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Tonight, June 21, is the night of the summer solstice, which means it’s the evening of the longest day of the year, and a great time to look up at the stars. Specifically: tonight you can (dare I say Sure?) Check out Mars and Venus. after all, late night shows not airingSo you’ll need to do something.
Does the visibility of Mars and Venus have anything to do with the solstice – the point at which the Earth tilts such that the Sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer? Not really, other than the fact that the longest day of the year becomes the shortest night, reducing your total star-gazing time if you don’t plan on sleeping in. The visibility of the planets is based on the position of Earth, Mars, Venus, and the Sun in their respective orbits, not the inclination of the Earth.
But tonight, when it’s likely to be a nice warm evening after you get off work and have dinner, you’ll get a rare gift:
You can see Venus and Mars in a straight line right next to the Moon.
How to See Venus and Mars on the Night of the Summer Solstice
Venus (like Mercury) is closer to the Sun than us and orbits the Sun Inside Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Roughly speaking, you have to look at the Sun to see Venus, and Venus watchers really only have time to see their favorite planet just before sunrise and just after sunset. Otherwise, they would have to try to visit it during the day.
So, tonight’s task is to look west, and look for Venus and Mars lined up right next to the Moon just after very late sunset. Venus can be easily seen with the naked eye if the weather is clear, but Mars will be relatively small, and binoculars may be needed to see it. you would have about three hours to watch the show.
How to Use a Stargazing App to See Venus and Mars
Stargazing apps — like SkySafari, Stellarium, and many others — are like cheat codes for viewing the constellations and planets. Most have an augmented reality interface, which means point your phone at the sky, and you’ll be presented with a perfect image of the heavenly bodies above you, labeled for your convenience. Once you know what you want to see, simply put away your phone, adjust your eyes to the dark, and then pretend you are an ancient astronomer, observing with new certainty, with the naked eye. What are you looking for? are looking.
With just one easy winch, and armed with your app of choice, you’ll be ready to begin your season of stargazing during warm summer nights.
