imager? Share your observations and images with us by emailing <a href=\"mailto:contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our month-by-month guide to locating the planets throughout 2024 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":65046,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"24"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/10\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025.jpg",1200,633,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/10\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/10\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/10\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025-768x405.jpg",768,405,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/10\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025-1024x540.jpg",800,422,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/10\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025.jpg",1200,633,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/10\/visible-planets-in-the-night-sky-month-by-month-2024-2025.jpg",1200,633,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Our month-by-month guide to locating the planets throughout 2024","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/65045"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}