Objects in your sky: Planets
by Dominic Ford
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The Moon is a 23-day-old waning crescent, and recently passed last quarter. From Chichester, it is visible in the morning sky, becoming accessible around 02:03, when it reaches an altitude of 5° above your eastern horizon. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 06:57, 31° above your southern horizon. It will be lost to dawn twilight around 07:30, 33° above your southern horizon.
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Mercury remains just about visible as a morning object, now well past greatest elongation west and returning closer to the Sun. From Chichester, it is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 06:03 (GMT) – 1 hour and 52 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 9° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 07:23.
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Venus will soon pass 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 0° above the horizon at dawn.
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Mars will soon pass 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 5° below the horizon at dusk.
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Jupiter is currently approaching opposition and is visible as a morning object. From Chichester, it is visible in the morning sky, becoming accessible around 19:17, when it reaches an altitude of 7° above your north-eastern horizon. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 02:15, 60° above your southern horizon. It will be lost to dawn twilight around 07:30, 23° above your western horizon.
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Saturn is currently an early evening object, now receding into evening twilight. From Chichester, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 16:48 (GMT), 31° above your south-eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 18:17, 35° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 22:40, when it sinks below 11° above your western horizon.
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Uranus recently passed opposition. From Chichester, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 17:25 (GMT), 25° above your eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 22:15, 58° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 03:36, 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 Chichester, it is visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible around 17:25 (GMT), 35° above your southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 18:30, 37° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 21:55, when it sinks below 21° above your south-western horizon.
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