As the twilight fades to darkness, look toward the southwestern horizon. There, you’ll spot Venus and Saturn appearing close together. Venus, the brighter of the two, will be unmissable.

Higher in the sky, you’ll find Jupiter, the second brightest speck of light in the night sky after Venus. Jupiter recently passed its opposition, making this one of the best times of the year to observe the gas giant with the naked eye.

Near the eastern horizon, Mars will shine brightly with its signature red hue, making it a captivating sight in the night sky. January is the best month of the year to observe the Red Planet, as it will steadily grow brighter leading up to its closest approach to Earth in over two years. On January 15, Mars will be at opposition. This means the planet will lie opposite the Sun and shine brightly throughout the night.

Uranus will be positioned near Jupiter, and Neptune will be close to Venus and Saturn. You will need optical aid to see both these ice giants as their magnitude is beyond the naked eye limit.