Moon, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune all visible right after sunset tonight

[bananas]

The only one you need a telescope to see is Neptune.
edit to add: Happy New Year!

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/081230-planets-moon.html

Celestial Show Set for New Year's Eve
By Robert Roy Britt
Editorial Director
posted: 30 December 2008
10:46 am ET

A delightful display of planets and the moon will occur on New Year's Eve for anyone wishing to step outside and look up just after sunset.

Venus, brighter than all other planets and stars, will dangle just below the thin crescent moon in the southwestern sky. It'll be visible -- impossible to miss, in fact -- just as the sun goes down, assuming skies are cloud-free.

Soon thereafter, Mercury and Jupiter will show up hugging the south-southwestern horizon (just above where the sun went down) and extremely close to each other. Jupiter is very bright and easy to spot; Mercury is faint and harder to see, but it'll be apparent by its location just to the left of Jupiter.

Jupiter and Mercury will set less than an hour after the sun, so timing your viewing just after sunset is crucial. You'll also need a location with a clear view of the western horizon, unobstructed by buildings, trees or mountains.

<snip>


SKY MAP: The sky from mid-northern latitudes at around 6:30 p.m. local time on Dec. 31, 2008. The best time will vary by location: Go out at or just before sunset and watch for all these objects as the sky begins to darken. Mercury will be the last to appear and the hardest to spot before it sets. Neptune's location is also shown, but it's visible only through a telescope. Credit: Starry Night software

[IDemo]

1. This is what our sky looks like during any astronomical event:

[jayfish]

6. I've Got My Telescope Set Up Outside Right Now.

The forecast called for clear sky's at the time of the event and tonight in general. What I'm seeing though is more than vaguely familiar to what you posted. I'm :-(. I did get to see the Moon and Venus naked-eye though.

Jay

[conscious evolution]

2. I was just looking at them

with a telescope.
Everyone should look up at the stars and planets on a regular basis,imo.

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. same here

:::sigh:::


:eyes:

[janx]

4. I can see the moon and Venus (Venus is VERY bright tonight),

but it's too late to see the others. Still, those two are stunningly beautiful. Thanks for the heads-up! :hi:

[Mike Nelson]

5. Thank you!

Looks Mighty fine.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. We've been watching Venus and the moon the last several nights...

Unfortunately, tonight we are completely clouded over...

I love the crescent moon!

Happy New Year!