From Marye's Heights at the Fredericksburg National Battlefield, we see three planets strung out along ecliptic in the late evening.  Mercury is lowest at magnitude -0.96, Uranus is at magnitude +5.83, and Venus blazes at -4.04 as it moves rapidly toward Taurus and its passing of the Pleiades.  Note how at this time of year in the evening, the ecliptic almost bisects the four-star pattern made by α and β Arietis on the right, and α and γ Ceti on the left.