Whether you're an experienced astronomer or simply enjoy gazing at the night sky, this January offers a rare opportunity to witness a dazzling array of planets.

Elongation is the angle, in degrees, between the Sun and the planet as seen from here on the Earth. Superior planets (those that lie further from the Sun than us: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, ...

Venus is that overwhelmingly brightest light now in the southwest at nightfall, and it coming around the corner of the near side of its orbit leads to “greatest elongation” — maximum angular ...

On Jan. 10, Venus will arrive at its greatest eastern elongation — its greatest angular distance east of the sun. Just a few days later it will be setting almost four full hours after the sun.

Meanwhile, Mercury – the solar system's smallest planet – will soon be visible from Earth when it reaches its maximum elongation from ... Earth,' Jake Foster, an astronomy education officer ...