Mercury passes Venus

Say goodbye to Mercury until it pops up in the dawn sky in July. The smallest planet can be found tonight to the lower left of Venus. Look to the west-northwest at 9:35 p.m. for Venus shining low above the horizon. Mercury lies to its left. Binoculars most likely will be need to spot i, though,t unless the sky is very clear. After tonight, it will be too low to spy its feeble light in the bright twilight. 

These two images were taken June 18 at 9:40 p.m.

Such is our view from Earth...

Spotting Mercury as it rounds the sun

At 9:40 p.m. in the west-northwest, Venus can be easily found shining low above the horizon. The solar system's innermost planet, Mercury, while in the same general area, is not nearly so easily found. Over the next week, it drops quickly past Venus to the horizon as it orbits the sun. Mercury sits just to Venus' left on Tuesday night (June 18). Use binoculars to positively ID it since Mercury and Venus both glow in the same field of view. If conditions are very clear, binoculars may not be necessary to see Mercury.

In the image, taken at 9:40 p.m. on June 15, Mercury is seen to Venus' upper left.

Why not give Mercury spotting a try?

Such is our view from Earth...

Monday night June 10, the moon provides a guide to locate the solar system's innermost planet, Mercury. At 9:20 p.m. look to the west-northwest for Venus and the thin crescent moon. If skies are clear, Mercury will be glimpsed above Venus and to the upper right of the moon. Binoculars will make the scene easier to see, but they are not essential.

Mercury is now at its highest in the early evening sky and drops towards Venus over the next week.

Such is our view from Earth.

June 2013 Celestial Highlights

Roanoke Valley's 

June Sky

Early June - 11:30 p.m. (EDT)

Late June - 10:30 p.m. (EDT)

SUN reaches summer solstice on June 21 at 1:04 a..m. Summer begins in Earth's northern hemisphere.

MOON reaches full moon and perigee nearly simultaneously on June 23 at 7 a.m., appearing as a supermoon.

Visible Planets:

MERCURY low in the west-northwest at 9:15 p.m. during the first half of June. To the upper right of the crescent moon on June 10.

VENUS low in the west-northwest 45 minutes after sunset. To the right of the crescent moon on June 10.

MARS lost in the solar glow.

JUPITER  very low in the west-northwest on May 26, forming an equilateral triangle with Mercury and Venus at 9:05 p.m. Lost in the solar glow after June 1. 

SATURN in the south after sunset, drifting between Spica and Zubenelgenubi. Next to the waxing gibbous moon on June 18. 

Use the Big Dipper to locate:

The North Star

Leo

Arcturus

Spica

Deneb

To use this map:

Face south and hold the map above your head. The relative positions of the stars on the map will match the stars in the sky.

Such is our view from Earth...

Three planets dance in the west

An unusual planetary grouping begins tomorrow night and lasts for a week or so. Very low in the west-northwest at about 9:05 p.m., three planets dance above the horizon. On May 26, bright Venus lies at the lower corner of an equilateral triangle. Jupiter, recently a bright object in the west, has sunk so that it now sits just to Venus' upper left. Dim Mercury occupies the final point of the triangle to the upper right of Venus. Binoculars may be needed to find Mercury's feeble light in the bright twilight.

As the nights pass, Jupiter drops from view until late July, while Mercury rises higher above Venus.

Such is our view from Earth...

May 2013 Celestial Highlights

Roanoke Valley's 

May Sky

Early May - 11:00 p.m. (EDT)

Late May - 10:00 p.m. (EDT)

Visible Planets:

MERCURY low in the west-northwest about 9 p.m. after May 22. To the right of Venus on May 23.

VENUS low in the west-northwest 30 minutes after sunset after May 22. 

MARS lost in the solar glare.

JUPITER  low in the west-northwest 45 minutes after sunset. To the lower right of the crescent Moon on May 12. Forms an equilateral triangle with Mercury and Venus on May 26.

SATURN  rises in the southeast at sunset and sets in the southwest near sunrise. Gibbous moon next to it on May 22.

Use the Big Dipper to locate:

The North Star

Leo

Arcturus

Spica

Deneb

To use this map:

Face south and hold the map above your head. The stars on the map will match the stars in the sky.

Such is our view from Earth...

April 2013 Celestial Highlights

Roanoke Valley's April Sky

Early April - 10:30 p.m.

Late April - 9:30 p.m.

Visible Planets:

MERCURY lost in the bright morning twilight. To the right of the thin crescent Moon at 6:30 a.m. on April 8. 

VENUS lost in the solar glare. Behind the sun on March 28. 

MARS lost in the solar glare. Behind the sun on April 17.

JUPITER high in the west 60 minutes after sunset at the end of March and low in the west-northwest 60 minutes after sunset at the end of April. Next to the Moon on April 14.

SATURN rises in the east at sunset and is high in the south at midnight. Visible all month.  Next to the full Moon on April 25.

Use the Big Dipper to locate:

The North Star

Capella

Pollux and Castor

Leo

Arcturus

Spica

Use Orion to locate:

Aldebaran

Sirius

The Winter Triangle

To use this map:

Face south and hold the map above your head. The stars on the map will match the stars in the sky.

Such is our view from Earth...