Look up on a clear night and most of those points of light are stars, but a few are planets, and once you know the tells, they are easy to pick out. Spotting Venus or Jupiter with the naked eye is one of the most satisfying first wins in backyard astronomy.

The twinkle test The oldest trick is the most reliable: stars twinkle, planets mostly do not. Stars are so far away they appear as single points, so our turbulent atmosphere makes them shimmer and flash. Planets show a tiny disk that averages out the turbulence, so they shine with a steady, calm light. If a bright object is glowing steadily, it is probably a planet.

Where to look The planets stick close to the ecliptic, the same arc across the sky that the Sun and Moon follow. So scan along that line rather than overhead: - Venus is the brightest of all, low in the west after sunset or the east before dawn. - Jupiter is a brilliant, steady white and visible much of the night when it is up. - Mars has an unmistakable orange-red tint. - Saturn is fainter and more yellow, and rewards even cheap binoculars.

Use a free app to confirm When you are unsure, a free sky map app will name whatever you point your phone at. Use it to confirm your guesses at first, then challenge yourself to identify the planets before you check. Within a few weeks you will recognize the bright ones on sight.