Which planets are visible tonight?
Tonight: Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars.
Computed for each city's own night from planetary positions (JPL DE440), 5 Nov 2026, 00:21 UTC. A planet counts while it is at least 5° up and the sky is dark.
Shaded: dark sky (Sun 6° or more below the horizon). Bars: at least 5° above the horizon in a dark sky. Dot: highest point.
| Planet | Visible (local time) | Highest in a dark sky | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venus | 5:40 am–6:00 am | east-southeast, 9° up at 6:00 am | -4.5 |
| Jupiter | 12:30 am–6:00 am | south-southeast, 61° up at 6:00 am | -2.0 |
| Saturn | 5:20 pm–3:10 am | south, 50° up at 9:35 pm | 0.5 |
| Mars | 12:05 am–6:00 am | south-southeast, 64° up at 6:00 am | 0.8 |
The Moon is 15% lit and up in a dark sky 3:20 am–6:00 am, highest at 6:00 am toward the southeast.
By country
Every big city with its own times:
How far away they are tonight
| Planet | Distance from Earth tonight | Light travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Venus | 44 million km (0.29 AU) | 2.4 light-minutes |
| Mars | 209 million km (1.40 AU) | 11.6 light-minutes |
| Jupiter | 813 million km (5.43 AU) | 45.2 light-minutes |
| Saturn | 1,284 million km (8.58 AU) | 71.4 light-minutes |
What else is up
A bright light moving steadily across the sky in a few minutes is a satellite, often the space station: ISS tonight, what is overhead right now. Not sure what you are looking at? What is that light in the sky?
Questions
What planets are visible tonight?
From the 59 cities on our country pages, tonight: Venus: 59 of 59; Jupiter: 59 of 59; Saturn: 59 of 59; Mars: 59 of 59. The exact times depend on where you are; pick your city above.
Which planet is the brightest tonight?
Venus, at magnitude -4.5 from New York. Venus is always the brightest planet when it is up; Jupiter is next.
How can I tell a planet from a star?
Planets shine with a steady light and do not twinkle much, unless they are very low. They also move slowly against the stars from night to night, staying near the path the Sun and Moon follow across the sky.
Do I need a telescope to see the planets?
No. Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are easy with the naked eye when they are up in a dark sky. Mercury is harder: it is always low, in twilight. Binoculars show Jupiter's four big moons.