Objects in your sky: Planets
by Dominic Ford
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The Moon is a 26-day-old waning crescent, and is approaching new moon. From Fairfield, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 03:18 (EST) – 3 hours and 48 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 30° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 06:47.
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Mercury will soon pass behind the Sun. From Fairfield, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is 0° below the horizon at dawn.
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Venus remains just about visible as a morning object, now well past greatest elongation west and returning closer to the Sun. From Fairfield, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 04:58 (EST) – 2 hours and 8 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 16° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 06:47.
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Mars recently passed opposition. From Fairfield, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 16:45 (EST), 39° above your south-eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 19:39, 56° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 01:22, when it sinks below 8° above your western horizon.
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Jupiter will soon pass behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From Fairfield, it will become visible at around 16:43 (EST), 20° above your south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting 2 hours and 51 minutes after the Sun at 19:14.
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Saturn will soon pass behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From Fairfield, it will become visible at around 17:00 (EST), 19° above your south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting 2 hours and 57 minutes after the Sun at 19:20.
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Uranus is currently an early evening object. From Fairfield, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 17:35 (EST), 39° above your eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 20:47, 62° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 01:39, when it sinks below 21° above your western horizon.
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Neptune is currently an early evening object, now receding into evening twilight. From Fairfield, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 17:35 (EST), 43° above your southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 17:45, 43° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 21:21, when it sinks below 21° above your south-western horizon.
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