Stellarium- finding stars

[P.Rutherford]

Windows on my pc.
So far it's helped me identify a number of uncertain stars but the real treat was Venus, Mars and Jupiter which I had been struggling to identify. Once I know the identity, I'm able to pick them out pretty well even as they move through the sky over a number of weeks.

The planets are pretty easy to find but like all of this sort of thing it does take some experience.

In Northern latitudes in 2017

Venus- this time of year Venus is seen at night and is to the right of Mars if you face South. It's the brightest object in the sky, except for the moon and the sun.

Mars- sets after Venus and has reddish color to it.

Jupiter is visible beginning about 1 to 2 hours GMT

Saturn is visible later at night and certainly before sunrise

An easier way is to use The Nautical Almanac for the date you'd like to know the positions for the above mentioned planets.  If the GHA of any of the planets shows that it's close to your Longitude then you know it's visible.

Paul

Example-  Date- March 18, 2017
                GMT-  02:00:00
                My Ap Longitude-  W 094°

Question- is Jupiter visible at that hour where I am?

Look up Jupiter's GHA in The Nautical Almanac and find 6° 01.8'

Jupiter is probably not visible.  I say probably, though I know it isn't, because a rule I use is if a planet's GHA is close to 90° less or 90° more than my Ap Longitude I assume it's not visible.

This might be helpful also-

PHENOMENA, 2017- VISIBILITY OF PLANETS pages 7-11