Volume 14 Issue 6	June 2008

Planet Watch -- Keeping Track of the Visible Planets

Mercury will be difficult to impossible to observe as it moves from the evening skies to the morning skies during the month. Mercury passes between us and the Sun, inferior conjunction, on the 7th. Toward the end of the month it may start becoming visible over the northeast horizon before sunrise. Venus , like Mercury, is not visible this month as it too is involved with the Sun moving behind the Sun to superior conjunction on the 9th. Mars moves away from the Beehive Cluster in Cancer eastward toward a rendezvous with the bright star Regulus in Leo, and a few days later with the planer Saturn. On the 1st it is about 5 degrees east from the Beehive Cluster, and by the end of the month will be about 5 degrees from Saturn, as it passes within 1 degree of Regulus. Mars before midnight local time. Jupiter starts the month rising around midnight local time and by the end of the month it will be rising shortly after sunset a sit moves toward opposition next month. Jupiter is low over the southwestern at sunrise. Saturn is a few degrees east from Saturn and follows the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion toward the west, setting before midnight local time.

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