---

Mercury will be visible most of the month in the evening skies as the innermost planet moves toward its greatest eastern elongation on the 23^rd. Mercury has a conjunction with the Moon on the 4^th and a close conjunction with Mars on the 18^th.

---

Venus is visible but low over the eastern horizon this month as it steadily moves toward superior conjunction in the coming months.

---

Mars is still visible but is low over the western horizon at sunset. This plus its steadily decreasing apparent magnitude make Mars more difficult to see.

---

Dwarf Planet Ceres is about 10-15^o to the west from Jupiter and the reddish star Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion. However at nearly 7^th magnitude Ceres will be best visible with larger telescopes or time exposure pictures with a camera.

---

Jupiter reaches opposition on the 10^th and thus will be visible all night, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise local time. Jupiter will have a close conjunction with the waxing gibbous Moon on the 16^th.

---

Saturn continues rising earlier each evening as it moves toward opposition in July. Saturn is basically visible all night and has a close conjunction with the waning gibbous Moon on the 19^th.

---