Objects in your sky: Planets

by Dominic Ford

The visibility of the planets on

From location

South El Monte
Rise16:58
Set02:37

The Moon is 11 days old, waxing gibbous, and is approaching full moon. From South El Monte, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 20:24 (PDT), 26° above your southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 21:49, 28° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 01:49, when it sinks below -1° above your south-western horizon.

02 Jul 2025  –  Moon at First Quarter
10 Jul 2025  –  Full Moon
17 Jul 2025  –  Moon at Last Quarter
24 Jul 2025  –  New Moon
Rise07:51
Set21:33

Mercury is visible as an evening object, having recently passed greatest elongation east. From South El Monte, however, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 9° above the horizon at dusk.

Rise03:00
Set16:48

Venus is visible as a morning object, having recently passed greatest elongation west. From South El Monte, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 02:58 (PDT) – 2 hours and 46 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 29° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 05:26.

Rise10:16
Set23:07

Mars is currently an early evening object, now receding into evening twilight. From South El Monte, it will become visible at around 20:53 (PDT), 26° above your western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting 3 hours and 0 minutes after the Sun at 23:06.

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
Rise05:06
Set19:27

Jupiter recently passed behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From South El Monte, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 2° 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
Rise00:03
Set12:01

Saturn is currently emerging from behind the Sun. From South El Monte, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 00:03 (PDT) and reaching an altitude of 52° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 05:06.

05 May 2025  –  Equinox on Saturn
12 Jul 2025  –  Saturn enters retrograde motion
20 Sep 2025  –  Saturn at opposition
27 Nov 2025  –  Saturn ends retrograde motion
Rise02:42
Set16:41

Uranus recently passed behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From South El Monte, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 21° above the horizon at dawn.

30 Jan 2025  –  Uranus ends retrograde motion
05 Sep 2025  –  Uranus enters retrograde motion
21 Nov 2025  –  Uranus at opposition
03 Feb 2026  –  Uranus ends retrograde motion
Rise00:00
Set12:03

Neptune is currently emerging from behind the Sun. From South El Monte, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 00:00 (PDT) and reaching an altitude of 49° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 04:33.

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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