You can see all five bright planets in the evening this month! But you’ll have to look hard for two of them. First, the easy ones … Jupiter, Mars and Saturn pop out as darkness falls in July 2016. Jupiter, brightest of the bunch, is found in the western half of the sky until late evening. Mars is still a bright beacon, although fainter than Jupiter at nightfall and early evening, still in a noticeable triangle with Saturn and the bright star
Antares. Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are visible throughout July. Now the more difficult planets … Mercury and Venus. In July 2016, they’re low in the glare of evening twilight, quickly following the sun below the horizon before nightfall. But, as the days pass, both Mercury and Venus get higher in the sky. By mid-July, you can start searching for them with the eye, in the west after sunset. By late July, you might be able to see all five bright planets at once, briefly, after sunset. Follow the links below to learn more about July planets in 2016.