Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Full Moon rises around sunset. The Moon is now east of the planet Jupiter. Look to the upper right of the Moon for the gas giant planet. Look on the Moon with binoculars for the lunar rays. Rays are spoke-like lines radiating out from several of the large craters on the Moon. The Rays are best seen when the Moon is near full. The crater Tycho has one of the most spectacular set of lunar rays.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Mercury is 30° to the lower left of the star Aldebaran. Look for Mercury in the morning sky an hour before sunrise. Mercury will be very low in the ENE. The quick moving planet is 15° from the Sun and moving about a degree closer to it each day. Mercury will be at superior conjunction, behind the Sun, on the 29th of July. In the evening look for the Moon to the west (lower right) of Jupiter.

source: Abrams Planetarium