If weather allows it, and if you can see the skies out of your window (or can go outside), it is worth while taking the time and gazing at the stars a bit.

During these days if you spend some time looking at the skies, most likely you will see a “shooting star” or two.

Shooting stars are not really stars. They are meteors (small celestial particles, like rocks) burning on earth’s atmosphere. (Thank god there is atmosphere, that among other things, also keeps us safe).   Till May 12th it is the Aquarids Meteor Shower time. So chances o see “shooting stars” is high. Unlike the illustrations love to depict meteor showers, do not expect a “shower” though… if you saw one or two you are very lucky !

Together with that -all 5 planets that are visible to the eye can be seen these days! (this is rare!).

How to spot them ??? 
Planets might look like any other star in the sky, but they are different.
They are not stars, they are not distant suns shining light years away from us – they are planets from our solar system. Brothers and sisters to planet Earth. They are much closer, just a few light minutes away from us, within our solar system. And  they do not radiate their own light, but rather reflect the sun’s light (as the Moon does, for example).

The way to spot a planet is that most times they will be the biggest “stars” around, and they do not shimmer – they have a constant light. The planets change their position in the sky, as they rotate around the sun. So the following description holds only for this period of time:

Mercury starts to be seen these days, and is Mercury should be, it is a bit illusive. Hard to spot. It appears close to the east horizon just at dusk, and quickly sets.

Venus is shining bright during the evening time. You can spot her above the western horizon. Venus is visible from dusk till about 2-3 hours after sunset. It is the first “star” to appear at evening time, and the biggest in the sky.

And if you are up to waking up early in the morning, about 2 hours before sunrise and till dawn, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars are beautifully visible over the eastern horizon.