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Planets visible tonight

Every planet tonight, with the honest reason when one isn’t worth looking for: too close to the Sun, too low, below the horizon or too faint for your eyes.

What planets can I see tonight from London?

Jupiter, Saturn and Mars are the planets you can see with your eyes tonight from London, if the sky is clear. Uranus and Neptune are up too, but are too faint to spot easily without binoculars or a telescope. Jupiter is best around 06:30, in the southeast.

Calculated for Mon, 5 Oct 2026 · London, United Kingdom

Times for London, United Kingdom

All seven planets tonight, in order from the Sun. “Dark enough” means the Sun is at least 6° below the horizon.
PlanetTonightWhen it’s up in a dark enough skyRise · setBrightness
MercuryNot up after darkMercury is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark enough.—09:39 · 18:57mag -0.1Eyes
VenusNot up after darkVenus is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark enough.—10:06 · 18:23mag -4.6Eyes
MarsEasy with your eyesMars is up from 02:00 to 06:30 in a dark enough sky; highest in the southeast, 51° up at 06:30.02:00–06:30Highest 51° in the southeast at 06:3000:36 · 16:25mag 1.1Eyes
JupiterEasy with your eyesJupiter is up from 03:30 to 06:30 in a dark enough sky; highest in the southeast, 39° up at 06:30.03:30–06:30Highest 39° in the southeast at 06:3002:09 · 16:59mag -1.9Eyes
SaturnEasy with your eyesSaturn is up from 19:50 to 05:50 in a dark enough sky; highest in the south, 40° up at 00:50.19:50–05:50Highest 40° in the south at 00:5018:34 · 06:59mag 0.2Eyes
UranusBinocularsUranus is up from 21:40 to 06:30, but at magnitude 5.6 it is best found with binoculars.21:40–06:30Highest 60° in the south at 04:2020:16 · 12:18mag 5.6Binoculars
NeptuneBinocularsNeptune is up from 19:30 to 05:00, but at magnitude 7.8 it is best found with binoculars.19:30–05:00Highest 38° in the south at 00:1018:12 · 06:15mag 7.8Binoculars
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How SkyMate knows

SkyMate calculates each planet’s position for your place through the night, every 10 minutes, with the astronomy-engine library. A planet counts as easy with your eyes when it is at least 10° above the horizon while the Sun is 6° or more below it (bright planets show in twilight), it is more than 10° from the Sun, and it is brighter than about magnitude 5.5.

Uranus and Neptune are listed as binocular or telescope targets. Clouds, haze, buildings and trees aren’t included on the website; the SkyMate app adds your forecast and your own horizon.

Data: astronomy-engine (MIT). How visibility is calculated · Astronomy data · Sources and licences

Related questions

How can I tell a planet from a star?
Planets usually shine with a steadier light than stars, which twinkle more, especially near the horizon. Planets also stay close to the ecliptic, the line the Sun and Moon follow across the sky, and they move slowly against the stars from week to week.
Why isn’t Venus or Mercury in tonight’s list?
Venus and Mercury orbit closer to the Sun than Earth does, so they never appear far from it. When one is less than about 10° from the Sun, or sets before the sky gets dark, it is lost in the twilight glare.
Can I see Uranus and Neptune without a telescope?
Uranus is around magnitude 5.7, at the very edge of naked-eye visibility under a dark, clear sky; binoculars make it easy to find with a chart. Neptune is around magnitude 7.8 and always needs binoculars or a telescope.
What is the best time to look at a planet?
When it is highest in a dark enough sky, because you look through less air near the top of the sky. The table shows when each planet is highest and in which direction.