Not too late to catch a really lovely show in the sky

For most of the summer, the four brightest planets (as visible from earth) have been in a near-perfect display form in the evening sky.  Shortly after sunset, Venus hangs bright and low in the western sky.  Up and to the left a bit from there you can see Jupiter, not as bright as Venus, but still a brilliant white and brighter than most stars.  Further left and up, i.e. high in the southern sky, you can see Saturn, not nearly as bright and with a distinctly yellowish color (a good way to ensure you are looking a Saturn and not a star is the steadiness of the light source - stars twinkle, planets generally don't).  Finally, in the south-southeastern sky, left of Saturn and a bit lower but still quite high is Mars, very bright and with an even more distinct orange-ish color.

If you want to visualize the ecliptic and where it is in the sky, now is the time.  These four planets are strung out along the ecliptic like a necklace across the southern sky.  As the evening wears on, Venus drops from view into the western horizon, Jupiter seems brighter as the twilight fades and it sinks in the west, and Mars dominates the sky high in the south around midnight.  Saturn continues to be a somewhat boring placeholder, a palate cleanser. 

Obviously, to take best advantage of the show, city-dwellers will need to find a viewing spot away from the worst of the light pollution.  All of the above applies to Northern Hemisphere residents and visitors.  Aussies and Kiwis, I can't help you.  I reckon it is much the same if you substitute north for south and right for left, but the whole display will be a bit lower because it's winter there.

Get outside and look up!