Observation of the inferior planets. Computer artwork showing the positions at which the superior planets are observable from the Earth. The superior planets are those whose orbits lie outside that of the Earth. These are Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. According to their positions around the Sun, they are more or less observable from Earth. If the planet is in superior conjunction (top centre) with the Sun (centre), it is not observable from Earth as it is behind the Sun.