A common misconception is that one needs to own a telescope in order to be able to spot the planets in the sky. In actual fact, it is quite easy to observe a number of planets with just the naked eye.

At the moment, if one were to look at the sky after sunset, directing their gaze towards the West-Southwest to Southwest, they would see a ‘star’ which appears brighter than any other in its vicinity.

This is no star but the giant planet Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system.

Turning one’s attention to the South-Southeast (ideally a bit later during the evening, say 11pm), one can observe another bright object, this one sporting a red hue. This is the planet Mars, whose red colour was noticed by old cultures, resulting in the Romans naming it after the God of War. Just to the left of Mars lies the ringed planet Saturn.

During other times of the year one can also observe the planet Venus, often referred to as the morning or evening star. Being the second planet from the sun (Earth comes next in third place), Venus appears closer to the sun in the sky.

The same goes for Mercury (the closest planet to the sun), although it is far more difficult to observe due to the bright glare from the sun.

So before heading off to bed tonight, head outside and have a look at the night sky. Your eyes alone are able to see three other worlds in one evening!

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