Planets Visible Each Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers:
A.D. 2006

A.D. 2006
January February March
April May June
July August September
October November December
A.D. 2005: December

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Astronomical Glossary
Click here for links to the Moon, planets, star clusters, stars, and other astronomical terms referred to in this Astronomical Calendar.
Planets Defined --
Planet Mercury * Planet Venus * Planet Earth: Aphelion * Perihelion * Perihelion of Earth
Moon of Earth: Apogee * Perigee * Moon Phases: New Moon * First Quarter * Full Moon * Last Quarter
Planet Mars * Planet Jupiter * Planet Saturn * Planet Uranus * Planet Neptune * Planet Pluto

NEWS: Astronomy, Space, Science

History of Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, Pittsburgh

2006 January

Planets Visible This Month --
* Morning: Mercury (First few days with difficulty), Venus (End of month), Jupiter, Saturn
* Evening: Mars, Saturn

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune *** Planet Pluto

2006 February

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --
* Morning: Venus, Jupiter, Saturn
* Evening: Mercury (Last half of month--best 2006 evening view in Northern Hemisphere), Mars, Saturn

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune *** Planet Pluto

2006 March
"March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb."

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --
* Morning: Venus (Visibilty degrades slightly during month; by month's end it is only easily visible during morning twilight low in the east-southeast), Jupiter, Saturn
* Evening: Mercury (Quickly fades in first week of month, as it decends into the bright western twilight sky, for northern observers), Mars (In Constellation Taurus the Bull, stands more than 50 degrees high in the west-southwest at the end of evening twilight and sets near 1:00 a.m. in the northwest), Saturn

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune *** Planet Pluto

2006 April
" April showers bring May flowers !"
National Kite Month

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --
*** Morning --
* Mercury: Poor viewing for northern observers; becomes lost in the glare of the Sun by the middle of April, very low in the east before sunrise. However, best morning view for Southern Hemisphere observers, for entire year!
* Venus: Low in east-southeast during morning twilight only; rises 2 hours before sunrise.
* Jupiter (In Constellation Libra): Rises (east-southeast) at the end of evening twilight; reaches its highest in the sky (30 degrees) around 1:30 a.m.; can be seen high (25 degrees) in south-southwest sky at beginning of morning twilight.
*** Evening --
* Mars (Middle of month, moves from Constellation Taurus to Gemini): High in the west (40 degrees) at the end of evening twilight; sets around 12:30 a.m. in the northwest.
* Jupiter (In Constellation Libra): Rises (east-southeast) at the end of evening twilight; reaches its highest in the sky (30 degrees) around 1:30 a.m.; can be seen high (25 degrees) in south-southwest sky at beginning of morning twilight.
* Saturn (In Constellation Cancer): High in the southwest (60 degrees) at the end of evening twilight; sets in the west-northwest around 2:30 a.m.

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune *** Planet Pluto

2006 May
" April showers bring May flowers !"
Preservation Month

2006 July

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --
*** Morning --
* Venus: Visible in morning twilight very low in the east-northeast; rises about 2 hours before the Sun.
*** Evening --
* Mars: Visible low in the west after sunset, with difficulty, during first half of month; by month's end, not visible due to glare of sunlight (Constellation: moves from Cancer to Leo).
* Jupiter: Nearly 20 degrees high in southwest at end of evening twilight and sets near midnight in the west-southwest (Constellation: Libra). Movement from day-to-day in sky becomes stationary on July 6, then returns to direct (eastward) motion.
* Saturn: Very low in the west-southwest, with difficulty, in evening twilight during the beginning of the month (Constellation: Cancer). By middle of month, no longer visible due to glare of sunlight.
*** Not visible this month--
* Mercury: In inferior conjunction on July 18.

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune *** Planet Pluto

2006 August

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --
*** Morning Planets --
* Mercury: During first half of month, brightens as it slowly emerges in morning twilight, in the east-northeast sky. It becomes lost in glare of Sun during second half of month. In quasi-conjunction with Venus on Aug. 10.
* Venus: Rises less than 2 hours before the Sun; visible only during morning twilight very low in east-northeast sky. Conjunctions: Quasi-conjunction with Mercury Aug. 10; very close conjunction with Saturn Aug. 26.
* Saturn: Moves from Constellation Cancer to Leo the Lion Aug. 31. Second half of month, slowly emerges in morning twilight in east-northeast sky. Conjunctions: With Sun (Saturn not visible) Aug. 7; very close conjunction with Venus Aug. 26.
*** Evening Planets --
* Mars: Moves from Constellation Leo the Lion to Virgo in late Aug. Not easily observed very low in west at end of evening twilight; sets less than 2 hours after sunset in west. Mars will not be easily observable in Northern Hemisphere until Dec.
* Jupiter: In Constellation Libra, very low in west-southwest at end of evening twilight; sets in west-southwest around 10:00 in the evening.

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune *** Planet Pluto

2006 October

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --

Morning Planets --

* Saturn: In Constellation Leo the Lion. Rises in the east-northeast sky near 1:00 a.m.; can be found nearly 40 degrees high in east-southeast sky at the beginning of morning twilight.

Evening Planets --

* Mercury: May be seen low in the west-southwest sky after sunset during the middle of the month. Best evening view of Mercury, for Southern Hemisphere observers, for year. In conjunction with Jupiter on Oct. 25 and Oct. 28.

* Jupiter: In Constellation Libra. As month proceeds, becomes lost in evening twilight in the west-southwest sky. In conjunction with Mercury on Oct. 25 and Oct. 28.

Planets Not Visible --

* Venus: In superior conjunction with the Sun on Oct. 27. Not easily observed by Northern Hemisphere observers until early Dec., nor by Southern Hemisphere observers until late Nov.

* Mars: In conjunction with the Sun on Oct. 23. Cannot be observed until Dec., in either Northern Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere.

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune

2006 November

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --

Morning Planets --

* Mercury: Begins to enter east-southeast morning twilight at mid-month--BEST MORNING VIEW OF MERCURY FOR YEAR IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE!

* Saturn: In Constellation Leo the Lion. Rises in the east-northeast sky near 11:00 P.m.; can be found nearly 60 degrees high in south-southeast sky at the beginning of morning twilight.

Evening Planets --

NONE

Planets Not Visible --

* Venus: Not easily visible until early December.

* Mars: Was in conjunction with Sun on Oct. 23, 3:00 a.m. EDST, and cannot be seen this month.

* Jupiter: In conjunction with Sun on Nov. 21, 6:00 p.m. EST, and cannot be seen this month.

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune

2006 December

Planets Visible This Month to Northern Hemisphere Observers --

Morning Planets --

* Mercury: In the east-northeast sky, BEST MORNING VIEW OF MERCURY FOR YEAR IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE CONTINUES! By about mid-month, it becomes lost in the glare of the Sun for both northern and southern observers. In conjunction with Mars on Dec. 9 and a very close conjunction with on Dec. 10. For the time period 1980-2050, this is the CLOSEST VIEW, TOGETHER, OP THREE TRADITIONAL PLANETS; ALL THREE PLANETS CAN BE VIEWED WITHIN ABOUT A ONE-DEGREE CIRCLE ON DEC. 10.

* Mars: Early in month moves from Constellation Virgo to Scorpius; by middle of month moves to Ophiuchus. For both northern and southern observers, it begins to be visible in the east-southeast sky in the second half of December. By the end of the month, it rises 1.5 hours before the Sun. Mars is in conjunction with Mercury on Dec. 9 and with Jupiter on December 12;more info.

* Jupiter: In Constellation Virgo. Begins to become visible in dawn twilight this month. By month's end, very low in southeast morning twilight. Very close conjunction with Mercury on Dec. 10 and conjunction with Mars on Dec. 12;more info.

* Saturn: In Constellation Leo the Lion. Stationary on Dec. 6 and then begins retrograde (westward) motion. Rises mid-evening in east-northeast. About 55 degrees high in southwest during morning twilight.

Evening Planets --

* Venus: Begins to be observable in the southwest during evening twilight, however, very low in the sky by the end of the month for both northern and southern observers.

Planets Defined --

Planet Mercury *** Planet Venus *** Planet Earth: Aphelion *** Perihelion *** Perihelion of Earth

Moon of Earth: Apogee *** Perigee *** Moon Phases: New Moon *** First Quarter *** Full Moon *** Last Quarter

Planet Mars *** Planet Jupiter *** Planet Saturn *** Planet Uranus *** Planet Neptune