When will we see the planet at its best this coming year, 2025? This guide will tell you.
It will also provide information on when a specific solar system A planet may be approaching another planet or a bright star, and the signs they will occupy during the year, as well as various situations on the calendar for the coming year, such as conjunctions, oppositions, and elongations.
Want to see the planets up close? Be sure to check out our Your guide to the best telescopes for observing the planets and our more general guide best binoculars and best telescope. If you’re interested in capturing your own impressive sky-watching images, we’ve got a guide How to photograph planets and best advice astrophotography camera and The best lenses for astrophotography.
mercury
As the evening star, mercury Appear in the western sky about an hour later sun. As a morning star, it appears in the eastern sky and rises one hour before the sun. There must be a clear, unobstructed horizon on these occasions. Mercury usually appears as a bright “star” with a yellow or ocher hue.
Mercury can be seen in the mornings from January 1 to 15; in the evenings from March 1 to March 14; in the mornings from April 3 to May 16; in the evenings from June 12 to July 22; on August 12 to the morning of August 28; from October 4 to the evening of November 12; from November 28 to the morning of December 25.
Brightest in 2025 (at night): Mercury will be the brightest and easiest to spot Evening sky from March 1 to March 14.
Brightest in 2025 (morning): Mercury will be the brightest and easiest to spot in the solar system Morning sky from November 28th to December 25th.
Venus
Always shining with stable silver light, Venus It will appear in the western sky at dusk from January 1 to March 15, and in the eastern sky at dawn from April 1 to November 6. A crescent moon appears in the stable sky.
Brightest in 2025 (at night): Venus is brightest in the night sky from January 28 to February 27, reaching its brightest on February 14.
Brightest in 2025 (morning): Venus will be brightest in the morning sky from April 13 to May 12, reaching its brightest on April 27.
On the morning of August 12, Venus will pass less than 1 degree south of Jupiter; the two planets form a striking sight in the bright dawn sky, with the fainter Jupiter low in the east-northeast sky Dazzling Venus is less than a degree to the upper left.
On the morning of September 19, Venus will pass to the north of the much fainter blue star Regulus (in the constellation Leo); the planet and star will appear in the predawn east-northeast sky, a little further than Half a degree. In addition to this, there is a lovely crescent moon above Venus, creating a delightful celestial scene.
Mars
Mars Shine like stars in yellow-orange tones, with wide variations in brightness. Mornings from January 1st to 14th; evenings from January 15th to November 12th.
The biggest names in 2025: January 10-19. Since Mars will be 34.6 million miles (55.7 million kilometers) away from Earth, as in 2003, this year is not a particularly close encounter.
Three days later, Mars reaches opposition to the Sun: rising at sunset, peaking in the south at midnight, and setting at sunrise. By 2025, it will also reach magnitude -1.4; just smaller than Siriusthe brightest star in the sky. On January 13, there will be an occultation/solar eclipse of Mars full moon Will be visible throughout North America.
Other close encounters with the moon occurred on February 9 and June 30. . When it finally disappears into the twilight of early November, it will be 225 million miles (362 million kilometers) from Earth and only 1/13 as bright as it was in mid-January.
On June 17, Mars passed just 0.75 degrees north of Regulus, the brightest blue star in the zodiac. leo lion. The planet and star will be nearly identical in brightness, and the contrast in their colors will be very dramatic.
Jupiter
Jupiter It will be very bright at night from January 1 to June 3 and in the morning from July 16 to December 31, showing a silvery white luster. The 2026 objection will be held on January 10.
Brightest in 2025 December 26-31. Gemini twin. On the morning of August 12, Jupiter will be less than 1 degree north of Venus.
saturn
Saturn shines like a moderately bright yellow-white “star.” Earth’s famous halos They can only be seen in telescopes and will shift from Earth’s perspective to ours on March 23.
Saturn starts in 2025 aquariusa water carrier, where it will stay for the rest of the year. In the evenings from January 1st to February 23rd; in the mornings from March 30th to September 20th; and again in the evenings from September 21st to December 31st.
The biggest names in 2025: September 14-25.
Uranus
Uranus It can be seen with the naked eye by people with good eyesight, clear dark skies, and advance knowledge of where to look for it. It is at its brightest at magnitude +5.6 and can be easily identified using good binoculars.
Small telescopes may reveal its tiny green disk. Uranus will be in the aries the ram And it stays there until March 4, when it enters Taurus, where it spends the rest of the year. Held in the evenings from January 1st to May 2nd; in the mornings from June 5th to November 20th; and again in the evenings from November 21st to December 31st.
The biggest names in 2025: October 20 to December 26.
Neptune
Neptune Spend the whole year of 2025 in your zodiac signs Pisces, the fishes. This blue world has a peak magnitude of +7.8 and can only be seen with good binoculars or telescopes.
Neptune is visible in the evenings from January 1 to March 4; in the mornings from April 6 to September 22; and again in the evenings from September 23 to December 31.
The biggest names in 2025: July 26 to November 22.
Joe Rao serves as a lecturer and guest lecturer at New York University Hayden Planetarium. He writes articles for astronomy journal of natural historythis farmers almanac and other publications.