Over the past few days (and for the next few days), take a look to the west, shortly after sunset. The bright "star" you see (the one that isn't an airplane!) is Venus. At the moment, it's not very interesting in a telescope because it's on the other side of the sun. But each night for the next few months, it'll get a little closer. In a few months, it'll be higher, brighter, and more interesting in a telescope.
If it's gotten darker (say, around 7:45 or 8:00pm), look down and to the right of Venus. That star will be Mercury. You can confirm its identity by noticing that it moves substantially from night to night. If you have a telescope, take a look at it. You can also confirm it's a planet by noting that it appears as a disc, not as a mere point of light.
These next few days place Mercury best for evening viewing all year. Don't miss it!
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