Monthly Night Sky Report: July 2025

            Introduction

    While hot, June was a decent month for stargazers. I enjoyed observing the Moon go through its phases and pass close to the planets, as well as the ever-changing surface of the Sun. I also enjoyed watching satellites cruise by overhead and even saw a meteor break apart just above my home. With all of these sites, my favorite experience during June was sitting on my back patio during one of the cooler nights and looking up. As I am writing this, there are still a couple of days left in June. Weather permitting, I plan to set up my scope to view the wonders of the universe from my home.

    July will bring similar weather conditions as June and will be a great time for observers to get out under the stars and observe the summer meteor showers. The Fourth of July fireworks, and the 24th of July for Utahns, will likely grab the attention of a majority of observers. I urge any observer, while already looking up, to see what constellations can be picked out in the night sky. I have a couple of quick weekend trips planned this month to locations outside of major city lights. I hope to enjoy the night sky during these trips.    

                      

Mercury

    Observers may be able to spot Mercury in the evening sky shortly before sunset during the first two weeks of July. During this time, the innermost planet will glow from 0.5 magnitude and drop to an even dimmer 1.5 magnitude by the 17th. On the 2nd, Mercury will be masquerading as the Queen Bee of the Beehive Cluster, but a clear view of the western horizon, free of any clouds and haze, will be required to see them. On the 4th, Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation, hovering approximately 25° from the Sun. Mercury will quickly approach the Sun, becoming lost from view in twilight. On the 31st, Mercury will be in inferior conjunction with the Sun.   

  

Venus

   Venus will be easy to spot rising above the Wasatch Front during July. The Earth's evil twin sister will rise around 4:00 AM throughout July. On the 1st, Uranus can be found nestled between the Pleiades and Venus. As the month continues, Venus will travel through Taurus, passing close to Aldebaran and the Hyades midmonth, and will finish July in Orion.        

    

Mars

    For the observers looking for planets after sunset, Mars would be the next logical target after Mercury. The Red Planet can be found a short distance to the upper left of Mercury from our vantage point. At the start of July, Mars and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, can be found within 10° of one another. As the month progresses, the pair will drift further apart, with Mars leaving the Lion entirely. Mars won't offer much in the way of planetary detail due to its distance from the Earth, but as an unaided-eye object, it will easily grab the observer's attention with its reddish glow. By the end of July, Mars will have moved into the constellation of Virgo.    

Jupiter

Saturn

    Jupiter won't be visible until the second half of July. At this time, Jupiter will rise before the Sun in the morning sky and should be easy to spot due to its brilliance. Observers should watch for Jupiter rising above the mountains with a thin crescent moon on the 23rd. Jupiter will spend July among the stars of Gemini. Binoculars or a telescope will easily reveal the four Galilean Moons. At the same time, a telescope will also allow an observer to see the cloud bands and the Great Red Spot, as well as the shadow of the Galilean Moons as they pass in front of the planet from our vantage point.    

    Saturn rises around midnight at the beginning of July and approximately two hours earlier by the end of the month. Its rings are currently tilted in a way that makes them hard to view from Earth. However, this creates the opportunity to view the transits of the larger moons of Saturn. Several of the Saturnian Moons can also be spotted through a telescope. Neptune will be close to Saturn all month, making it easy for observers to locate this illusive planet.     

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    Uranus will be found rising with Venus as July begins. This presents an excellent opportunity for those with binoculars and unguided telescopes to observe this planet. During the first few days of July, Uranus can be found nestled between Venus and the Pleiades in Taurus. As the month progresses, Uranus will move very little compared to the background stars, making it easy to locate night after night.  

  Neptune will rise with Saturn during July. The pair of planets can be found close together throughout the month, making it easier to locate the dim 8th planet. Saturn and Neptune can even be seen together in a single field of view if using binoculars or a low-power eyepiece. The pair will contrast nicely with Saturn's yellowish hue and the deep blue of Neptune.  

Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower

   We have gone through a meteor shower dry spell, but that will be remedied in July with the Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower (SDAMS). This shower will appear to radiate from the lower portion of Aquarius, which can be found rising above the eastern horizon as the Sun sets in the west on its peak date. Aquarius can be found to the right of Saturn as it rises, making it easier to locate this constellation. The SDAMS isn't the most prominent or anticipated meteor shower, but it does give observers the chance to warm up for the Perseids next month. The SDAMS will peak on the 31st with a maximum rate of 25 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, this year, Aquarius will not gain much altitude, meaning only about half of this rate should be expected to be seen. Fortunately, the Perseids are approaching their peak, with meteors from this shower becoming visible on the 17th of July. The Perseids can be seen above the northern horizon. A Moon-free night, such as the 24th of July, would be ideal for lying out under the stars and soaking up as many meteors as possible. There are also several minor meteor showers during July, increasing the likelihood of seeing a meteor in the sky. 

    There will still be a chance to see some noctilucent clouds and the Northern Lights during July. Noctilucent clouds will glow after sunset due to their high altitude. I believe I have witnessed these clouds from a dark sky location several years ago, but I am not sure. If so, they were very eerie but awesome to see nonetheless! The Northern Lights remain a possibility due to the active Sun. Aurora will likely be visible through the end of the year and perhaps part of 2026 as solar maximum winds down.  

Monthly Breakdown

July 02: First Quarter Moon 🌓
July 03: Venus and Uranus within 2°

July 04: Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation 

July 10: Full Moon 🌕

July 16: Moon passes within 3° of Neptune

July 16: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn 

July 17: Last Quarter Moon🌗 

July 20: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus

July 21: Moon passes within 7° of Venus

July 22: Moon passes within 5° of Jupiter

July 24: New Moon 🌑

July 28: Moon passes within 2° of Mars

July 31: Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower Peaks

July 31: Mercury reaches inferior conjunction with the Sun 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

                

Midmonth Check-In: June 2025 and Aurora

                

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    June's weather has been great for stargazing, although it is much too hot for my liking. The heat aside, the skies have been relatively clear, offering great views of the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, and deep sky objects. I have enjoyed looking up during these warm nights to look at the stars and see several satellites fly by. I was also surprised by a meteor streaking and breaking apart as it entered the Earth's atmosphere. I have also been watching for the northern lights with a few days offering a 10% chance of seeing them over Utah. Unfortunately, they haven't been visible yet from my location.

    The remaining days of June will offer observers the chance to see noctilucent clouds glowing high above the surface and after dark. We may still have a chance to see the Northern Lights over Utah in the coming weeks, as the Sun remains active. As I'm writing this, there is another decent chance to see the northern lights next week. Observers can still look forward to the Summer Solstice on the 20th and several conjunctions between the Moon and planets. 

Aurora  

       I have recently and quite frequently mentioned how active the Sun is. I have also shared several images, with my most recent one shared above, of the Sun and its many sunspots. When the Sun is at Solar Maximum, like it is now, it releases vast amounts of charged particles. These particles can then interact with the Earth's atmosphere, or any other planet or moon with an atmosphere. 

    I need to go on a science rant to explain why light is produced when particles interact, so bear with me! Depending on how long ago a science class was taken, an individual may or may not remember that an atom, the fundamental building block of matter, contains a nucleus and a surrounding cloud of protons and electrons. Different atoms contain different numbers of protons and electrons. For example, an oxygen atom with atomic number 8 comprises 8 electrons, while the tungsten atom with atomic number 74 contains 74 electrons. Atoms and molecules (a combination of atoms, ie, water has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom) like to be neutral but occasionally can carry a positive or negative charge, meaning they have an uneven amount of electrons and protons. Atoms or molecules that are missing or have an extra electron are charged particles. Particles (atoms, molecules, or subatomic components) may become "excited" when interacting, meaning electrons move further away from the nucleus (higher energy orbit) and then back to a lower energy orbit. As electrons move to a lower energy orbit, a photon (light particle) is released. 

    Now that the science talk is mostly behind us, let's continue with more about the aurora! As the charged particles from the Sun interact with the atoms and molecules of the atmosphere, some of them get excited. As discussed, these excited particles can release photons, creating the aurora that we see in the night sky. This process is very similar to how neon lights work. Neon lights contain neon atoms, but other lights may contain different elements like mercury, argon, and xenon. The electricity used to power the lights excites the atoms, causing them to produce light. Separate colors are created when different elements are bombarded by varying amounts of energy. The Earth's atmosphere is mainly made up of oxygen and nitrogen, which produce their own colors. 

    The colors of the aurora are based on two things: the atoms the charged particles interact with, and the altitude at which the interaction takes place. The most common color of aurora is green. When charged particles from the Sun interact with oxygen between 60 and 190 miles of altitude, the vibrant green aurora is produced. Green is also the color that the human eye is most sensitive to. Aurora may also be red, which occurs when the charged particles interact with oxygen at higher altitudes, typically between 190 and 250 miles above the surface of Earth. Blue and purple auroras are much less common and occur when the charged particles interact with nitrogen less than 60 miles above the surface of the Earth. Yellow and pink aurora are the most uncommon colors and are a mixture of red and either green or blue aurora.

    In addition to color, auroras come in different shapes. The most common are sheets or curtains of colored sky. They may also form arcs or spirals in the sky as the charged particles travel along the Earth's magnetic field. Auroras are most common around the poles, with the north having Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) and the south having Aurora Australis (Southern Lights). These ethereal lights are most common around the poles as the charged particles follow the magnetic field of the Earth. I urge anyone interested to purchase a bar magnet and some iron filings to see what a magnetic field looks like! Different magnets will produce different magnetic fields, with a bar magnet closely resembling that of the Earth's own magnetic field.

    I know I have shared these images on multiple occasions, but here are the best images I've captured of the aurora from Utah on 10 May 2024. 

   I have found a few resources for predicting where an aurora will be visible. The first is the Space Weather Prediction Center, provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which also predicts ocean currents and atmospheric phenomena, such as weather and air quality. On my smart devices (Android phone and iPad), I use the SpaceWeatherLive app. This app shows several current images of the Sun from different satellites, solar activity, and auroral activity. It also has a map that shows where the aurora is visible and the likelihood of seeing it in a specific area. I also use My Aurora Forecast & Alerts app on my Android device. This app is supposed to notify me if there is a chance of seeing an aurora at my current location. I rely more on the SpaceWeatherLive app as My Aurora Forecast & Alerts doesn't always give me a notification. However, I appreciate the map in My Aurora Forecast & Alerts more and will switch between the apps when there is a higher chance of seeing the aurora in my location. I hope that you can view the aurora in your location soon and remember to enjoy the night sky! 

    

       

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: June 2025

           Introduction

    The end of May proved to be pleasant and an excellent opportunity for outdoor activities, including stargazing! While I was unable to do any serious stargazing, I did get my garden planted...for the second time this year. Multiple hailstorms destroyed my first plants, which were started by seed indoors before being planted. I do have one, possibly two, trips planned this year, which will include some stargazing, weather permitting.

    The current weather forecast shows that the first few days of June will be cooler and rainy. After these storms, however, the weather should clear up and be great for some summer astronomy! June is a quiet month for astronomy events such as meteor showers and known comets. However, meteors can be seen on any clear night, and there is always a slight chance of a newly discovered comet reaching unaided eye visibility. The Sun is still highly active, increasing the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights in Utah. Typically, local news stations do a decent job of reporting if there is a chance of seeing these ethereal lights in the sky. The Summer Solstice occurs on the 20th this month, marking the longest amount of daylight and shortest night (boo!) of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. 

                      

Mercury

    Mercury can be found in the evening sky after sunset during June. On the 6th, Mercury and Jupiter can be seen hugging the western horizon. The pair will be closest on the 8th, when they are just 2° from each other from our vantage point. A pair of binoculars will aid in revealing these planets in a single field of view. Mercury will continue to climb higher in the sky after sunset as Jupiter sets earlier with each passing day. On the 24th, Mercury can be found forming a line with the bright stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux, just as Mars did a couple of months back. By the end of the month, Mercury can be found within 3° of M44, the Beehive Cluster. A pair of binoculars or a telescope with a low-power eyepiece and a clear view of the western horizon will be required to see this pair.  

  

Venus

    Brilliant Venus can be found high above the eastern horizon before sunrise. This planet reached its greatest western elongation on May 31st. As the month progresses, Venus can be seen approaching M45, the Pleiades, in Taurus. The closest this pair will get in June will come at the end of the month. However, during July, the pair can be found moving even closer together with the Hyades, another open star cluster in Taurus, joining the pair. Aldebaran, the red eye of the bull, will also be close to Venus in July.  

    

Mars

    Mars can be seen high above the western horizon after sunset. Due to its red color, it should be easy to pick out against the background stars of Leo. On the 16th, Mars and the brightest star of Leo, Regulus, can be found less than 1° apart. The bright blue-white of Regulus and the orange-red of Mars will contrast nicely, creating a spectacular photo opportunity. 

Jupiter

Saturn

     Jupiter is quickly approaching the Sun from our vantage point and will soon be lost from view. This gas giant will be found close to Mercury on the 6th through the 9th. Shortly after this date, Jupiter will be too close to the Sun to view. Interested observers can still catch the Galilean Moons transiting the planet, the Great Red Spot, and the distant cloud bands. Check out the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app for Android or JupiterMoons for Apple devices to find the best times to view the transits and the Great Red Spot for a specific location. An observer will need a four-inch (100 mm) or larger telescope to view the transits and the Great Red Spot. 

    Saturn will continue to rise earlier each morning, allowing observers to view this ringed world for a more extended period before sunrise. Saturn is tilted so that we Earthlings will have a clear view of the southern face of the ring system for the next 13 years. Currently, the ring system tilt is very narrow at only 4°, offering observers a clear view of Saturn. Now is a great time to view the cloud bands of Saturn and storms in its atmosphere. The current tilt of Saturn will also bring many moon transits to view.   

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    Uranus returns to the morning sky this month. The best chance to see this ice giant will come at the end of the month when it rises with Venus. A pair of binoculars should easily reveal the blue-green tint of this planet.  

  Neptune can be found in the morning sky before sunrise. On the 29th, this most distant planet and Saturn will be just 1° apart in our sky. A pair of binoculars or a telescope will be required to see the blue disk of this planet.

Noctilucent Clouds and Northern Lights

   June doesn't offer a major meteor shower, but an average of seven meteors per hour can be seen during any given night. As mentioned earlier, the Sun is still very active, increasing the likelihood of the Northern Lights being visible over Utah. I recommend following your local news channel for the weather forecast, where they usually announce the possibility of seeing these lights. Even if an observer is unable to see the lights with the unaided eye, a camera can detect the faint light and capture an image quite easily. If using a smartphone, an observer can open their camera app and hold the phone up to the sky to see if the lights are visible. No picture necessary! 

    The warm summer nights in the northern hemisphere bring the opportunity to go cloud-gazing! Of course, clouds are bad for stargazing, but noctilucent clouds are elusive and are quite a sight during evening twilight. After all other clouds grow dark after sunset, noctilucent clouds will still glow from the reflected sunlight. These clouds lie at the top of the Earth's atmosphere, approximately 50 miles above the planet's surface! Cirrus clouds, the most common type of cloud, can reach about 7.5 miles above the Earth. That's quite a difference! Noctilucent clouds occur when ice crystals form on tiny dust particles at the edge of the Earth's atmosphere. After sunset, these clouds still glow because of the reflected sunlight bouncing off these ice crystals. These clouds typically appear stationary to an individual observing from the ground. However, a time-lapse will show these clouds moving against the background stars.    

Monthly Breakdown

June 01: Moon passes within 2° of Mars
June 02: First Quarter Moon 🌓
June 08: Jupiter and Mercury within 2°
June 11: Full Moon 🌕

June 16: Mars passes within 1° of Regulus 

June 18: Last Quarter Moon🌗

June 18: Moon passes within 3° of Saturn 

June 18: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune 

June 20: Summer Solstice

June 22: Moon passes within 7° of Venus

June 22: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus

June 24: Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun 

June 25: New Moon 🌑

June 27: Moon passes within 3° of Mercury

June 29: Saturn and Neptune within 1°

June 29: Moon passes within 0.5° of Mars 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

                

Midmonth Check-In: May 2025 and Space Weather

               

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    May was another month for crazy Utah weather. Northern Utah experienced a few days with temperatures in the 70s and 80s, although some strong winds accompanied these days. Utahns also experienced rainy days in the 50s and 60s. The current weather forecast predicts more rain for the next couple of days, but also shows climbing temperatures and clearing skies. Great for astronomy! Aside from catching glimpses of the bright planets and constellations, the weather didn't permit much stargazing. 

    During the second half of May, observers can expect to see the Moon passing close to Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. Mercury will reach superior conjunction with the Sun on the 29th, being lost from view but returning in June. Venus will reach its greatest western elongation on the 31st, high above the horizon before sunrise.  

Space Weather  

       Utah has been experiencing some crazy weather patterns over the past several weeks. This is a good time to talk about the weather in space! As one may have guessed, Space weather is quite different from the weather we experience here on Earth. 

    The term "space weather" might be misleading to some, but it refers to the area between the Sun and the Earth and the impact this region has on human technology and the Earth. Space weather is caused by the Sun releasing charged particles known as the solar wind. These charged particles contain kinetic energy measured in electron volts (eV). Not EV as in electric vehicle. When the Sun reaches its solar maximum cycle, as it is currently, it releases more of these charged particles. When these particles interact with a planet's atmosphere, they can release their energy, creating different colors in the sky, known as aurora. The Earth is not the only planet to have aurora. They have also been seen on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. 

    In addition to creating pretty lights in the sky, solar weather can have an adverse effect. The solar wind interacts with all forms of technology. Satellites orbiting the planet can be overrun with these charged particles, temporarily disrupting ground communication and, in extreme instances, permanently damaging the satellite so it can no longer be used. The affected satellites can cause navigation errors on Earth and TV and cell phone outages. Astronauts aboard the ISS and individuals on aircraft will experience higher radiation levels during intense solar storms. On the planet's surface, we may experience geomagnetic induced currents in our power systems, disrupting the power that we heavily rely on. Solar cells, which have come a long way in technology, can also degrade more quickly during high solar activity. It seems that nothing is safe from space weather and the solar wind. This is mainly true outside of the protective layer that the Earth's atmosphere provides. It's only the powerful solar storms that humans need to worry about on the planet's surface. More information about Space Weather and its current forecast can be found on the Space Weather Prediction Center website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.            

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: May 2025

          Introduction

    The weather has remained mostly pleasant, if not a little bit unpredictable, during the last part of April. Even with the wild weather, I was still able to spot the ISS, see Jupiter and Mars in the night sky with Orion and Gemini, and Venus in the morning sky. As always, the Moon was enjoyable to watch as it changed phases. 

    The current weather forecast for Northern Utah claims more rain with a slight chance of snow while the temperatures increase. May brings the last chance to view Jupiter in the evening sky as it transitions to a morning planet. The Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower will peak during the first week. Mars will pass through the Beehive Cluster, and Neptune will join the morning planets.          

                      

Mercury

    Mercury will be a challenge for Northern Hemisphere observers to view this month. It can be found in the morning sky but will hug the eastern horizon until the 29th, when Mercury reaches superior conjunction with the Sun. The best chance to view Mercury will come during the first few days of the month when it is highest in the sky before sunrise.  

  

Venus

    Venus will be easy to spot before sunrise above the eastern horizon. The views will improve as this planet gains altitude throughout the month. By the 31st, Venus will have reached its greatest western elongation, resting 46° away from the Sun from our Earthly vantage point. Saturn can be found less than 4° away during the first morning of May, but it will quickly increase that distance. On the 23rd, the Moon can be found less than 4° away from Venus. Neptune can be found close to Venus throughout May, but its closest approach will occur on the 3rd. A telescope and a clear view of the eastern horizon will be required to view this conjunction. Saturn can also be found nearby.    

    

Mars

    Mars is spectacular to observe with the unaided eye due to its red color. In early May, Mars will pass through the Beehive Cluster. On May 3rd, observers can see Mars enter the Beehive. May 4th and 5th will be the best time for viewing this pair, weather permitting. The Red Planet will leave the Beehive on the 6th. I recommend using a pair of binoculars or a low-power eyepiece in a telescope for the interested observers. This will allow the scene to be viewed in its entirety. The Moon can be found just 2° from Mars on the 3rd. The Red Planet will spend most of May in Cancer the Crab, but crosses into Leo the Lion on the 25th. 

Jupiter

Saturn

      Observers should catch Jupiter during May before it transitions to the morning sky. This gas giant will be visible about three hours after sunset during the first portion of May. However, by the end of the month, Jupiter will only be above the western horizon for about an hour after the Sun sets. Even though this planet is not in the best position in the sky for fantastic observations, interested observers can still catch the Galilean Moons transiting the planet, the Great Red Spot, and the distant cloud bands. Check out the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app for Android or JupiterMoons for Apple devices to find the best times to view the transits and the Great Red Spot for a specific location. An observer will need a four-inch (100 mm) or larger telescope to view the transits and the Great Red Spot. The Earth's moon will pass close to this gas giant on the 28th.

    Saturn is pulling away from the Sun from our vantage point, rising about an hour before our closest star on the first morning of May and about 90 minutes earlier by the end of the month. An observer should be able to spot Saturn in the morning sky as it glows at magnitude 1.2. Venus is just 4° away on the first, aiding in finding the Ringed World. During the first week of May, observers should try to view Saturn through a telescope to catch the shadow of its rings on its surface. On May 6th, the rings will be edge-on from our vantage point. The following morning, the ring system will again be tilted from our point of view, making it visible again. The Moon will pass nearby on the 22nd.  

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    The ice giant, Uranus, lies too close to the Sun from our Earthly perspective and will be lost from view during May. 

   Neptune can be seen in the eastern sky before sunrise. For the best views, observers should wait until the end of the month, when this most distant world rises earlier. In addition to rising earlier, Neptune will be found close to Saturn, less than 2° of separation on the last day of the month. The Moon will also pass within 2° of Neptune on the 22nd.

Aquariid Meteor Shower

   The Aquariid Meteor Shower peaks during May. While this isn't the most active meteor shower of the year, it does give observers something to do while enjoying the warm spring temperatures. The Aquariids will peak during the evening of the 5th and morning of the 6th. The meteors will appear to radiate from Aquarius, which rises close to 4:30 AM. This means the radiant won't be visible all night, but some meteors should still streak across the sky. If Aquarius could climb overhead before sunrise, observers could expect to see up to 50 meteors per hour. Alas, this constellation won't get that chance, so a more realistic rate is about 10-15 meteors per hour. The Aquariids are known to travel at high speeds, leaving long meteor trails in the night sky.

    The Northern Lights were visible in Utah on the 10th of last year due to the active Sun. The Sun is still highly active, and the opportunity to see the lights again still exists. Individuals should keep their eyes on the sky and the news to see if there is a chance to view the Northern Lights in their area.    

Monthly Breakdown

May 03: Moon passes within 2° of Mars
May 03: Venus and Neptune within 2°
May 04: First Quarter Moon 🌓
May 05: Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower Peak
May 12: Full Moon 🌕
May 20: Last Quarter Moon🌗
May 22: Moon passes within 3° of Saturn 
May 22: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune 
May 23: Moon passes within 4° of Venus
May 26: New Moon 🌑

May 28: Moon passes within 5° of Jupiter

May 29: Mercury reaches superior conjunction

May 31: Venus reaches greatest western elongation 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.