Mercury

January: Visible low in the west just after sunset.
February: Not visible to northern hemisphere observers this month.
March: Look near Venus for faint Mercury in the early morning sky before sunrise.
April: Too close to the Sun for viewing this month.
May: Our best chance to see Mercury this year comes in the first half of the month – look to the sunset and the western sky for the fading little planet.
June: Too close to the Sun for viewing this month.
July: Visible with difficulty just before sunrise.
August: Look for Mercury near Venus in the early evening sky after sunset.
September: Almost impossible to see this month.
October: Look to the east just before sunrise in the second half of the month to catch this elusive planet.
November: Mercury will only be visible during the first few days of November in the east before sunrise.
December: Poorly placed for viewing this month.

Venus

January: Shines brightly in the eastern sky as the “morning star” just before sunrise.
February: Continues to dominate the morning sky, look for it paired with brilliant Jupiter on the 1st of the month.
March: Fading but still beautiful, Venus continues to be our “morning star.”
April: Rapidly approaching the Sun, Venus becomes harder and harder to spot as the month progresses.
May: By the second half of the month, Venus will be too close to the Sun to observe safely.
June: Too close to the Sun for viewing this month.
July: Switch to an “evening star,” look for Venus in the west after sunset.
August: Catch a glimpse just after sunset by looking to the west.
September: Very difficult to find, low in the west after sunset.
October: Once again shining bright as the “evening star” in the west after sunset.
November: Dominating the early evening western sky, look for Venus to pair with bright Jupiter on the last evening of the month.
December: Approaching maximum brilliancy, Venus dominates the western sky at sunset.

Mars

January: Visible nearly all night long in the constellation Taurus.
February: Visible in the east in the early evening, but the planet is fading rapidly as it moves away from us.
March: Now in the constellation Gemini, the red planet stands high in the south at sunset.
April: Stands high in the southwest after sunset.
May: Now drifting into Cancer, Mars continues to be high in the southwest at sunset.
June: Now in Leo, Mars sets in the west before midnight.
July: Look for Mars paired beautifully with Saturn in the western sky in the early evening – they will be especially close on the 10th.
August: Now in Virgo, Mars sets close to the Sun in the west.
September: Nearly impossible to see in the west after sunset.
October: Too close to the Sun for safe viewing this month.
November: Too close to the Sun for safe viewing.
December: Continues hiding behind the Sun, not visible again until next year.

Jupiter

January: Too close to the Sun for viewing this month.
February: Shares the morning sky with Venus, look to the east before sunrise.
March: Stands high in southeast before sunrise.
April: Rising in the wee hours of the morning, Jupiter will be high in southeast at sunrise.
May: Look for Jupiter to rise in the east during the late evening hours.
June: Visible nearly all night, crossing the sky in the constellation Sagittarius.
July: Visible nearly all night, crossing the sky in Sagittarius.
August: Jupiter continues to cross the sky throughout much of the night.
September: Our one remaining easily visible planet, standing in the south after sunset.
October: Stands in the south at sunset.
November: Shines beautifully in the western sky at sunset.
December: Setting closer and closer to the Sun in the west each evening.

Saturn

January: Spending the year in the constellation Leo, Saturn is visible rising in the east during the evening hours.
February: Visible nearly all night long, crossing the sky in Leo.
March: Continues to be visible nearly all night long near the bright star Regulus in Leo.
April: Still visible nearly all night in Leo.
May: High in the south after sunset.
June: Look for Saturn along with Mars in Leo, in the western sky after sunset.
July: Continues to travel with Mars in Leo in the west after sunset.
August: Too close to the Sun for easy viewing.
September: Too close to the Sun for safe viewing this month.
October: Now a morning planet, look for it to rise just before the Sun in the east.
November: Rises in the east after midnight.
December: Rises in the east near midnight.