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what planets we can see from earth with telescope

Several planets in our solar system are visible from Earth with the help of telescopes, and some can even be seen with the naked eye. Here are the planets that can be observed with telescopes from Earth:

  1. Mercury: Mercury is often a challenging planet to observe due to its proximity to the Sun. It is usually best observed during its "greatest elongation," when it appears farthest from the Sun in the sky. Telescopes can reveal Mercury's phases similar to those of the Moon.

  2. Venus: Venus is the brightest planet and is often referred to as the "Evening Star" or "Morning Star" depending on its position relative to the Sun. Telescopes can show Venus' changing phases and reveal its thick cloud cover.

  3. Mars: Mars is known for its reddish appearance and can be observed with telescopes. During favorable oppositions (when Earth is between Mars and the Sun), Mars can show surface features such as polar ice caps and dark markings.

  4. Jupiter: Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and displays distinct cloud bands and its four largest moons, known as the Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto). Telescopes can reveal these features and the Great Red Spot, a massive storm.

  5. Saturn: Saturn's iconic rings make it a popular target for telescopes. Even a small telescope can reveal the rings and the gaps between them. With higher magnification, the division between the A and B rings (Cassini Division) and Saturn's largest moon, Titan, can be observed.

  6. Uranus: Uranus is visible through telescopes, appearing as a pale blue-green disk. It is faint and requires a telescope to distinguish from stars.

  7. Neptune: Neptune is also visible through telescopes, but it appears as a tiny blue dot due to its distance from Earth. Higher magnification may reveal its small bluish disc.

Published on: Aug 25, 2023, 06:11 AM  
 

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