Never search for Mercury while the Sun is up. Serious and permanent eye damage can result from viewing the Sun, even for a moment, in binoculars or telescopes. Mercury can sometimes be seen with the naked eye. Venus , a strong bluish-white, is the brightest of all planets. Venus can sometimes be so bright that it will cast a shadow.
Earth is situated here, between Venus and Mars.
Mars , always ruddy-colored, is dull and featureless except in big backyard telescopes. Its color always makes it an easy naked-eye target. Mars has two much smaller moons, both believed to be captured asteroids. Jupiter , always bright white, has many moons but four are easily seen in most binoculars. Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system.