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Being able to see the red of Mars at night is strange.

Since I (and probably most of us on HN) live in the worst area for light pollution it's not too often you can see other planets like this unaided.

Jupiter and Venus are incredibly bright, you'll be able to see them with the naked eye at night even if you're in a city.

I should clarify: I have seen the planets before, but I can't remember being able to see this much detail without a telescope or binoculars.

Jupiter and Venus look like regular, although very bright, stars. Mars is currently a very visible red circle that is unmistakably a planet.

You should be able to see all five inner planets with the naked eye, even in a city.

Indeed. It was seeing the moons of Jupiter from a New York City apartment window* that rekindled my dormant childhood interest in astronomy.

I felt like Galileo. I had no idea what to expect when I pointed the binoculars at Jupiter. I thought they were stars at first.