Light pollution is maybe now reduced in towns that have converted to LED street lighting. Around my way the new fittings are better designed to direct the light downwards rather than attempting to light the sky above.
Yes I knew it was Venus, but my fingers wrote Mercury, OK?
As for predicting yuo should find out where the ISS is and predict that. Someone tried to convince others that it was a UFO This was outside a near Tottenham Court Road peolpe staring up and pointing. There's quite a few apps for ISS spottign and some show the onboard webcams which is nice.
Just came across Celestia tagged in a best FOSS of 2016 page.
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