Looking West on Monday July 21st, about 40 minutes after Sunset (still a glow in the Sky) Jupiter, (88,000 mile wide). will appear above the Horizon, to the lower right will appear Mercury about 6 degrees away,(You may need Binos or your scope to resolve the 3000 mile wide speedster) Upper left in Leo will be Regulus, (Heart of the Lion).
Follow Mercury for the next 5 days until on Saturday the 26th. Mercury will be 1/2 degree from Jupiter ! The next few days following the two planets will change positions..it will appear to the upper left converging now on Regulus.. Although Mer. & Jup. appear close to each other ( about 1 moon width ) they are respectively: 109 million miles & 586 million miles from Earth.
*Thanks to Jack Horkheimer, Director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium. www.jackstargazer.com
Clear skys.. John M
Follow Mercury for the next 5 days until on Saturday the 26th. Mercury will be 1/2 degree from Jupiter ! The next few days following the two planets will change positions..it will appear to the upper left converging now on Regulus.. Although Mer. & Jup. appear close to each other ( about 1 moon width ) they are respectively: 109 million miles & 586 million miles from Earth.
*Thanks to Jack Horkheimer, Director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium. www.jackstargazer.com
Clear skys.. John M
