SOLAR RULER
← Solar Ruler
Planet Visibility

Tonight's Sky

Which planets are visible right now? Real-time positions, rise & set times, and conjunction alerts for your location.

📍Using default (45°N)
7
planets visible right now
Brightest: Venus (mag -3.9) — S, 42° above horizon

Naked-Eye Planets

Mercury
Visible Now
Altitude
43.6°
Direction
SSW (194°)
Magnitude
3.7
Elongation
8° from Sun
Rise: 12:44 PMSet: 12:51 AM
Venus
Visible Now
Altitude
42.5°
Direction
S (183°)
Magnitude
-3.9
Elongation
14° from Sun
Rise: 1:22 PMSet: 1:06 AM
Mars
Visible Now
Altitude
28.0°
Direction
SSW (210°)
Magnitude
1.2
Elongation
12° from Sun
Rise: 12:26 PMSet: 10:52 PM
Jupiter
Visible Now
Altitude
5.3°
Direction
ENE (62°)
Magnitude
-2.4
Elongation
122° from Sun
Rise: 6:47 PMSet: 10:17 AM
Saturn
Visible Now
Altitude
43.8°
Direction
S (176°)
Magnitude
0.9
Elongation
19° from Sun
Rise: 1:38 PMSet: 1:37 AM

Telescope Targets

These planets are too faint for the naked eye but rewarding through a telescope or good binoculars.

Uranus
Telescope Required
Visible Now
Altitude
37.8°
Direction
E (100°)
Magnitude
5.7
Rise
3:41 PM
Neptune
Telescope Required
Visible Now
Altitude
44.3°
Direction
S (178°)
Magnitude
8.0
Rise
1:32 PM

Tonight's Highlights

No close planetary conjunctions tonight. Check back regularly — planets are always on the move!

🌕 Moon Phase
Current phase, illumination, and aurora viewing impact.
🌑 Upcoming Eclipses
Live countdowns to the next solar and lunar eclipses.
Aurora Forecast
Live Kp index, OVATION map, and aurora probability.

Planet Quick Guide

Mercury
Closest to the Sun, hard to spot. Look low on the horizon just after sunset or before sunrise.
Venus
Brightest planet — often called the Evening or Morning Star. Unmistakable when visible.
Mars
The Red Planet. Distinct orange-red color, brightness varies with its orbital position.
Jupiter
King of the planets. Very bright and steady — binoculars reveal its four Galilean moons.
Saturn
Golden hue, steady light. A small telescope reveals the iconic rings.
Uranus
(Telescope)
Faint blue-green disc. Technically naked-eye in perfect conditions, but a telescope helps.
Neptune
(Telescope)
The most distant planet. Deep blue, requires a telescope and a star chart to find.

Viewing Tips

Dark Adaptation
Give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust to the dark. Avoid looking at your phone screen — use a red light or night mode instead.
Best Viewing Time
Planets are often brightest during the hour after sunset or before sunrise. Check the rise and set times above for tonight’s best window.
Light Pollution
Get away from city lights if possible. Even driving 15–20 minutes out of town dramatically improves how many stars and planets you can see.
Use Binoculars
A pair of 7x50 or 10x50 binoculars reveals Jupiter’s moons, Saturn’s shape, and many deep-sky objects invisible to the naked eye.
Aurora Bonus
While watching for planets, keep an eye toward the northern horizon. If Kp levels are elevated, you might catch an aurora too!
Steady vs. Twinkling
Planets shine with a steady light, while stars twinkle. This is the easiest way to tell them apart with the naked eye.
← View Live Aurora Globe