Objects in your sky: Planets
by Dominic Ford
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The Moon is 17 days old, waning gibbous, and is approaching last quarter. From Cambridge, it is visible in the morning sky, becoming accessible around 20:21, when it reaches an altitude of 3° above your eastern horizon. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 01:51, 44° above your southern horizon. It will be lost to dawn twilight around 06:20, 17° above your western horizon.
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Mercury recently passed behind the Sun at superior solar conjunction. From Cambridge, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is 1° below the horizon at dusk.
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Venus is visible as an evening object, having recently passed greatest elongation east. From Cambridge, it will become visible at around 17:33 (EST), 33° above your south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting 3 hours and 28 minutes after the Sun at 20:44.
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Mars recently passed opposition. From Cambridge, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 17:37 (EST), 42° above your eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 21:15, 73° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 04:07, when it sinks below 8° above your north-western horizon.
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Jupiter is currently an early evening object, now receding into evening twilight. From Cambridge, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 17:33 (EST), 65° above your south-eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 18:38, 69° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 01:14, when it sinks below 7° above your western horizon.
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Saturn will soon pass behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From Cambridge, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 10° above the horizon at dusk.
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Uranus is currently an early evening object, now receding into evening twilight. From Cambridge, it will become visible at around 18:23 (EST), 62° above your south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting at 00:36.
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Neptune will soon pass behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From Cambridge, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 15° above the horizon at dusk.
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