Uranus is the seventh planet out from the Sun, and the first to discovered in recorded history. Although it is technically visible to the naked eye, it shines faintly enough that it appears to be just another tiny dot in an ocean of stars. It is so inconspicuous that even though it appears in some of Galileo’s sketches of Jupiter as a tiny star in the background, he never noticed it moving between viewing sessions. It wasn’t until 1781 that … Continue reading →
Neptune is the only planet that cannot be seen with the naked eye (assuming you aren’t still resisting the formal IAU definition of a planet…). It is extremely far away and very dim, so much so that it wasn’t even discovered visually – its existence had to be inferred mathematically. Herschell may have turned the scientific world on its head by discovering a sixth planet in the sky (We don’t count earth since it is under our feet and is technically the … Continue reading →
Mighty Jupiter, largest of all the planets, dominates the night sky. Although Venus is brighter, Jupiter is the most prominent of the five classical planets. Jupiter orbits further out than Earth, so is free to wander as far from the Sun along the ecliptic as he pleases. Unlike Venus, Jupiter can shine down from directly overhead and be visible all night when at the right point in his orbit. Dominating the night sky with his icy white brilliance, it’s no … Continue reading →
Saturn is the last of the Classical Planets, those bright wandering stars which our distant ancestors thousands of years ago tried to explain with stories of gods and heroes. As the most distant of the five, it moves the slowest, shining with a dusty beige light. The Greeks and Romans recognised it as the leader of the Titans by its stately motion and it’s unassuming appearance. Mythology Saturn was the Roman name for Cronus, who was one of the Titans … Continue reading →
Mars is the third of the classic planets. It is not one of the brightest, but it stands out for two reasons: It has a vivid orange-red colour and it makes large retrograde motions in the sky every year and a half. As we watch Mars from night to night, it slowly moves to the East. Every now and then (whenever Earth overtakes Mars in its orbit), Mars stops moving and reverses direction. After about a month, it resumes its normal … Continue reading →
