by When will we be able to see the planets at their best during this coming year 2024? Well, this guide will tell you. It will also provide information about when a particular planet might be passing close to another planet, or a bright star, as well as the constellation each will occupy over the course of the year. Read on to learn more about various circumstances, such as conjunctions, oppositions, and elongations, that are on next year’s skywatching schedule.
1. Mercury
Like an evening star, Mercury It appears in the western sky and sets about an hour later. Sun does. As a morning Star, appears in the eastern sky, rising about an hour before the sun. On these occasions there must be a clear horizon without obstacles. Mercury usually appears as a bright “star” with a yellowish or ocher hue. You will be able to see the planet in the mornings from January 5 to 26, from May 2 to 23, from August 30 to September 19 and from December 18 to 31. You can also see some Mercury action in the mornings. nights from March 10 to 31, from July 8 to 29 and from November 2 to 23.
Mercury will be brighter and easier to spot in the night sky between March 10 and March 31, and brighter and easier to spot in the morning sky between January 5 and January 26 and again between December 18 and 31.
2. venus
Always bright and shining with a constant silver light, you can catch Venus during mornings in the eastern sky at dawn from January 1 to April 8; evenings in the western sky at dusk from July 30 to December 31.
He Best time to see Venus in the morning sky in 2024 It will come from January 1 to February 11. Best time to see Venus in the night sky in 2024 It will come from October 5 to December 31. On February 22, Venus will be very close to Mars (passing 0.6 degrees north of the Red Planet). venus and Saturn They will appear dramatically close to each other (Venus just 0.2 degrees N) on the morning of March 21.
On April 3, Venus will slide just 0.3 degrees S of Neptune. On August 5, Venus will pass within 1.1 degrees N of a bluish Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. On November 22, Venus passes 1.1 degrees N of Nunki, a second magnitude star in the constellation Sagittarius.
3. Mars
This will be another “off” year for Mars, as for much of 2024 it will appear relatively dark as it lingers in the morning sky. In fact, Mars will be invisible for the first 10 days of the new year, too immersed in the bright twilight of dawn to be seen. New Year’s Day will reside in the constellation Sagittarius, at a distance of 362.4 million kilometers (225.2 million miles) from the Land. By April Fool’s Day, it will be in the constellation Aquarius and will be visible at low altitude in the southeast for a few hours before dawn, shining in magnitude +1.2. On July 1 it will be visible after midnight in the eastern sky, having brightened slightly to a magnitude of +1.0.
On Halloween, during the late evening hours, Mars will be easily visible in the northeastern sky, with the “Twin Stars” of Gemini. Beaver and Polluxpointing directly at this yellow-orange planet, which now shines at magnitude +0.1.
Thereafter, for the rest of the year, Mars will rapidly increase in brightness as it approaches Earth. It will remain stationary against the starry background of space on December 6, making a retrograde loop as a prelude to its first opposition since 2022 on January 16, 2025. On New Year’s Eve, now in the constellation Cancer, Mars will be 98.6 million kilometers away (61, 3 million miles) from Earth. and shine with a magnitude of -1.2, which is a little dimmer than Siriusthe brightest star in the world night sky; this will be its brightest point in 2024.
Mars will pass 2.7 degrees north of the second-magnitude star Nunki in the constellation Sagittarius on January 21 and will come very close to Venus (passing 0.6 degrees south of that dazzling world) on February 22. Mars will move even closer to Saturn (0.4 degrees N) on April 10 and to Neptune (0.1 degrees S) on April 29. The Red Planet will pass 4.9 degrees north of the equally bright and orange star Aldebaran on August 4 and slide 0.3 degrees north of Jupiter August 14.
Finally, early on the morning of December 18, a waning gibbous moon will slide right over Mars. In the northern sections of North America, Moon it will actually obscure or eclipse the planet.
4. Jupiter
Jupiter will be quite bright with a silvery-white glow in 2024. The year begins in the constellation Aries the Ram, then crosses towards Taurus la Toro on April 28 where it will remain for the rest of the year.
During the evenings from January 1 to April 26 it will shine brightly, as well as during the mornings from June 8 to December 6. Night viewing will be optimal again starting in December. December 7 to 31.
Is brightest in 2024 will fall between From November 14 to December 28. Jupiter will be in opposition to the Sun on December 7. It will pass 4.8 degrees north of the first magnitude star Aldebaran on July 9 and will be just 0.3 degrees south of a much fainter star. Mars on August 14.
5. Saturn
Saturn shines as a yellowish-white “star” of moderate brightness. The famous rings, however, are only visible with a telescope.
The rings were at their maximum tilt toward Earth in October 2017, but are now rapidly approaching our line of sight. They will turn edge-on toward Earth during the spring of 2025. The process will begin in 2024 within the constellation of Aquarius the Water Bearer, and the planet will remain there for the rest of the year.
You can see Saturn during the evenings of January 1 to February 11, the mornings of March 17 to September 7, and then again the evenings of September 8 to December 31. Saturn will be the brightest in 2024 It will fall between August 25 and October 1. Saturn will be in opposition to the sun on September 8. Saturn and Venus will appear dramatically close to each other (with Saturn just 0.2 degrees S) on the morning of March 21 and will be 0.4 degrees S of Mars on April 10.
6. Uranus
Uranus can be glimpsed with the naked eye by people blessed with good eyesight and a clear, dark sky, as well as direct knowledge of exactly where to look for it.
At its brightest, this planet shines at magnitude +5.6 and can be easily identified with good binoculars. A small telescope can reveal its tiny greenish disk. Uranus Spend the entire year of 2024 in the constellation of Aries the Ram. You can see it during the afternoons from January 1 to April 27, in the mornings from May 31 to November 16 and at night from November 17 to December 31. It’s brighter in 2024 will happen from October 15 to December 21. Uranus will reach opposition to the sun on November 16.
7. Neptune
Last but not least, Neptune will spend the entire year of 2024 in the constellation of Pisces, the Fishes. With a maximum magnitude of +7.8, this bluish world is only visible with good binoculars or a telescope. It will be in the sky for optimal viewing during the nights of January 1 to March 1, the mornings of April 3 to September 19, and then again the evenings of September 20 to December 31.
It’s brighter in 2024 will occur from July 23 to November 19. The opposition will be on September 20. Two excellent opportunities to identify Neptune will present themselves first on April 3, when Venus slides 0.3 degrees S of Neptune, and again on April 29, when Mars passes just 0.1 degrees S of Neptune. Note that compared to Neptune, Mars will appear 500 times brighter and Venus about 58,000 times more dazzling.
