(Posted 22 April 2014) Planet spotting doesn’t any easier than tonight with Jupiter, Mars and Saturn easily visible to the unaided eye as bright stars.
Jupiter is the brightest star located above the North Western horizon at the end of evening twilight. If you do have a telescope or binoculars, take the time to get them out and you will see Jupiter resolved into a disc.
To find Mars, just look above the Eastern horizon as soon as the sky is dark. Mars is currently the brightest ‘star’ in that part of the sky – so you won’t be able to mistake it for anything else. Finally, if you look a little later, you will notice a pale yellow ‘star’ low on the Eastern horizon. That is the planet Saturn. Even a small telescope will show Saturn’s rings. Look through a larger telescope when Saturn is higher in the sky and the view is breathtaking.
Jupiter, Mars and Saturn visible tonight. No telescope or binoculars required! (with finder charts) http://t.co/tEFNpyKkoF