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blindness if you search for them in the real sky.
• The two easy-to-see evening planets right now are Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter appears in the west at dusk, and sets beneath the western horizon by late evening. Saturn rises in the east-southeast after nightfall, and after rising, stays out for the rest of the night.
• As seen from Earth, Venus and Mars are heading in opposite directions. Venus is climbing away from the setting sun while Mars is falling into it. Venus passed behind the sun about a week ago, on March 28, to exit the morning sky and enter the evening sky. Mars will swing behind the sun on April 18, to do just the opposite: leave the evening sky and enter the morning sky.
• You'll probably first see Venus at evening dusk sometime in May. Venus is soaring upward toward Jupiter and will catch up with the king planet in late May 2013. After Venus and Jupiter's conjunction on May 28, Venus will continue to climb away from the setting sun, and Jupiter will sink toward it. Jupiter will leave the evening sky on June 19, whereas Venus will adorn in the evening sky for the remainder of 2013.
• You probably won't see Mars in the morning sky until sometime in July 2013. Your first time may well be when Jupiter catches up with Mars in the morning sky on July 22. Aim binoculars at dazzling Jupiter to see nearby Mars in the July predawn sky, as Jupiter outshines Mars by a good 25 times.
• Today's Venus/Mars conjunction is lost in the sunset glare, but Jupiter's conjunction with Mars on July 22 will be visible before dawn.
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