| Volume 7 Issue 04 | April 2001 | |
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| Planet Watch -- Keeping Track of the Visible Planets | ||
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Mercury moves out toward greatest western
elongation early this month and by then will be rising about one hour
before the sun rises. Watch for a nice conjunction with Jupiter on the 12th.
Venus rises about three hours ahead of the sun and is
very prominent over the eastern horizon as the sky brightens. This very brightly
shining planet is in conjunction Saturn on the 15th.
Mars slows its retrograde motion and by the 19th will be
resuming its eastward motion. The red planet is over the southern horizon at
about sunset and sets after midnight.
Archer during April. Mars will be over the southeastern horizon at sunset and is
becoming brighter as it moves toward opposition this June.
Jupiter is visible at sunset low over the western
horizon and sets about two hours later.
Saturn is still visible, however it is lower over the
western horizon than Jupiter at sunset, and Saturn sets about an hour before Jupiter.
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