Objects in your sky: Planets
by Dominic Ford
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The Moon is a 28-day-old waning crescent, and is approaching new moon. From Chichester, it is visible from soon after it rises, at 03:32, until soon before it sets at 21:15. Always take extreme caution when trying to make daytime observations of the Moon while the Sun is above the horizon.
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Mercury is visible as an evening object, having recently passed greatest elongation east. From Chichester, however, 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 dusk.
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Venus is emerging into the evening sky as it approaches greatest elongation east. From Chichester, it will become visible at around 21:44 (BST), 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 23:47.
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Mars recently passed behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From Chichester, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 3° above the horizon at dawn.
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Jupiter recently passed behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From Chichester, however, it will become visible at around 21:44 (BST), 13° above your western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting 2 hours and 6 minutes after the Sun at 23:23.
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Saturn is currently emerging from behind the Sun. From Chichester, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 02:05 (BST) – 2 hours and 41 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 15° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 03:47.
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Uranus recently passed behind the Sun at solar conjunction. From Chichester, it is not readily observable since it is very close to the Sun, at a separation of only 20° from it.
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Neptune is currently emerging from behind the Sun. From Chichester, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 7° above the horizon at dawn.
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