Objects in your sky: Planets

by Dominic Ford

The visibility of the planets on

From location

Cambridge
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Rise21:28
Set06:42

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 22:23, when it reaches an altitude of 11° above your south-eastern horizon. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 02:01, 28° above your southern horizon. It will be lost to dawn twilight around 04:55, 14° above your south-western horizon.

10 Jul 2025  –  Full Moon
17 Jul 2025  –  Moon at Last Quarter
24 Jul 2025  –  New Moon
01 Aug 2025  –  Moon at First Quarter
Rise07:25
Set21:23

Mercury is visible as an evening object, having recently passed greatest elongation east. From Cambridge, however, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 1° above the horizon at dusk.

Rise02:31
Set17:08

Venus is visible as a morning object, having recently passed greatest elongation west. From Cambridge, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 02:30 (EDT) – 2 hours and 45 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 24° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 04:55.

Rise09:54
Set22:52

Mars is currently an early evening object, now receding into evening twilight. From Cambridge, it will become visible at around 21:16 (EDT), 16° above your western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting 2 hours and 30 minutes after the Sun at 22:51.

23 Feb 2025  –  Mars ends retrograde motion
10 Jan 2027  –  Mars enters retrograde motion
19 Feb 2027  –  Mars at opposition
19 Feb 2027  –  Mars at perigee
Rise04:16
Set19:27

Jupiter recently passed 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 5° above the horizon at dawn.

04 Feb 2025  –  Jupiter ends retrograde motion
11 Nov 2025  –  Jupiter enters retrograde motion
10 Jan 2026  –  Jupiter at opposition
10 Mar 2026  –  Jupiter ends retrograde motion
Rise23:34
Set11:29

Saturn is currently emerging from behind the Sun. From Cambridge, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 23:33 (EDT) and reaching an altitude of 44° above the southern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 04:31.

06 May 2025  –  Equinox on Saturn
13 Jul 2025  –  Saturn enters retrograde motion
21 Sep 2025  –  Saturn at opposition
27 Nov 2025  –  Saturn ends retrograde motion
Rise01:51
Set16:33

Uranus recently passed 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 19° above the horizon at dawn.

30 Jan 2025  –  Uranus ends retrograde motion
06 Sep 2025  –  Uranus enters retrograde motion
21 Nov 2025  –  Uranus at opposition
03 Feb 2026  –  Uranus ends retrograde motion
Rise23:29
Set11:32

Neptune is currently emerging from behind the Sun. From Cambridge, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 23:29 (EDT) and reaching an altitude of 41° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 03:50.

04 Jul 2025  –  Neptune enters retrograde motion
23 Sep 2025  –  Neptune at opposition
10 Dec 2025  –  Neptune ends retrograde motion
07 Jul 2026  –  Neptune enters retrograde motion

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Cambridge

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42.38°N
71.11°W
EDT

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