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What happens when a planet is in opposition to the sun?

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When a planet is in opposition to the sun, its elongation is 180°, it exhibits retrograde motion , and its phase is full. This is a good time to observe a planet, since it rises when the sun sets and is visible throughout the night, setting as the sun rises.

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Get more facts and information about opposition . Or, view the full encyclopedia entry from The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.

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