It is quite probable that, within a few weeks of your reading of this chapter, one of the planets visible to the unaided eye (all the planets out as far as Saturn) will be in opposition or at greatest...

It is quite probable that, within a few weeks of your reading of this chapter, one of the planets visible to the unaided eye (all the planets out as far as Saturn) will be in opposition or at greatest eastern elongation, making it visible in the evening sky from your location. Using the Starry Night Enthusiast™ computer program, the Internet, or a reference book, such as the current issue of the Observer’s Handbook of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, the Astronomical Almanac, or the pamphlet Astronomical Phenomena (both of the latter published by the U.S. Naval Observatory), select a planet that is at or near such a configuration. To use Starry Night Enthusiast™, launch the program and click the Sunset button in the toolbar. Open the Options side pane and expand the Solar System layer. Click on both boxes in the Planets-Moons row to show and label the planets in the view and click on left-hand boxes for all other objects to remove them from view. Use the Hand Tool to search the sky for planets as far away as Saturn. If none are in your sky, change the date by a few days and search again. Repeat until you have found one or two visible planets up at night. Plan to make your observations at that time. Make a sketch to show the positions of planets with respect to nearby stars, noting the time and date of this observation. If possible, confirm that your observation is a planet by observing a few days later and showing that the object has moved. (This step is vital in confirming discoveries of new bodies in the solar system.) If a small telescope or spotting scope is available, make a drawing of what you see through it, being careful to include planet phases, moons, surface features, and nearby stars.