- Southern Hemisphere Sky Events

Jupiter, Mars and Saturn visible tonight. No telescope or binoculars required!

(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.

Saturn, Moon and Antares (brightest star in the ancient Greek constellation Scorpius The Scorpion) finder chart for 8:30 pm AEST Thursday 17 April 2014. Chart prepared for the Gold Goast (Mermaid Beach), Australia but will still be accurate for elsewhere in Eastern Australia. Chart prepared using the highly recommended Sky Safari Pro tablet app. Used with permission.
Jupiter finder chart for 7 pm AEST Tuesday 22nd April 2014. Chart prepared for the Gold Goast (Mermaid Beach, Queensland), Australia but will still be accurate for elsewhere in Eastern Australia. Chart prepared using the highly recommended Sky Safari Pro tablet app. Used with permission.

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.

Saturn, Moon and Antares (brightest star in the ancient Greek constellation Scorpius The Scorpion) finder chart for 8:30 pm AEST Thursday 17 April 2014. Chart prepared for the Gold Goast (Mermaid Beach), Australia but will still be accurate for elsewhere in Eastern Australia. Chart prepared using the highly recommended Sky Safari Pro tablet app. Used with permission.
Mars and Saturn finder chart for 7 pm AEST Tuesday 22nd April 2014. Chart prepared for the Gold Goast (Mermaid Beach), Australia but will still be accurate for elsewhere in Eastern Australia. Chart prepared using the highly recommended Sky Safari Pro tablet app. Used with permission.

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.

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