Real visibility data for all 7 naked-eye and telescope planets, calculated for your location.
Planet visibility depends on three things: whether the planet is above the horizon, how high it gets (its altitude), and whether the sky is dark enough to see it. A planet might technically be "up" but so low on the horizon that buildings, trees, and atmospheric haze block it. Clear Skys only reports a planet as visible when its peak altitude exceeds 10° — high enough to clear most obstructions and atmospheric murk.
For the five bright planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn), visibility is checked from sunset onwards in 5-minute steps. These planets are bright enough to see in twilight, often before any stars appear. Venus and Jupiter at their brightest are unmistakable — Venus reaches magnitude −4.6, visible even from heavily light-polluted cities.
For the outer planets (Uranus and Neptune), the calculation starts from the onset of astronomical darkness. These are magnitude 5.7 and 7.8 respectively — Uranus is barely visible to the naked eye under perfect conditions, and Neptune always requires binoculars or a telescope. They're only reported when the sky is properly dark.
The calculations use the astronomy-engine library, the same ephemeris code used by planetarium software. It's more accurate than snapshot-based APIs because it tracks the planet's position continuously across your entire observing window, catching brief visibility windows that a single check might miss.
**Mercury** is the hardest bright planet to spot. It never strays far from the sun, so it's only visible in a narrow window just after sunset or just before sunrise. When it does appear, it's low on the horizon and you typically have 30–60 minutes before it sets or the sky brightens. The best apparitions happen when the ecliptic makes a steep angle to the horizon — spring evenings and autumn mornings in the northern hemisphere.
**Venus** is the easiest planet to observe. As the third-brightest object in the sky (after the sun and moon), it's visible even from city centres. It appears as either an "evening star" in the west after sunset or a "morning star" in the east before sunrise, depending on where it is in its orbit. Through a telescope, Venus shows phases like the moon.
**Mars** varies enormously in brightness. Near opposition (when Earth passes between Mars and the sun), it's a striking orange-red beacon at magnitude −2.5 or brighter. At its dimmest, it's a modest magnitude +1.8 — still visible but easy to overlook. Mars oppositions happen roughly every 26 months.
**Jupiter** is the second-brightest planet and the most rewarding through a small telescope. Its four Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto) are visible in any telescope and even steady binoculars. The cloud bands are visible at 40x magnification. Jupiter is in the sky for most of the year.
**Saturn** is dimmer than Jupiter but unmistakable through a telescope — even at 25x magnification, the rings are clearly visible. It's one of the most awe-inspiring sights for first-time observers. Saturn moves slowly and is typically visible for 8–10 months of the year.
Uranus (magnitude 5.7) sits right at the naked-eye limit. Under truly dark skies with no moon, experienced observers can spot it without optical aid, but binoculars or a finder scope are realistic. Through a telescope at 100x+, it shows a tiny blue-green disc.
Neptune (magnitude 7.8) always requires binoculars or a telescope. It appears as a faint blue dot, barely distinguishable from background stars without careful star-hopping using a chart. Both outer planets move slowly through the constellations and are best located using planetarium software or the planet data in your Clear Skys forecast.
Every Clear Skys forecast includes tonight's planet visibility — which planets are up, their peak altitude, and the best time to observe each one. Search your location or pick a city below:
Check tonight's stargazing conditions for any location worldwide.
Search your location →Five planets are visible without a telescope: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Which ones are up tonight depends on your location, the time of year, and where each planet is in its orbit. Clear Skys calculates exactly which planets are visible from your location tonight and when they're highest in the sky.
Yes. Bright planets are largely unaffected by light pollution. Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are easily visible from any city. Mars is visible when it's near opposition. Mercury requires a clear horizon but is doable from urban areas with a good western or eastern view.
If it doesn't twinkle, it's almost certainly a planet. Stars twinkle (scintillate) because their light passes through turbulent atmosphere; planets, being closer, appear as tiny discs rather than points, so their light is more stable. Venus and Jupiter are the usual culprits for "what's that bright light" sightings.
Not to see them — five planets are naked-eye objects. But a telescope transforms the experience: Jupiter's moons, Saturn's rings, Mars's polar caps, and Venus's phases are all telescope sights. Even a modest 6-inch reflector reveals extraordinary detail on Jupiter and Saturn.