That bright, steady light in the night sky is not a star. It’s Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system.

From mid-January through late January, Jupiter is especially easy to see after sunset. Unlike stars, it shines steadily and does not twinkle, which makes it stand out clearly even from light-polluted areas.

With a simple pair of binoculars, you can often see Jupiter’s four largest moons as tiny points of light lined up beside the planet. These moons are real worlds, seen from Earth at a distance of about 365 million miles.

No telescope is needed. Just a clear night and a few minutes outside.