Volume 16 Issue 5	May 2010

Planet Watch -- Keeping Track of the Visible Planets

Mercury rises before the Sun this month and will be visible but for northern hemisphere observers, it will be low over the eastern horizon. Venus continues to dominate the morning skies as it shines brightly over the eastern horizon before the sun rises. This month Venus glides past the horns of Taurus the Bull. On the 15th Venus will be a few degrees to the left from Elnath one of the horn tips, and a very thin waxing crescent Moon will be sown to the right. Six days later on the 21st Venus will be less than 1 degree from the open star cluster M-35 near the feet of the Gemini Twins as this graphic shows. Mars is visible high over the southern horizon at sunset and is steadily moving eastward away from the dim stars of Cancer toward Regulus in Leo. For the first few days of the month Mars will be within several degrees from the open star cluster, M-44, the Beehive Cluster. Off to the west is the brighter planet Venus -- moving steadily eastward toward a close conjunction with Mars in August. Jupiter rises a couple of hours ahead of the Sun will be visible over the eastern horizon this month. Saturn ends its retrograde motion on the 31st and resumes moving eastward in direct motion below the stars marking the tail end of Leo.

Click Here For More Planet Information