Jupiter’s massive size does not equate to ease in finding it through the maze of other celestial bodies in the night sky, although it is a “naked-eye” planet. Locating factors include constellation, position in that constellation, your local latitude, longitude, season, date and time. You must know what direction to look and how much of an angle to look over the horizon. Sunlight keeps Jupiter hidden through March, but as the year progresses, Jupiter will move opposite the sun, looming bright and high in night sky, a visible beacon for star-gazers from September through December.
Step One
Identify the constellation. The stars inside the oval of the planisphere are the visible stars. The stars outside the oval are not visible. Jupiter leaves Aquarius and enters Pisces in May 2010. Pisces is the constellation shaped like a "V" with a smaller "v" on one end and a closed circle on the other.
Step Two
Locate Jupiter at close to the Aquarius-Pisces border.
Step Three
Use your thumb as a guide. Its width equals about one degree. Your fist is typically about 10 degrees. Find Jupiter about 30 degrees above the horizon.
Step Four
Be aware that Jupiter varies in position throughout the year. For example, you can use your planisphere to note Jupiter's movement in Pisces from May 1, 2010 through May 8, 2011, but it will retrograde to Aquarius from November 2 to December 5, 2010, before moving back to Pisces.