The Planets

Mercury
Mercury is in the dawn sky briefly this month. At the beginning of July, this planet is low in the east-northeast at first light. Mercury never strays far from the Sun in our sky, so it is not easy to find in the glare.

Venus
This planet is not visible at the beginning of this month. Venus is too close to the Sun to view. By mid-July Venus appears in the northwest in the evening sky. By the 26th Venus in the constellation Leo the Lion and sets about an hour after sunset. Observers see Venus as the “evening star” for the rest of the year.
Mars
Mars is low in the western sky in the early evening. This planet is much fainter when compared to its brilliant orange glow that was observed in January. Mars and Saturn make an interesting pair in Leo the Lion this month.

Jupiter
Jupiter shines brightly all night. This planet is at its best and brightest for the year in July. It rises at dusk in the southeast and seems to move low across the south during the night. This planet is in Sagittarius the Archer. Jupiter sets at sunrise.

Saturn
Saturn is near Mars in the early evening low in the west.
This planet spends the year in Leo, the Lion. It is close to the “heart of the lion, the bright star Regulus.

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Moons and Planets

The Moon, Mars, Saturn and the bright star, Regulus, line up low in the west in early evening of July 5th and 6th. On July 13th the Moon passes close to Antares, the brightest star of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Jupiter is near and to the left of the Moon at nightfall on July 16th.

Star Parties

Please plan to join us for free telescope observing on Saturday, June 14. Members of the Fort Worth Astronomical Society join the staff of the Noble Planetarium on the North parking lot of the museum with their telescopes. These Saturday evening Star Parties are free and open to the public.

• Saturday, July 12, 2008
• Saturday, August 9, 2008
• Saturday, September 6, 2008
• Saturday, October 4, 2008 (This Star Party will be held in Euless as part of a special “Stars Over Euless” event. Details coming soon!)

Star Parties are free and open to the public. They are presented by the Noble Planetarium staff and members of the Fort Worth Astronomical Society.

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For more information about the night sky, contact the Noble Planetarium at 817-255-9300 or planet@fwmsh.org.

Compiled by Linda Krouse and Karen J. Massey of The Noble Planetarium.


Selected by the sciLINKS program, a service of National Science
Teachers Association. Copyright 2001

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