Starting in February and continuing throughout March, five of the planets in our solar system are visible. Venus and Jupiter are visible at dusk and just after dark in the west, Mars is rising around 8:00-9:00 pm, Saturn is rising around 10:00 pm, and Mercury will be visible in the west just after sunset in early March.
Not only will this month be excellent for viewing the planets, but there will be a spectacular conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in mid-March, expected to be one of the best in years!
The moon, Venus, and Jupiter
Details about all these astronomical events and many other scientific topics are available at Earthsky.org, a website providing quality scientific information in partnership with many scientific organizations including NASA.
By Christine Fary
