Wondering which planets you can see tonight? Enter a date and your location, and this planner works out each planet’s highest point, its rise time and its set time, using real Astronomy Engine calculations. It is free, needs no account, and helps you plan a night of stargazing in minutes.
What the Planet Visibility Planner does
Planets move. A planet that shone brightly last month may now set before dark, and a planet you could not see at all may now be high in the sky at midnight. Star charts show the sky at one moment, but planning a whole evening needs more: when does each planet rise, when does it reach its best height, and when does it set? This planner answers those questions for Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. It takes your date and location, computes each planet’s position through the day with Astronomy Engine, and presents a table with the best viewing time, the maximum altitude, and rise and set times. You can then choose which planets to look for and when to step outside.
How planet positions are calculated
The tool does not guess or use fixed tables. Astronomy Engine computes planet positions from orbital mechanics: where each planet is in its orbit on your date, and how that position looks from your latitude and longitude. Altitude measures height above the horizon, from 0 degrees at the horizon to 90 degrees overhead. Azimuth measures direction around the horizon, from north through east, south and west. The planner samples altitude every hour through your chosen day and keeps the highest value, which is the best moment to observe. Rise and set times come from the library’s rise and set search, which finds when the planet crosses the horizon. Times are shown in UTC and in your browser’s local time, so there is no timezone confusion.
How to use the planner
Pick the date you plan to observe, then enter your latitude and longitude. You can find your coordinates in any map app by long-pressing your location. Press the button and read the table. Start with the verdict column: planets marked visible tonight reach more than 10 degrees above the horizon, which is high enough to clear most trees and rooftops. Planets marked low are technically above the horizon but hard to see through haze near the ground. Planets below the horizon are not worth chasing that night. Note the best time for each visible planet and plan your session around it.
Which planets are easiest to see
Venus is the brightest planet and often the first thing people notice after sunset or before sunrise, but it never strays far from the Sun, so it is only up near dawn or dusk. Jupiter and Saturn are the classic evening targets: bright, high, and rewarding even in small telescopes or binoculars. Mars varies a lot: near opposition it blazes orange and shows detail, while at other times it is small and faint. Mercury is the hardest of the bright planets, because it hugs the horizon and appears only briefly after sunset or before sunrise. Uranus and Neptune need binoculars or a telescope and dark skies, and the planner’s altitude figures matter most for them, because a few extra degrees can make the difference between finding them and missing them.
Tips for a good night out
Check the planner a day or two ahead so you can pick the best night, not just tonight. Give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt to the dark, and avoid phone screens during that time. Start with the brightest planet to practise aiming, then move to fainter ones. A planet high in the sky looks sharper than one near the horizon, because you look through less air, so favour best times over rise times. Dress warmly, bring a red torch if you have one, and write down what you saw: over months, your notes will show the planets moving against the stars, which is one of the oldest pleasures in astronomy.
Limits and honest expectations
The planner gives positions, not weather. Cloud, haze, city lights and the Moon can hide a planet that is technically visible, so check the forecast too. Altitudes are computed for the date you enter, and the Moon is not part of this table, so a bright Moon near your target can wash it out. The 10-degree rule is a planning guide, not a law: from a hilltop with a clear horizon, a planet at 5 degrees can still be a fine sight. Use the planner to choose your targets and times, then let the real sky have the last word.
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Versión en español: Planificador de Visibilidad de Planetas – Qué Planetas Verás Esta Noche